January Open Studios
2025-01-04 09:00 - 17:00 UTC | Western Avenue Studios & Lofts, 122 Western Avenue, Lowell, MA, 01851, United States
Do you have art on your New Year’s resolution? Kick off 2025 with a burst of creativity at our first Open Art Studios event of the year. Immerse yourself in the magic of our creative community.
This is not just an event; it’s an experience you don’t want to miss.
Five floors of art studios, two floors of artist lofts, a coffee shop, a co-op art gallery, a food truck, and a brewery.
This month Refuge Art School hosts a New Years Exhibit showcasing their students’work from the 2024 fall semester.
There is no charge for this event. This event is dog-friendly. We ask that you keep your pup on a leash.
Admission is free. See you here!

The Art of Business Partnerships: Unlocking Local Opportunities with Suzanne Schultz
2025-01-21 18:00 - 19:30 | Online
This workshop will equip artists and creatives with actionable strategies to forge partnerships with local businesses in the hospitality, retail and design industries to expand their reach, enhance visibility and generate income.
Target Audience:
Artists who are looking to build their visibility and brand by creating new opportunities through partnerships in their communities.
Materials Provided:
Business Outreach Email template
Proposal Template
Collaboration Agreement Template (Contract)
The workshops are all free to attend. This opportunity will only be available virtually via Zoom.
January 21st, 2025 | 6:00 to 7:30 PM. Information and registration HERE.

Election 2024: Artists Responds | Group Exhibition | 4th Floor Mini Gallery
2025-02-01 09:00 - 2025-03-12 17:00 | 4th Floor Mini Gallery, 122 Western Avenue, Lowell, MA, 01851, United States
The Presidential Election of 2024 and the re-election of Donald Trump has caused many highly charged emotional reactions for our artists at Western Avenue Studios and Lofts. While some celebrated change, a great many felt despair and fear for the future. What would this mean for our rights, our freedoms, our legal protections and the safety of others in our divided country? The historic answers remain to be seen, but our response is now. Our power as artists is to create and to share our ideas, emotions and stories. We have come together to share these with you and bear witness to this powerful moment. We hope you enjoy our exhibit.
This show reflects how artists of Western Avenue react to the results of the 2024 election. and the many ways it will affect our future.
This show will be in our 4th floor mini gallery, available to the public from February 1st through March 12th any day of the week 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

February Open Studios
2025-02-01 12:00 - 17:00 | Western Avenue Studios & Lofts, 122 Western Avenue, Lowell, MA, 01851, United States
Immerse yourself in the magic of our creative community during Open Studios. This is not just an event; it’s an experience you don’t want to miss.

Five floors of art studios, two floors of artist lofts, a coffee shop, a co-op art gallery, a food truck, and a brewery.

This month Refuge Art School continues to hosts a New Years Exhibit showcasing their work from the 2024 fall semester. We also celebrate the start of a new mini gallery show, Election 2024: Artists Respond on the 4th floor and the continuation of Amy Roberts solo show on Portraiture in the Lofts Lobby gallery.

There is no charge for this event. This event is dog-friendly. We ask that you keep your pup on a leash. See you here!

McCoy Exhibition Opening Reception | Western Avenue Artists at Work
2025-02-14 09:00 - 2025-04-04 20:30 | McCoy Gallery, Walsh Way, North Andover, MA, 01845, United States
The McCoy Art Gallery is proud to present Western Avenue: Artists at Work, an exhibition celebrating the vibrant and diverse creative community of Western Avenue Studios & Lofts. This dynamic showcase features recent works by over 50 talented artists from Western Avenue, offering a unique glimpse into the innovative and varied practices of those who call this extraordinary artistic hub home.
Located in the historic textile mill complex of Lowell, MA, Western Avenue Studios & Lofts is a living testament to the power of urban preservation and transformation. With over 250 artist studios and 50 live/work lofts, Western Avenue has cultivated a thriving environment where artists across disciplines come together to create, inspire, and push the boundaries of their craft. The rich diversity of the work on display—from paintings and sculptures to mixed media, photography, and more—reflects not only the individuality of each artist but also the collective energy of this creative community.
In partnership with Western Avenue Studios & Lofts, the McCoy Gallery serves as an extension of this creative ecosystem, offering a space to share and celebrate the work of these dedicated artists with a wider audience. This exhibition, opening February 14th and running through April 4th, with an opening reception Friday February 21st, 6:30pm. – 8:30pm, invites viewers to explore the artistry that flourishes in Lowell, a city known for its rich industrial history and dynamic artistic future.
As we reflect on the spirit of Western Avenue Studios & Lofts, we are reminded of the sense of community that makes this place so unique. The interconnectedness of these artists—drawing inspiration from one another, sharing their growth, and collectively advancing their practices—mirrors the values that the McCoy Gallery holds dear. Through inquiry, dialogue, and creative expression, we aim to engage the hearts and minds of our visitors, fostering conversations that honor the transformative power of art.
We invite you to experience the creativity, collaboration, and passion that define Western Avenue, as its artists showcase their work and their community at the McCoy Gallery. Together, we celebrate the art of the handmade, the spirit of collaboration, and the joy of discovery.

