The Art League Moves Forward with its School Relocation Project: “A Transformative Journey to Stay in Our Hometown”
2024 marks the 70th Anniversary of The Art League, the largest arts organization of its kind in Virginia. It provides wide-ranging art education for students of all ages, hosts an art gallery with free monthly exhibits, and operates an art supply store.
In addition, in keeping with its commitment to use “visual arts as a catalyst to engage and uplift the underserved,” The Art League runs various Community Outreach programs including: 1) The Teacher Resilience Project (offering ACPS art teachers tuition-free access to classes); 2) the SOHO partnership (pairing at-risk 5th grade girls with mentors); 3) IMPART (connecting recently injured military personnel with arts experiences to promote healing); and 4) the Geri Gordon Scholarship (awarded to deserving students who otherwise could not afford to take classes).
The Art League Identifies New Homes for its Madison Annex
After nearly thirty years of housing the majority of its classroom/studio activities at the Madison Annex location on Montgomery Street in Old Town North, the Art League found itself in need of a new home due to the impending redevelopment of the Montgomery Center. Finding space to relocate its 19,470 square foot art school facility within Alexandria was no easy task, and ultimately required identifying not one, but two new locations.
Fortunately, patrons of The Art League won’t have to venture too far from the Madison Annex to take advantage of the two new Art League locations: one at 800 Slaters Lane and the other in The Muse at 1201 N. Royal St.
Plans for a “Creative Campus” in Alexandria
Late last month, The Art League hosted an event providing updates on its School Relocation Project. The Art League shared its vision to develop a “Creative Campus” in Alexandria consisting of three locations as follows:
The Torpedo Factory Center - 105 N. Union St. (The Art League headquarters, a gallery, classrooms, and an art store).
The Art School Annex - 800 Slaters Lane. (Classroom and studio space).
Classroom Studios & Pop-Up Gallery - The Muse - 1201 N. Royal St. (Instructional studios and a ground floor pop-up gallery).
The Art School Annex - 800 Slaters Lane
Suzanne Bethel, Executive Director of The Art League, was thrilled to find the warehouse space at 800 Slaters Lane because its layout was much better suited to The Art League’s needs than a traditional office building.
The layout for the Annex includes plans for: Multipurpose, SOHO Outreach, & Youth classrooms; a Jewelry studio; a Ceramics studio; a Sculpture studio; and a Painting/Multipurpose studio.
The Art School Annex - 800 Slaters Lane (Courtesy The Art League)
Classroom Studios & Pop-Up Gallery - The Muse
With regard to timing, construction is expected to get underway at both locations this spring. The Art League intends to continue operations at the Madison Annex through the Summer 2024 term with plans to begin the relocation process over the summer. Although The Art League will likely operate in its old and new locations for a time, the hope is to have a Soft Launch at The Muse in Summer 2024 and Grand Openings of both The Muse and 800 Slaters Lane in Fall 2024.
Classroom Studios & Pop-Up Gallery - The Muse - 1201 N. Royal St. (Courtesy The Art League)
Funding The Art League’s “Creative Campus”
Several organizations have been integral in helping The Art League find, secure, and begin to build out these new locations including the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership (AEDP), the Industrial Development Authority (IDA), and Freedom Bank.
Despite this outside help, The Art League is still in need of donations to fully cover the costs of construction and implementation of this “Creative Campus.”
In order to complete Phase One of the School Relocation project (permits, drawings, initial move-in costs for The Muse, and part of the $1.2 million construction cost for the new Slaters Lane facility), The Art League must raise $1 million. As of last month’s event, The Art League had raised approximately 75% of that amount.
If you would like to help The Art League reach its Phase One goals and realize its vision of a “Creative Campus” in Alexandria, please consider making a donation: https://www.theartleague.org/giving/donation
For more information on The Art League including class offerings and events/exhibits, please visit: https://www.theartleague.org/