The Arts Center In Orange

Mission:

The mission of The Arts Center In Orange is to increase the quality of life in our community by promoting an appreciation for fine contemporary arts in diverse styles and ideologies. This is done by providing: a forum to promote artistic excellence; scholarship and education; a venue for artists and artisans to work, teach, exhibit and sell work; and a place for the community to learn skills, and to participate in and enjoy the arts.

About Us:

The Arts Center in Orange is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization incorporated in 1997 by a group of dedicated artists and community members gathered around a kitchen table, planning and pledging their time, and filling the table's fish bowl center piece with funds sufficient to apply for a non-profit license. 

From this humble beginning, The Arts Center began by offering classes and having small gallery shows in a series of buildings leased at reduced rates. In 2000, responding to an appeal from then Mayor Ray Lonick, The Arts Center launched a project to create a mural masking the horrendous scrap yard greeting visitors to Orange as they approached from Rt. 20 South. The project included artists, school children and construction provided by the Town of Orange engineer and carpenters.

Local businessman and past Mayor Nob Morin offered a 10,000 square food building on Main Street as a work space to complete the project. And, after witnessing the cooperative effort - Morin leased his building to The Arts Center for $1 per year and promised it as a posthumous gift - a promise his family kept, gifting the building in 2009.

We renovated approximately 3500 square feet with the help of an interest free loan from board member Louisa Bradford, and began operations here in February of 2001. Since that time we have seen our programs, attendance and revenue expand dramatically.