Handmade | Group Textiles Show | Lofts Lobby Gallery
2025-03-01 08:00 - 2025-05-25 17:00 | Loft Lobby, 160 Western Avenue, Lowell, MA, 01851, United States
Western Avenue Lofts artists worked together to put this exhibition together.
This show is centered around textiles and collaboration. These pieces are made by passing them around through multiple artists, and some solo pieces as well that all speak to each other in the form of all secondhand textiles.
This mini gallery will be open to the public every Open Studios 9am – 5pm or by appointment email: @mayflybus@gmail.com
Available to the public from March 1st through May 25th.

Collective Conscience: The Work of the Inaugural A4A Lowell Cohort Group Exhibition | 3rd Floor Mini Gallery
2025-03-01 09:00 - 2025-04-15 17:00 | Third Floor of WA, 122 Western Ave., Lowell, Massachusetts, 01851
Collective Conscience is a celebration of the Inaugural Assets 4 Artists Capacity Building Program Lowell Cohort’s work over the last six months. This cohort of artists all live and/or make their art in Lowell. Since the end of summer 2024, they have attended workshops, coaching sessions, and engaged in reflection on their practices. This celebration of work marks the end of the program while at the same time looking ahead at what’s to come.

The 12 members of the first Lowell Cohort of Assets for Artists have come together to share their work from the past six months. Join us during Open Studios for the opening of this exhibit containing a variety of mediums such as photography, painting, ceramics, textiles & mixed media.
Opening Reception: March 1st 3-5pm

Available to the public:

March 1st through April 15th anytime from 9am – 5pm.
Artists:
Kim-Sarah I, Veronica Williams Holmes, Makayla Boucher, Gwendolyn Lanier, Naomi Torres-Ortiz, Michele Mullet, Matthew Wolterding.

122 Western Avenue Studios, 3rd Floor Mini Gallery, Lowell MA, 01851

March Open Studios
2025-03-01 12:00 - 17:00 | Western Avenue Studios & Lofts, 122 Western Avenue, Lowell, MA, 01851, United States
Immerse yourself in the magic of our creative community during Open Studios. This is not just an event; it’s an experience you don’t want to miss.

Five floors of art studios, two floors of artist lofts, a coffee shop, a co-op art gallery, a food truck, and a brewery.

Enjoy our newest Lofts Lobby Gallery exhibition Handmade a group textile show. If you missed it in February, Election 2024: Artists Respond continues this month in the 4th floor mini gallery.

There is no charge for this event. This event is dog-friendly. We ask that you keep your pup on a leash. See you here!

Tool Shed | Storage Closet Gallery at Lofts | Parker Aubin
2025-03-01 12:00 - 2025-05-18 17:00 | Storage Closet Gallery, 160 Western Ave, Lowell, MA, 01851
In Tool Shed, a show of sculptures by Parker Aubin at the Storage Closet Gallery from March to May 2025, Aubin questions and plays with the form and function of old hand tools, each sculpture telling a newly wrought story. Through these assemblages, he often explores serious issues but likes to use visual humor to encourage a lighthearted outlook. Aubin finds creative purpose in the repurposing of these old tools, “There is great satisfaction in taking a rusty tool with a broken wooden handle and bringing it back to life.

