The Center is Expanding

On February 1, 2019, the Craft in America Center will celebrate a decade of serving Southern California as a craft-based non-profit museum and education center by expanding its space. Located in the heart of Los Angeles in the thriving West Third Street Business District, the Craft in America Center has become a nationally recognized destination for exploring craft. The Center was established in 2009 as an outgrowth of the award winning Craft in America PBS documentary series, which first aired in 2007.

Over the past ten years Craft in America has produced over 50 exhibitions, 85 talks and discussions, 35 workshops, 45 concerts, and over 150 other events including screenings, receptions, pop-up exhibitions, and more. Due to its growing reputation the Center consistently reaches or exceeds capacity at public events and workshops. The Craft in America Center will increase its physical presence to better serve the number of visitors, program participants, and students in our Craft in Schools program. A redesigned venue will allow a larger public audience to experience artworks, artist talks, and artmaking in person, as well as provide more gallery space to display our growing permanent collection.

The Craft in America Center is a library, workshop, storage and staff work space. The acquisition of additional space, donated generously by Freehand Gallery, will enable the Craft in America Center to better fulfill its mission to promote, exhibit and teach the artistry of crafts. It also allows for an improvement and upgrade on equipment, technology, and accessibility.

Freehand Gallery will also be renovated. As it has for the past thirty-eight years, the new Freehand Gallery will provide an excellent venue for the presentation of the finest craft. The genesis of the Craft in America project, Freehand Gallery is proud to collaborate with Craft in America and to offer a place for craft artists to sell their work in our burgeoning Los Angeles arts community.

The inaugural exhibition in the expanded space, California Visionaries: Seminal Studio Craft, Featuring Works from the Forrest L. Merrill Collection, will feature approximately forty, rarely-exhibited mixed media artworks by 20th century masters from across the state. The exhibition opening is on Saturday March 2, 2019 from 4-6pm and will feature a discussion with Forrest L. Merrill.