What is the Arts League of Lowell?

Community. Education. Inspiration.

The Arts League of Lowell was established in 2003 as a community for artists and arts supporters in the Greater Lowell, Massachusetts community. Since then, we've grown into an organization with more than 200 members and big goals.

Our city has embraced its artistic roots and now we’re ready to put down our own. After six moves in less than a decade, we're moving into a permanent home in a renovated industrial building right in Downtown Lowell.

We'll be expanding our programming to include:

• classes for all ages and abilities
• workshops
• professional development for the creative community
• increased gallery space
• new partnerships and
• event space available to the community

After years of dreaming and planning, we'll be able to thrive as a community space and resource for our city. With these expansions, we’ll be able to connect thousands of visitors and members with the art and culture that makes our city great.

Want to be part of our future? Become a member today!

Arts League of Lowell at the Gates Block in October, March and finally April 14 with some of the track lighting (minus the all-important lights).

We've been working long hours updating the building and planning for the future and we'll be open to all in the spring, but not before a final push.

The Exchange

What We’re Asking For:

Your support.

We run on membership dues, our fair commission percentage of sales, community support and grant funding. Our expanded programming will support our goals, but we need some initial money to get everything ready for that to happen. Our rennovation efforts have been helped so far by astounding support from our members, Gates Block revivalist Nick Sarris and a strengthening grant of $25,000 from the Theodore Edson Parker Foundation. This $6,500 from our Indiegogo campaign will help cover:

• Bulbs and hardware for a new lighting grid to make our art shine. We've purchased the grid system, but were recently notified that we are not eligible, as originally told, for an assistance program to help cover the bulbs, hardware and installation. This has been a speed bump, but we're driving right over it with your help.
  

We have lots of track, but no lights!

• Classroom tables for making artistic magic.
• Chairs for visitors to take in the atmosphere and make new friends.
• Pedastals to place our art where it deserves.

Note: We pay a processing fee on funds contributed through the site, so if you would like to donate directly to our success, please contact us. We will not be able to use this money until the end of May and have costs coming up befoe then, so if you'd like your contribution to be felt immediately, please visit our website. Thank you! 

Artist Stipend

Our initial goal of $6,500 will help cover these basic costs and includes a $50 stipend for each of our members that has donated work as an Indiegogo prize. If we reach our stretch goal of $8,500 to cover some of the installation work, we will increase the stipend to $100. This is not an attempt to pay our artists what their donations are worth (they're worth much more) but a gesture of appreciation for their generosity and support that artists should be compensated for their talents.

What You’ll Get

Art!

The new Arts League of Lowell will be a place for creativity and full of new friends. Fortunately, artists make great friends and give awesome presents. View our photo gallery for a few examples of the art we’ll thank you with for your contribution.

Current prizes include:

Member Jan Lind's award-winning photography

 One of member Margarida Correia's upcycled necklaces.

A 2' X 6' Shepard Fairey bus poster from his ICA exhibit, donated by member Mary Hart

ALL bag modeled by member Margarida. 

Framed 16"x21" framed photo with 2 layer mat by member artist Coleman Rogers

Matted photography prints by Norm Caron. Take your pick for an 8 X 10: http://normcaronphotography.weebly.com/

Amanda Frankland necklace- cobblestones

More prizes will be added as these are claimed. Once a prize level is sold out, we will remove it from the page. Don't worry, you will still receive it! So far, we have sold out of Bo Bloom's mugs, Donna Howard's painting and Mary Hart's scroll.

Recognition!

In addition to work by our many talented members, we're offering opportunities to help us build a community in our new home. You can sponsor a chair or table (vital for classes!) or rent out our gallery at a discount to host your own event. Most importantly, you can sponsor your very own light in our lighting grid, much like one of those programs that lets you pick a star. You can come sit in your chair, paint at your table or admire work lit by your light. New rewards will be posted as the prizes are claimed, so check back to see what catches your eye.

Warm Fuzzies!

Your support will mean so much to the artists involved and everyone who walks  through our open doors in years to come. You can be proud to say you helped to get those doors open and brought a new community resource into being. Hopefully including you. We'd really like to meet all of our supporters! Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Other Ways You Can Help

We understand that not everyone can contribute financially, but there are other ways you can help us out:

• Sharing our campaign with your friends and family via email and/or social media;
• Liking us on Facebook to keep up with our activities;
• Visiting us at 307 Market St. to say hello and check out some art!