ABOUT US
OUR MISSION is to encourage appreciation for and participation in visual, performing, and literary arts.
As a long-standing creative hub located in Green Bay’s Olde Main District, we have a vision to ensure that arts continue to be recognized as integral to our community, and essential to creating a vibrant downtown. We strive to promote a common ground for people of every walk of life to participate in meaningful arts experiences through art workshops, gallery exhibitions, live performances, and other community-building programs. We believe that providing this creative outlet, as well as creating space for budding and established artists, makes for a better Green Bay!
OUR HISTORY: Cedar Center Arts, Inc. is a 501c3 that was founded by local artists who, upon finishing a studio arts class at University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, didn’t want to lose the experience of making art in a studio. In order to facilitate their studio practices, they approached the landlords of the Cannery complex for space to work and display their art. Soon, that led to the creation of a board of directors and the vision to apply for a 501c3 status as a not-for-profit organization. By March 17, 2006, Cedar Center Arts had officially opened the Art Garage.
In the beginning, the Art Garage was sustained by a small board of directors and a lot of sweat equity. In 2007, our first staff member was hired. By our fifth anniversary in 2011, the Art Garage had expanded to two rooms in 6,000 square feet, with a board of 21 people, two part-time staff members, two staff serving under SeniorCorps grants, over 150 volunteers, and more than a dozen artists and teachers who work with our organization on a regular basis. The Art Garage purchased the cannery complex in January of 2015.
THE FACILITIES: The Art Garage is located in a 100-year-old former canning factory with cream city brick walls, high ceilings, and polished concrete floors. We occupy spaces that can be accessed from our Main Street doors, or from the Cedar Street entrance.
The Gallery is located at 1400 Cedar Street, formerly the cannery’s loading dock, complete with a functional garage door which inspired the name! The Art Garage Gallery space is also where you can find our semi-private artist studios, available on a month-to-month basis. These studios act as a creative space for local artists to build relationships, support one another, and complete their artistic visions.
Our Main Street entrance houses other studios that serve as multi-purpose spaces, where many of our art workshops and classes, meetings for local arts organizations, art markets, and other arts-related events take place.
PROGRAMMING: Since 2006, The Art Garage has provided a historical, unique venue with a casual atmosphere where the public can visit, free of charge, and support local artists. Our gallery allows both up-and-coming artists as well as professionals a place to display their works through our front gallery rental and side gallery themed exhibitions. The gallery also acts as a space for artists, creatives, musicians, supporters, and patrons to share their inspirations.
We strive to offer a variety of art workshops and classes, personalized art parties, and unique live performances. We are dedicated to the belief that education in the arts is an indispensable element of a thriving and meaningful community, and that the arts should be available to all. Our arts education curriculum is inspired by our energetic community, the geography in which our organization is situated, and the unique history of our facility.
COMMUNITY FOCUS: Cedar Center Arts, Inc. is dedicated to the belief that art is an indispensable element of a thriving and meaningful community, and that the arts should be available to all. In an effort to remove barriers and make art available to all, we do not charge admission to visit our gallery, our artist receptions, or various events throughout the year. While we charge a fee for our art educational workshops, we offer discounts and full scholarships to youth, seniors, and low-income families. Cedar Center Arts strives to be a unique space where creativity is fostered, and all can be empowered.
We strive to connect, collaborate, and engage with local arts organizations in the Green Bay and surrounding areas to provide affordable programming. We work directly with many organizations including the NWTC Artisan & Business Center, Olde Main Street Inc, S.A.G.E., Play-by-Play Theatre, Untitledtown Book & Author Festival, Civic Symphony of Green Bay, Titletown, Greater Green Bay Chamber, Discover Green Bay, Austin Straubel International Airport, Bay Area Arts & Culture Alliance, the Art Squad, and many others.