Aubin holds degrees in math and engineering and has worked in the civil engineering world for the past decade. It is the rural setting of Aubin’s youth in the hills of eastern Connecticut and the stories and tools of their inhabitants that have most influenced the media and methods of this body of work.

Storage Closet Galleryis a small space for art by artists at Western Avenue Lofts.

Location: Storage Closet Gallery, 160 Western Ave, 2nd Floor, Lowell, MA
Dates: March 1st to May 18th, 2025
Open to the public from 12 to 5pm during Western Ave Studios & Lofts Open Studios:
Saturday, March 1st, Saturday April 5th, Saturday May 3rd, and by appointment.

Instagram: @storageclosetgallery, @parkeraubin

Contacts:
Parker Aubin, Artist, 312-350-1270, pwaubin@gmail.com

Antoinette Indge, Gallery Director, 917 696 1241, aeindge@gmail.com

Estate Planning for Visual Artists: Crafting Your Personal & Professional Legacy
2025-03-05 18:00 - 19:30 | Western Avenue Studios & Lofts, 122 Western Avenue, Lowell, MA, 01851, United States
When: March 5th, 6 pm – 7:30 pm

Where: Hybrid- Online & Western Avenue | Studios & Lofts, 122 Western Avenue, Room #225, Lowell, MA 01851 (Enter the door labeled “122 Main Entrance” and take the stairs or elevator to the main level. The Teaching Space is to the left down the hallway.)

Overview: Artists face unique challenges when crafting their personal and professional legacies. This presentation will provide an approachable and practical framework for artists at all stages of their career looking for guidance on how and when to engage in the various stages of the estate and legacy planning process. Topics will include best practices for long-term collections management, estate planning considerations for physical artwork and intellectual property, drafting trusts and estate documents, artist legacy vehicles, and philanthropy — all through the lens of everyone’s favorite inevitabilities: death and taxes.

Who: Minerva Pinto is an attorney with a decade of experience in art, intellectual property, and trusts and estates law. She currently serves as both an Art & Collectibles Strategist and Senior Trust Officer at Goldman Sachs, working with collectors, fiduciaries, commercial/nonprofit organizations, and artists to ensure effective and tax-efficient management of passion assets across generations. Before joining Goldman Sachs in 2018, Minerva practiced intellectual property and licensing law, and gained additional art market experience at the Barnes Foundation, Freeman’s (now Freeman’s Hindman), the Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, and the Glenmede Trust Company, N.A.. Passionate about the development of an equitable and sustainable art market on both a local and global scale, Minerva is active in a number of nonprofit and trade organizations including the Arts & Business Council of Greater Boston, Center for Art Law, Responsible Art Market Initiative, and the Professional Advisors to the International Art Market.

TO ATTEND PLEASE FILL OUT FORM LINKED HERE:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScIHTV5wQKUnghNkwMSTCn8B6hZypvWFXNndq_a5yX1fC4rkg/viewform

Awakenings | Group Exhibition | 4th Floor Mini Gallery
2025-04-01 09:00 - 2025-07-07 17:00 | 4th Floor Mini Gallery, 122 Western Avenue, Lowell, MA, 01851, United States
This exhibition celebrates the timeless promise of renewal and the hope for brighter days ahead. Step into a world of light and color, where the muted grays of winter make the way for the vibrant palette of spring. Through a variety of styles and techniques, these works collectively embody the optimism of fresh starts, the potential for transformation, and the arrival of warmer seasons. With a range of mediums, artists at WA seek to inspire a sense of optimism and communicate to our visitors the enduring opportunity for new beginnings.

This exhibit is on our 4th floor mini gallery. Open to the public any day of the week anytime from 10AM – 5PM.
122 Western Avenue Studios & Lofts, 4th Floor Mini Gallery, Lowell MA, 01851.

April Open Studios
2025-04-05 12:00 - 17:00 | Western Avenue Studios & Lofts, 122 Western Avenue, Lowell, MA, 01851, United States
Immerse yourself in the magic of our creative community during Open Studios. This is not just an event; it’s an experience you don’t want to miss.

Five floors of art studios, two floors of artist lofts, a coffee shop, a co-op art gallery, a food truck, and a brewery.

