Our Mission + History

Essex Art Center inspires and sustains lifelong growth and learning for a diverse community of artists in Greater Lawrence. Our classes, events, and exhibitions harness the power of art to transform lives.

Essex Art Center was founded in 1993 when three Bradford College classmates—Helen Tory, Linda Maddox, and Leslie Costello—opened a nonprofit art studio that offered classes on Essex Street in downtown Lawrence.

In 1995, we moved to our current home on Island Street. We've grown into a thriving arts community working to positively impact the lives of artists and residents in our region.

Equity + Inclusion

Representation Matters

Essex Art Center fosters contemporary art practices in Greater Lawrence. We recognize that we must continue to increase diversity and equity within our organization to do so effectively. We work to attract and retain staff, board members, teachers, and volunteers who reflect the communities we serve. We have established outreach and relationship-building efforts with Lawrence residents to ensure that our community is represented within our programming and has the power to influence our work.

We believe 

  • We must continue to work towards dismantling inequities within our field and the communities we serve.

  • We must continue developing community-focused programming that is welcoming and inclusive to all people from Lawrence, the region, and beyond. 

  • Artists are uniquely positioned to frame conversations and provoke reflection around pressing issues. By highlighting artists who have been historically underrepresented, including women-identifying artists, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) artists, and artists with disabilities, we are working to elevate voices that have been less heard. 

The equity and inclusion practices at Essex Art Center foster an environment where staff, students, artists, and volunteers are engaged, valued, and encouraged to collaborate, generate ideas, and contribute at their highest level. We are passionate about our mission and know that our ability to achieve it begins with engaging our community. 

Land Acknowledgment

Essex Art Center acknowledges that our building resides on the traditional, ancestral territory of the Pennacook people, who lived in what is now Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and southern Maine. They were not a united tribe but a network of politically and culturally allied communities. We find inspiration in their networked way of being. Through our mission to promote a wide range of arts, cultures, and voices, we commit to honoring this sacred land where we learn, work, and create.