Essex Art Center is a community-based creative hub in Lawrence, Massachusetts. We see art as a catalyst for bringing people together, sparking conversations that matter, and building community.
Upcoming events and classes
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Winter Classes
Now Enrolling
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Building Closed December 19, 2025 - January 5, 2026
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In a time of many suns // En un tiempo de mucho soles
Opening Reception
Saturday, January 17, 2026
2:00-4:00PM
Essex Art Center is a force for good in the community.
We create a welcoming environment where individuals of all ages participate in enriching classes, workshops, and exhibitions that inspire creativity and artistic growth. Our public art installations and exhibition programs spark meaningful conversations that resonate with the concerns and aspirations of our City's residents while also engaging the broader region. We celebrate diverse voices and perspectives, using art as a powerful tool to share ideas, unite people, and strengthen our community.
We believe everyone is an artist, and we foster creativity at every age and level .
Whether you're 4 or 84, a novice or a professional, everyone is respected at Essex Art Center. Our galleries, studios, and community outreach programs are built on the belief that everyone—whether you're the instructor, staff member, or student—has something meaningful to contribute and ideas that can inspire.
We are a community-based creative hub.
Essex Art Center is embedded within the Island Street neighborhood, a diverse community that includes housing developments, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and a public park. We are a hub for creativity and gathering. We enjoy hosting field trips, artist groups, and anyone interested in creative expression. We encourage visitors to see what's on view in our galleries, grab a book from our library, and spend time creating or being surrounded by art.
We prepare the next generation of artists for creative futures.
Our dynamic opportunities for teens prepare the next generation for careers in creative fields.
We offer dynamic programs for young people, including our
Design Collective
Curatorial Incubator Program
Gallery Attendant Program
Summer Internships
Portfolio Review
Our exhibition programs serve as incubators for artists at critical creative junctures, providing a platform that amplifies their creative work and engages the community.
We work to ensure that the community sees their lives, experiences, and aspirations reflected in the art we show. Through engaging exhibitions, we create a dynamic dialogue between artists and the community, inviting visitors to reflect on the stories behind each piece. Our galleries also serve as an important teaching tool and source of inspiration for our studio programs and local schools that visit for field trips.
We leverage our connections with other organizations and the city to create an Arts and Culture District.
A designated Creative Community Campus — our take on an Arts and Culture District — will foster deeper connections between artists, residents, local businesses, and the community.
This collaborative work will
Highlight and connect Lawrence's diverse arts and cultural organizations,
Attract more businesses and visitors to the area,
Honor Lawrence's unique history, culture, and geography,
Add even more color and vibrancy to our City,
Positively impact the lives of artists and residents in our region.
Making art accessible to everyone in Greater Lawrence since 1993
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!