Enjoy our all that our Lofts have on display this month! The Lofts Lobby Gallery exhibition Handmade a group textile show celebrates a wide range of textiles projects. On the second floor Storage Closet Gallery artist Parker Aubin questions and plays with the form and function of old hand tools, each sculpture telling a newly wrought story.
The Studio Mini Galleries are bustling this month: On the 3rd floor the Assets 4 Artists Capacity Building Program Lowell Cohort show Collective Conscious showcases their work over the last six months. The 4th Floor’s newest show Awakenings celebrates the timeless promise of renewal and the hope for brighter days ahead.
There is no charge for this event. This event is dog-friendly. We ask that you keep your pup on a leash. See you here!

Reamker - By Sokai Yoon | 2nd Floor Mini Gallery
2025-04-26 09:00 - 2025-06-08 17:00 | 2nd Floor Mini Gallery, 122 Western Avenue, Lowell, MA, 01851, United States
REAMKER
Photo by Sokai Yoon
This images capture a moment from Reamker, the Cambodian adaptation of the Ramayana, one of Asia’s most enduring epic poems. Originating in ancient India, the Ramayana tells the story of Prince Rama’s quest to rescue his wife Sita from the demon king Ravana. More than a tale of good versus evil, it explores themes of love, honor, sacrifice, and divine duty. In Cambodia, the story is retold through Reamker, where myth and morality come to life through dance and gesture—preserving centuries of cultural memory.

Come & enjoy this exhibit April 26th through June 8th. Available to see any day of the week 9AM – 5PM.

Avian Exotica | Group Exhibit | 5th Floor Mini Gallery
2025-05-01 09:00 - 2025-09-06 17:00 | 5th Floor Mini Gallery, 122 Western Avenue, Lowell, MA, 01851, United States
Avian Exotica is an immersive exhibition that embraces Vietnam’s
bird club culture. Fourteen artists create 2D and 3D birds using unique materials that mimic Asian songbirds and their unique cages. Inspired by my travels to Vietnam, I devised an idea based on bird clubs in the parks of Hanoi, Saigon, and Hoi An. In these clubs, participants display songbirds to teach other birds their songs.
This exhibit will be available to the public May 1st through September 6th. Any day of the week 9AM – 5PM. In our 5th Floor Mini Gallery at: 122 Western Avenue Studios, Lowell MA, 01851.
With a reception held on May 3rd, 5PM – 7PM.

May Open Studios Weekend
2025-05-03 12:00 - 17:00, 2025-05-04 12:00 - 17:00 | Western Avenue Studios & Lofts, 122 Western Avenue, Lowell, MA, 01851, United States
Immerse yourself in the magic of our creative community during Open Studios. This is not just an event; it’s an experience you don’t want to miss.

Five floors of art studios, two floors of artist lofts, a coffee shop, a co-op art gallery, a food truck, and a brewery.

Have you had a chance to see all that our Lofts have on display? If you missed them in April visit the Lofts Lobby Gallery exhibition Handmade a group textile show celebrates a wide range of textiles projects. On the second floor Storage Closet Gallery artist Parker Aubin questions and plays with the form and function of old hand tools, each sculpture telling a newly wrought story.
The Studio Mini Galleries are bustling this month: On the 2nd floor will proudly showcase Proleung Khmer: A 50-Year Journey of Remembrance and Resilience, a community show showcasing artistic and graphic descriptions of the Cambodian exodus out of Cambodia 50 years ago. Using words, photos, art, installations. The 4th floor’s show Awakenings continues this month celebrating the timeless promise of renewal and the hope for brighter days ahead. Finally the new 5th floor show Avian Exotica features cages on pedestals or hung from the ceiling, with various multimedia birds that the artists have created to embrace the voice and style of the birdcage carvings and shapes.
There is no charge for this event. This event is dog-friendly. We ask that you keep your pup on a leash. See you here!

