ArtsWorcester engages artists and the public to advance and celebrate contemporary art.
ArtsWorcester is now in its fifth decade of exhibiting and advancing regional artists. Founded as the Cultural Assembly of Greater Worcester in 1979, this mission has been carried out across the city: in vacant offices, in exhibition venues borrowed from other organizations, and, for nearly twenty years, on the premises of a former luxury hotel. In 2018, the gift of a permanent home in the historic Printers Building catalyzed a successful capital campaign to equip this new facility, and to secure the organization’s future. In the spring of 2019, we opened the new galleries and began operations in the heart of Worcester’s revitalized downtown. Those operations include the solo, small group, and members’ exhibitions that have always been at the heart of the organization.
Our Story
ArtsWorcester will mark its 50th year in 2029, and much credit for that longevity goes to artist members who have made ArtsWorcester their artistic home, bringing their work, advancing their practices, and sharing their creativity here. Decades of careful board members, adhering to the highest standards of governance, fiscal responsibility, and operational transparency, ensured that ArtsWorcester could meet the needs of those artists, even in the toughest of times. Loyal supporters valued our exhibitions and our work, and told us so with annual contributions towards our operational budget. ArtsWorcester thrives because artists, art-lovers, the City of Worcester, and Worcester County all need our work.
Artist prizes and unique partnerships with regional museums offer incentives and recognition to advancing artists. Among growth and new opportunity, ArtsWorcester maintains long-standing traditions: the annual College Show, now in its third decade, and over forty years of ArtsWorcester Biennials. [LINK TO MEMBERSHIP??]
Despite many changes in this city’s artistic landscape, an exhibiting membership here remains open to all, regardless of experience or practice. Our educational programs have shifted with the times and changing needs of artists, but continue to serve their professional needs, cultivate new audiences, and address the public’s increasing hunger for contemporary art.