Art brings us together.

Essex Art Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that inspires and sustains lifelong growth and learning for artists and art lovers of all ages in Greater Lawrence. Our classes, events, and exhibitions harness the power of art to transform lives.

Upcoming events

Classes at Essex Art Center

Our Programs

Essex Art Center serves all of Essex County and the Merrimack Valley, with a focus on the community where we reside: Lawrence. Whether you're from Boston, somewhere in New Hampshire, or our next-door neighbor, we invite you into our space to see our shows, learn in our studios, and be inspired by art!

Our Guiding Belief

Art Brings Us Together. We use art as a medium for connection. In our studios and galleries, you can learn a new skill, make new friends, engage in meaningful dialogues, and expand your world.

Making Art Accessible

Our goal is to make art accessible to everyone. To ensure our programs remain within reach of our community, we offer significant discounts. Lawrence youth 18 and under benefit from a 75% discount on all courses, Lawrence adults receive a 30% discount, and all seniors receive 10% off. And we offer free programming, open to all ages, every month!

Exhibitions

We have an ambitious vision of what art can do. We see art as a connector in our community and a platform for communication about issues that matter.

We strive to amplify under-represented voices and work to ensure that our exhibitions are responsive to what's happening in the world and relevant to our community.

We are committed to supporting emergent careers and ideas as well as more established and renowned artists and curators. Our galleries and correlating special events are always free and open to the public.

Paid Programs for Teens

We prepare the next generation of artists for creative futures. Essex Art Center is known and respected for its commitment to preparing young people for careers in creative fields. We offer year-round paid programs for young people, including the Design Collective, Curatorial Incubator Program, Gallery Attendant Program, and Summer Public Art Programs.

Essex Art Center's Teen Programs allow young people to get involved in the community, collaborate with professional artists and other teens, and develop professional and creative skills while creating art specific to Lawrence.

CELEBRATING 30+ YEARS

CELEBRATING 30+ YEARS

Founded in 1993, Essex Art Center is a community-based nonprofit that understands art’s capacity to transform lives and communities.

Over the last three decades, we have seen students become instructors and former students send their children to engage with our programs. How special that we have served as the creative home for so many for multiple generations!

We are proud to reside in Lawrence and have enjoyed adding color and life to our vibrant city. Check out some of our “historic” photos from the early nineties below.

Be a part of our legacy—support the transformative power of art today!

Two children, a boy and a girl, smiling and holding paper crafts of airplanes in a room with other children and adults in the background.
Four people standing and smiling in an art gallery with various paintings on the walls.
A group of five diverse people, including two men and three women, stands in front of a mural of a face painted on a brick building. They are smiling and posing for the photo.
A woman with light-colored hair and tattoos wears a patched jacket, leaning over a person wearing a mask with smiley face design, who is covering their face with one hand. The setting appears to be indoors with people in the background.
A woman teaches a group of children video editing in a classroom with three computers, all showing video editing software, in black and white.
Two young women posing together, one with glasses and the other without, standing in front of a brick wall.

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