Maps of Legends | by James Flynn | Lofts Lobby Gallery
2025-05-25 09:00 - 2025-07-15 17:00 | Loft Lobby, 160 Western Avenue, Lowell, MA, 01851, United States
Visit this amazing solo exhibit by one of our talented loft artists.
“Since childhood, I’ve been drawn to maps, paintings, and mythology—ways of seeing that connect us to the past while helping us make sense of the present. Ancient Roman and Greek myths once offered me that bridge, and now I find similar power in painting. For me, each painting is like a map, an exploration of feeling, memory, and place that leads us back to the origins of creation and forward into understanding the present moment.
I begin with a feeling and a vision of color, layering thin washes of paint that slowly build a landscape. These layers, bright, subtle, and deeply connected, interact like stories in a myth or paths on a map. My goal is to create terrain others can travel, guides that illuminate different aspects of the here and now. I see painting as an ongoing conversation, one that brings us together and invites us to look more closely at the world and ourselves.” ~ James Flynn
This exhibit will be open to the public during our monthly Open Studio Saturdays or by appointment May 25th – July 15th.
To reserve a private visit email: blackseamus@gmail.com

Spring '25 Visual Art & Fashion Show
2025-06-07 09:00 - 2025-07-07 17:00 | 2nd Floor Mini Gallery, 122 Western Avenue, Lowell, MA, 01851, United States
Join us in celebrating the culmination of our Spring 2025 semester at Refuge Art School! This exhibition features a diverse collection of artwork from over 40 students across our four spring classes, showcasing a variety of mediums and creative expressions from students grades 5-12 & post high school!
In addition to the visual art display, we’ll host a mini fashion show highlighting personalized hoodies crafted in our Sewing & Upcycling class.
Reception Details:

Date: Thursday, June 12th
Time: 4:30 PM – 7:00 PM
Location: 122 Western Avenue Studios, Studio 201 & 2nd Floor Mini Gallery, Lowell, MA

Enjoy an evening filled with:

A wide array of student artwork
Mini fashion show
Live art demonstrations
Snacks and drinks

This event is free and open to all. Bring your friends and family to support and appreciate the creativity and hard work of our talented students. Let’s come together to honor their achievements and inspire one another!

June Open Studios & Outdoor Market
2025-06-07 12:00 - 17:00 | Western Avenue Studios & Lofts, 122 Western Avenue, Lowell, MA, 01851, United States
Immerse yourself in the magic of our creative community during Open Studios. This is not just an event; it’s an experience you don’t want to miss.

Summer is here and Western Avenue’s Outdoor market is back!

Outdoor tents and live performances join our usual five floors of art studios, two floors of artist lofts, coffee shop, co-op art gallery, food truck, and brewery.

There is no charge for this event. This event is dog-friendly. We ask that you keep your pup on a leash. See you here!

July Open Studios & Outdoor Market
2025-07-05 12:00 - 17:00 | Western Avenue Studios & Lofts, 122 Western Avenue, Lowell, MA, 01851, United States
Immerse yourself in the magic of our creative community during Open Studios. This is not just an event; it’s an experience you don’t want to miss.

Summer is here, and weather permitting, Western Avenue’s Outdoor market is back!

Outdoor tents and live performances join our usual five floors of art studios, two floors of artist lofts, coffee shop, co-op art gallery, food truck, and brewery.

Come take a journey through artist James Flynn’s solo show, “Maps of Legends,” in The Lofts Lobby Gallery.

In our Studio Mini Galleries, we have had some extensions of some of our extremely popular shows: The 2nd Floor Mini Gallery highlights the work of the Young Artists of Refuge with their Spring Exhibition. On the 5th floor, immerse yourself in a multi-media exhibit of exotic fowl in “Avian Exotica,” an exhibition that embraces Vietnam’s bird club culture. Extended through July 7th, the 4th Floor’s show Awakenings celebrates the timeless promise of renewal and the hope for brighter days ahead.

There is no charge for this event. This event is dog-friendly. We ask that you keep your pup on a leash. See you here!

Special Thanks to the Massachusetts Cultural Coucil for their support in our outdoor summer events.

HEAT! | Group Exhibition | 3rd Floor Mini Gallery
2025-08-01 09:00 - 2025-08-30 17:00 | 3rd Floor Mini Gallery, 122 Western Avenue, Lowell, MA, 01851, United States
HEAT! is a dynamic group exhibition that delves into the many layered meanings of “heat.” From the rising temperatures of a changing climate to the intimate intensity of human passion, this show invites viewers to explore heat as both a physical and emotional force. Artists interpret “heat” through a range of lenses, urgency and resistance, energy and transformation, tension and release. Whether evoking the lazy warmth of a summer afternoon or the searing momentum of social movements, the works on display celebrate heat in all its powerful, provocative, and playful forms.

