What
is the Barrett Art Center?
In case you haven’t heard of us before, we are an arts
organization devoted to our mission, and that mission is you!
Our goal is to bring a cultural experience unparalleled in
our region to the citizens of Poughkeepsie, the whole of Dutchess
County, young and old alike.
We offer
exhibits, art classes, lectures and demonstrations focused
on the visual arts. Twice yearly we present nationally acclaimed
shows, juried by curators of notable museums, such as: The
Whitney Museum,
Metropolitan Museum of Art,
Brooklyn Museum, and The
Guggenheim Museum, International Center of Photography and The DIA Art Foundation.
In April we have our annual High School Show with
submitted entries
from students of all area high schools. We constantly profile
and support local artists and have worked feverishly
within
the community to identify and fulfill its artistic needs.
As a
result of our efforts we have had no difficulty attracting
the attention and support of such notable and globally recognized
corporate sponsors such as The
Polaroid Corporation and The
Olympus Camera Corporation. Thanks to these
efforts, they have become quite aware of Poughkeepsie, The
Hudson Valley, and its growth!
What else do we do?
In 2006, our Barrett
ClayWorks opened at 485 Main Street, bringing
vibrancy and renewal to a block once forgotten. This beautifully
restored building acts as an anchor and a community center,
with street level space devoted to instruction in various
methods of working with clay for all: children through seniors.
We are actively RENTING STUDIO SPACE for artists of
all mediums, at very reasonable prices! CALL 845-471-0407 FOR DETAILS
We had
opened the Gallery Shop,
an artist’s Coop at 204 Main Street, helping to create
a "model block" for Poughkeepsie, a place for artists
to display fine arts and crafts well as meet and exchange
ideas. Sadly, the Gallery Shop has been closed but is expected to re emerge in the future.
We have
formed C.A.P.,
The City Artists Partnership – an organization
to help bridge artists with their community, and have provided
Artwork for City Hall fulfilling a program
that showcases the rich talent that resides here.
We
work hard to make a better Poughkeepsie through our determined
efforts and want you to know how hard we work for you. We believe that
working within our community and building bridges with other organizations
will help us have an even greater impact.
We
look forward to seeing you at The Barrett House.
Thank you for visiting...
From all
of us here at The Dutchess County Art Association
The
Barrett Art Center (BAC) was founded in 1934, as the Dutchess
County Art Association, by American regionalist and noted
local painter, Thomas Weeks Barrett, Jr. and has grown from
a loosely organized group of artists to a 485 member organization
with an exhibition facility and art school and studios for
both adults and children. BAC was incorporated as a nonprofit
organization in 1948.
site design: ayton.net
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Original Watercolor by Founder, Thomas Weeks Barrett 1902-1947
