EDWARDSVILLE - As they prepare for their big move, the Edwardsville Arts Center (EAC) invites community members to check out their last exhibit in their current space.
“Stuck Together: Collage & Assemblage” will be viewable at the EAC’s current location at 6165 Center Grove Road on the Edwardsville High School campus until March 30, 2024. Then, the EAC will move and reopen at their new spot in the previous Montclaire Fire Station at 340 Montclaire Avenue in Edwardsville.
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“We’re actually very excited about the opportunity to move off of the district campus and be on our own in the midst of the community. We have struggled for many years to be seen,” explained Beth Browne, EAC executive director. “Having this opportunity to take advantage of the closed firehouse in Edwardsville and make a space for ourselves in the community in the middle of all this activity, being able to invite community members into our space and really be out there so that people know that we’re here and that we’re offering services in the arts for them — we’re very, very excited about that opportunity.”
Browne explained that the “Stuck Together: Collage & Assemblage” is curated by Erin Vigneau-Dimick and features many 2D and 3D sculptures, paintings and collages. Browne called this exhibit “the last hurrah” in the EAC’s current space. You can stop by the EAC from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays to see the final exhibit.
While they can't yet accommodate exhibitions like “Stuck Together: Collage & Assemblage” in the new location, there are several satellite locations where visitors can check out exhibits around the Edwardsville area. Edwardsville City Hall, Edwardsville Public Library, Bank of Madison County in Edwardsville, Glen Carbon Village Hall and Glen Carbon Heritage Museum will all host artwork.
Looking forward, Browne is excited to be in the new space. The EAC’s classes will pause, as they usually do between spring and summer, before resuming on June 3 at the Montclaire location. You can register for classes at their official website at EdwardsvilleArtsCenter.com. The EAC also plans to host an open house at the new location, and this date will be announced soon.
In the meantime, the EAC is fundraising to make a few changes to the fire station. The organization needs an estimated $35,000 to make their new space ADA accessible and to purchase supplies. They want to buy ceramic equipment since they will no longer have access to the equipment at the high school. You can donate online to help with these expenses.
While the move will take a lot of work, Browne said it’s worth it to provide art opportunities to the Edwardsville community. From free classes to the upcoming tenth Edwardsville Art Fair, you can visit EdwardsvilleArtsCenter.com for more information about the EAC.
“We bring forward an opportunity for people to express themselves creatively and to widen their creative abilities through art making and viewing. We’re providing opportunities for local artists,” Browne added. “Having the opportunity for people of all interest levels to come in and have art shown, see artwork and make artwork is something that we hold very valuable. We think that it brings communities together and people together.”
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