This show will be open to the public August 1st – August 30th any day of the week from 9AM – 5PM
Reception will be held on August 2nd 5PM – 7PM
See you there!

Perfect | By Emily Sandagata | Lofts Lobby Gallery
2025-08-01 12:00 - 2025-10-13 17:00 | Loft Lobby, 160 Western Avenue, Lowell, MA, 01851, United States
Emily Sandagata’s mixed-media work blurs the boundaries between painting, sculpture, and textile art. Incorporating found objects, natural materials, and earth-based pigments, her practice is rooted in process and transformation. Through densely layered paintings and sculptural forms, Emily explores recurring themes of survival, growth, death, and redemption, offering viewers a tactile meditation on cycles of change and renewal.
Emily has chosen selected works from 12 years of residence in Western Avenue Lofts for this solo exhibit, one you won’t want to miss!
Opening reception and open to the public: August 2nd during open studios 12pm – 5pm. Show will be up August 1st – August 30th.
You can also email Emily: emilysandagata@gmail.com for a private showing outside of open studio hours!

Nap Time | By Dina Mordeno | Lofts Storage Closet Gallery
2025-08-02 10:00 - 2025-10-12 17:00 | Storage Closet Gallery, 160 Western Ave, Lowell, MA, 01851
Opening Sat Aug 2, 2025. Visit during Open Studios from August to October. Dina Mordeno’s painting series, Nap Time, utilizes the natural wood grain as a skin tone for the figures, leaving the drawing exposed to direct the focus to the figure in each piece. The bare wood mirrors the vulnerability of the napping person. As a current resident of the Western Avenue Lofts Dina works primarily as a painter creating interpretive landscapes and figurative works.
More of her work can be seen at the Loading Dock Gallery in the studios building and TAG in SOWA arts & Design district in Boston.
Storage Closet Gallery is located on the 2nd Floor of Western Avenue Lofts building.
Visitors must schedule with the coordinator for a private visit outside of open studio hours. Email: Antoinette Indge at aeindge@gmail.com

August Open Studios & Outdoor Market
2025-08-02 12:00 - 17:00 | Western Avenue Studios & Lofts, 122 Western Avenue, Lowell, MA, 01851, United States
Immerse yourself in the magic of our creative community during Open Studios. This is not just an event; it’s an experience you don’t want to miss.

Summer is here, and weather permitting, Western Avenue’s Outdoor market is back!

Outdoor tents and live performances join our usual five floors of art studios, two floors of artist lofts, coffee shop, co-op art gallery, food truck, and brewery.

There is no charge for this event. This event is dog-friendly. We ask that you keep your pup on a leash. See you here!

Special Thanks to the Massachusetts Cultural Coucil for their support in our outdoor summer events.

Hello, My Art Is... | Group Exhibit | 4th Floor Mini Gallery
2025-08-30 08:00 - 2025-10-06 17:00 | 4th Floor Mini Gallery, 122 Western Avenue, Lowell, MA, 01851, United States
This year, Western Avenue welcomes many new artists alongside a few returning favorites! To celebrate, we’ve curated a special group exhibition introducing their work to our community of artists and visitors. This is a chance to get to know the fresh voices and creative energy shaping Western Avenue.
Join us for Open Studios on Saturday, September 6th from 12–5pm to meet the artists and explore their work, or stop by during regular business hours (Monday–Sunday, 9am–5pm).

September Open Studios & Outdoor Market
2025-09-06 12:00 - 17:00 | Western Avenue Studios & Lofts, 122 Western Avenue, Lowell, MA, 01851, United States
Immerse yourself in the magic of our creative community during Open Studios. This is not just an event; it’s an experience you don’t want to miss.

Just one month left of Western Avenue’s Outdoor market! Make sure to come by and check out our performers, shop our artist tents, and enjoy the food.

Outdoor tents and live performances join our usual five floors of art studios, two floors of artist lofts, coffee shop, co-op art gallery, food truck, and brewery.

There is no charge for this event. This event is dog-friendly. We ask that you keep your pup on a leash. See you here!

Special Thanks to the Massachusetts Cultural Coucil for their support in our outdoor summer events.

