Our Mission
At the Genesee Center for the Arts & Education, we believe that a positive art experience can change a person's life. We are a community-based not-for-profit that educates, encourages and inspires all people to create and enjoy the visual arts.
ART FOR ALL PEOPLE
About the Center
The Genesee Center for the Arts & Education allows people of all ages and abilities to learn and practice art-making. We serve older, younger, established and emerging artists who want to work in a community of artists. Each comes to us with a unique set of talents and interests and, through our classes, studios and galleries, is able to learn about and make art.
We transform lives. Take the example of the recent graduate who comes as an artist-in-residence. This artist gains valuable access to our studio equipment to continue their art practice. They gain a foothold in an established community of artists. They hone their teaching skills. And, at the end of their term, they present a body of work to the community as a testament to their talents. They then move on to continue their art-making and contribute to the fabric of our creative community.
Resident artists are but one example of our community of artists. We serve second career artists, those who need a stress-relief from their everyday work and lives, those who want to have their voice heard through their art, those suffering from health issues, young people who are just learning about how art can be an important part of their lives. Hundreds of people each year come to us to gain the needed support and services that make our community special!
Established in 1970, the Genesee Center for the Arts and Education is located in an historic firehouse, built in 1895-1905. We are the only community visual arts center conveniently located within the City of Rochester. In 1974, the Center incorporated as a 501(c)3 not-for-profit educational institution.
The Genesee Center for the Arts & Education offers programs in all of our visual arts areas: Community Darkroom, Genesee Pottery, and the Printing and Book Arts Center. We offer youth programs, classes and workshops, rent studio space to individuals and exhibit work in our galleries. Anyone may take classes, though you must be a member to use some of the facilities - which are now fully HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBLE.
The Genesee Center for the Arts & Education is an Institutional Member of the National Guild for Community Arts Education.
