The AAC is a great place to experience contemporary art ! You can do this by visiting the exhibits, taking a class, coming to happy hours and talking with board members and artists, participating in special gallery events like our wonderful Day of the Dead gala or attending gallery talks and openings. There is always somethng exciting happening at AAC.
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I've been a member of the board of the AAC for over 6 years and a member of the Exhibitions committee. Before that I was an exhibiting artist. AAC serves Mid-Atlantic artists by providing a top notch venue in which to show their work. Many artist's careers have been successfully launched in our galleries. AAC also serves the community by presenting high quality, cutting edge art and providing forums and discussions which allow the public to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the works they are viewing.
Classes for kids and adults are also a big part of the AAC. It is a great place to find our "inner artist".
Our kids have taken probably a dozen classes and camps at the Arlington Arts Center and have loved their experiences. I am always astonished to see the breadth and ambition of the projects they tackle in a single session, and the instructors are calm, creative and kind. We believe the Center offers a great hands-on approach to art appreciation and are grateful for how it is enriching our kids' education. We also love the kids' art exhibits the Center organizes after a term -- it's thrilling for children to see their art taken seriously!
The Arlington Art Center is a treasure. It offers interesting and provocative exhibits in a beautiful space. Better yet, it is free and easily accessible right here in Arlington. No special trip downtown required. Stopping into AAC even for just a few minutes is always worthwhile. AAC also offers art classes. My daughter has taken several classes there and has loved all of them. The staff maintains a friendly and calm atmosphere for the children.
The AAC is a great place to attend a vibrant Friday opening and mingle with friends, or spend a quiet afternoon viewing the work of contemporary artists, or to take a class and learn to draw or paint or to visit artists in their studios and learn about what they are doing and why. Art is so accessible at the AAC, and the building is too. It's right on the Ballston-Virginia Square metro. I've done all of these things and love doing them.
I've served on the Board of Arlington Arts Center for the past 3 years, which I consider a honor. AAC is in an historical school building that has been renovated and expanded to include a gallery with 3 floor-to-ceiling Tiffany windows. This gallery is a popular event venue and adds to our earned income. AAC's mission includes cutting edge contemporary art exhibits drawn from regional emerging artists which change 5 times a year. As an arts incubator, AAC provides subsidized studio space and business support for 13 artists, who can remain in residence for up to six years. Classes for 3-year-olds and up run throughout the year. My photography improved tremendously during a class taken at AAC from a nationally-recognized photographer. I'm proud and pleased to live in the neighborhood with such a vibrant and dynamic cultural institution!
The Arlington Arts Center is a wonderful space for viewing varied and interesting art and artists and it offers wonderful art classes, summer camps and programs for children. My daughter, who is now 7, has been taking classes since she was 4 and we have been very satisfied. The instructors have been wonderful and the themes/projects have been engaging and challenging. I have recommended the Arts Center to both friends and family members and we look forward to more experiences there!
As a former NGO, I take great care in selecting where I volunteer, or in the case of the AAC, where I teach photography. The center has strong volunteer board and seasoned staff.....including an executive who has given the center continuity over the past five years. Despite the recent economic downturn, and its impact on funding sources, the AAC has maintained, if not increased, its range of programs and exhibitions.
-Steven L. Miller, www.SLMphoto.com
I have been volunteering at the Arlington Arts Center for the past three years and attended exhibitions there for years. With the leadership and vision provided by Excutive Director, Claire Huschle, and Director of Exhibitions, Jeffrey Cudlin, the AAC provides a welcoming environment for emerging artists in the Mid-Atlantic region and an exhibition space for truly thought provoking, cutting-edge work. The AAC also provides insightful, understandable explanatory materials (catalogs, display statements) that shed real light on the meaning and importance of even the most unusual and original works. This combination of work and exposition makes the AAC the most enjoyable place for the exhibition of contemporary art the I have ever experienced.
I was a resident artist at AAC for 6 years and appreciate all the
hard work from the staff during my tenure. This contemporary
art center is well known in the area as a leader in the visual arts.
I highly recommend this non-profit for consideration when donating,
visiting, taking a class or attending one of their opening receptions,
workshops or lectures.
Sabyna Sterrett
I always look forward to an opportunity to visit the Arlington Arts Center (AAC). It is one of my favorite arts spaces in Arlington. I have gotten to know the AAC in large part through my work with Arlington Sister City Association. More recently AAC helped the Mexico committee of the Arlington Sister City Association celebrate the Day of the Dead and it was by far one of the most enjoyable evenings I have had in a long time. There was art, there was music, there was Mexican hot chocolate, there was dancing. And there was even a “live” appearance by Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. The staff at AAC really know what they’re doing, do a good job at it, and have fun in the process. I wholeheartedly recommend you check out AAC if you have not already.