SOLID GROUND | A Group Exhibit by WA Artists | 3rd & 5th Mini Galleries
2025-09-29 09:00 - 2025-12-15 17:00 | 3rd Floor Mini Gallery, 122 Western Avenue, Lowell, MA, 01851, United States
As Western Avenue marks its 20th anniversary, this exhibition honors the very place that has nurtured our creative community for two decades: our historic mill buildings. These vast, storied spaces are more than walls and windows, they are the ground where we work, experiment, and grow; where artists meet, collaborate, and live as part of a culture that values creativity.
The show invites reflection on what it means to have a space dedicated to making art, a space where the artist-self is not an oddity but part of a thriving collective. Here, we are free to be authentic, playful, bold, and deeply curious in our explorations.
Featuring work in all mediums, the exhibition celebrates the physical presence of the Western Avenue complex and the role these buildings play in our shared creative life. From their historic architecture to the personal connections forged within them, the show highlights what these spaces mean to the artists who call them home.
Open to both current and former Western Avenue artists, the work on view spans the past 20 years, reflecting the evolving story of our community and its enduring connection to this place.

October 20th Anniversary Open Studios
2025-10-04 12:00 - 17:00 | Western Avenue Studios & Lofts, 122 Western Avenue, Lowell, MA, 01851, United States
Join us for a very special Open Studios on Saturday, October 4th, as we celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Western Avenue Studios & Lofts.

Immerse yourself in the magic of our creative community during Open Studios. This is not just an event; it’s an experience you don’t want to miss.
Celebrate two decades of art, community, and creative transformation as you explore five floors of working art studios, two floors of artist lofts, a coffee shop, a co-op art gallery, a food truck, and a brewery.

This event is free and open to the public. Dog-friendly, too! We just ask that you keep your pup on a leash.
Whether it’s your first visit or your fiftieth, there’s never been a better time to experience everything Western Avenue has to offer.

We’ve got a lot of extra energy in the building for this day. Here’s what that we have going on to celebrate 20 years of creativity, community, and the place we all call home.

Rae Mansfield: Morning Acoustic Jam
Come a little early for your morning coffee at Nibbana Cafe and enjoy Western Avenue Loft playwright and performer Rae Mansfield, with her band, holding an acoustic jam session in the pit out front of the Studios. If you see her later in the day see if you can cajole her for an impromptu monologue!
ArtCity HQ: Live Mural Painting Demonstrations, Studio 195
If you didn’t get to see ArtCity’s Mural painting day at the Dutton Street Market there is still time to check out their phenomenal pieces still on display this final weekend over next to the Hamilton Canal Garage–and then hop on the COOL bus to come over and meet the artists. Quest Nine and Famous Attraxion (Jalix Delacruz) will be open this weekend where all sales of ArtCity merchandise and paintings will go towards their next ArtCity After Dark event.

Alisa Sickora: Zombie Makeup Glow-Up, Loft 201
Get into the spirit and witness a live zombie glow up! Visit the lofts on the second floor and learn about professional techniques and simple ways to amp up your spooky style.
ADVISORY: The final makeup will utilize simulated skin trauma and blood fx. Final look may not be suitable for all folks.
Live demo starting at 1:00 outside of loft 201.
Nick Lewis: Sticker Making Station, Studio 445
Nick is offering a chance for visitors to create their own grafitti style sticker in his studio and either take it home or contribute to a community stickerbomb project he’s putting together.
And check out the Mill City Trinket Trader station out side Nick’s studio!
Bring a trinket, keychain, small toy, etc. to trade!
Kay Hartung: Encaustic Monotype Demo, Studio 343
Witness the magic of painting with wax! Created with encaustic paints an encaustic monotype is made while working on a hot box which has a heated metal plate. Colorful one of a kind prints are made with this unique method.
Live demos at 1:00, 2:00, 3:00 and 4:00pm.
Paul Hartung: Jazz Clarinet, Studio 343
Paul will serenade the third floor halls with some soothing jazz compositions outside of Studio 343. Take a moment to pause, listen, and let the music carry you as you explore the studios nearby. It’s the perfect soundtrack for an afternoon of art and connection.
Perfomances at 1:30, 2:30, and 3:30pm.
Todd Davis of Middlesex Bindery: Journal Binding, Studio 318
Come visit Western Avenue’s very own book binder Todd Davis of Middlesex bindery as he demonstrates this incredible traditional craft in the construction of a beautiful leather bound journal.
Rachel Covel: Live Calligraphy Personalization, Studio 537
Come check out Rachel’s calligraphy pop-up! Visitors can bring a small object (ornament, notebook, tag, etc.) to have personalized with calligraphy, or choose from a few small items she’ll have available for purchase. Quick, fun, and portable keepsakes to celebrate open studios!
Stick around to catch her showcasing her musical talent, performing duets with her husband on guitar and bass.
TROODS: $5 Portrait, Studio 493
Here’s a fun one-of-a-kind take home! Patricia Nolan-Brown know as TROODS art will be doing $5 Portraits in her studio. Come get a quick portrait of you or your pet and commemorate your day at Western Avenue.
1:00-4:00pm
Ceramics by Nooshin: Paint Your Own Pumpkin, Studio 409
Looking for another take home project? Nooshin Manoochehri of Ceramics by Nooshin is offering Paint your own Pumpkins! Come decorate your own little ceramic pumpkin, share in the artistic experience of Western Avenue, and get ready for the halloween season.
Price $10, 12-5pm
George Middleton: Nature Painting Demonstration, Loft 109
Nature-inspired artist George Middleton will be demonstrating his realist and abstract painting techniques from his Loft. Check out his breath-taking look at both the serene and turbulent wonders of our natural world.
Debra Ciccone-OConnell: Continuous Line Drawing, Studio 409
Debra will be demonstrating how to create continuous line drawings using pen and ink, adding water soluble colored ink and hard pastel to create finished drawings. She will also demonstrate continuous line blind contour drawing to create portraits.
Michele Boll: Painting Demonstration, Studio 467
Experience Michele’s unique ability to capture and render light as she finishes her latest piece. Her style creates work that seems to glow without any additional illumination required.

Don’t forget our regular overflow parking at Stoklosa Middle School just around the corner! The shuttle to that lot will be running from 11am-6pm and drop of visitors right at the front door. All parking is free, and there are three handicapped spaces in front of the studios building.
Bonus: the shuttle bus takes you to see the beautiful Refuge Art School mural at Stoklosa Middle School!

The Quiet Between | Group Exhibit | 4th Floor Mini Gallery
2025-10-24 09:00 - 2026-01-15 17:00 | 4th Floor Mini Gallery, 122 Western Avenue, Lowell, MA, 01851, United States
The Quiet Between is a contemplative exploration of stillness, transition, and the subtle spaces that exist between moments, emotions, and change. Featuring a diverse group of contemporary artists, this exhibit invites viewers to engage with works that inhabit the pause, between sound and silence, movement and stillness, presence and absence.This is not an exhibit of conclusions, but of questions. What does silence hold? Where do we go when we are in between? What truths live in the quiet?

Join us for Open Studios on Saturday, November 1st from 12–5pm to meet the artists and explore their work, or stop by during regular business hours (Monday–Sunday, 9am–5pm).

*This show has been extended to January 15th*

See you there!

It's Been 20 Years??? | By Maxine Farkas | Lofts Lobby Gallery
2025-10-27 08:00 - 2026-02-14 17:00 | Loft Lobby, 160 Western Avenue, Lowell, MA, 01851, United States
As a part of our 20th year anniversary celebration, this exhibition highlights the work of Maxine Farkas, who joined the Western Ave Artist Community twenty years ago. The show traces her artistic evolution, shaped by that creative environment. Maxine has exhibited her work both nationally and internationally. Originally a fiber artist and quilter, her practice expanded as she connected with other artists in the Western Ave studios. Through this creative community, she explored painting, assemblage, and collage. In recent years, she has returned to fiber arts and quilting, creating intuitive, rule-free work enriched by the materials and techniques developed through her earlier explorations.
Reception: Lofts Lobby, December 5th, 5-7pm
Artist talk: teaching space in studio #225, November 22nd, 1PM

Join us for Open Studios on Saturday, November 1st, December 6th, January 3rd, and February 7th from 12–5pm to meet the artist and explore her work, or to schedule a private visit email Hope Flynn at: hopeaf93@outlook.com
