Mission

Mission

Celebrate and support the creative life of all people through art-making, exhibitions, and community programs.

Vision

Art for everyone. Creativity for life.

VALUES

Creativity for All

We believe the arts are an essential part of a thriving community. We encourage curiosity and learning at every stage of the creative life.

A Spirit of Belonging

We strive to be accessible by being proactive and responsive to our community’s needs. We work to ensure experience or financial means are not barriers to engagement.

Fostering Space for a Growing Community

We commit to fostering space that helps build and connect communities through art-making. We believe everyone has something to learn and to offer, and we work to make space for that exchange.

Inviting Exploration + Discovery

We honor the self-exploration and individuality that takes place through the creative process. We encourage growth through and beyond our programs.

EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY

Our educational philosophy at VisArts is built on the following beliefs and values which inform and shape all of our educational offerings.

1. We believe that art-making contributes to a fulfilled life. We prioritize opportunities for artistic and personal growth within our programs.

2. We know that art-making is a unique and powerful way to build community. We provide a welcoming environment that encourages connection, one in which everyone has the opportunity to contribute their individual voices and talents.

3. We have a commitment to accessibility within all of our educational programs. We seek to honor the many lived experiences of our community by creating programming and spaces that are responsive to diverse needs and interests.

4. We strive to offer curricula that both demystifies art-making and encourages creative practice. We support artists and arts learners of all levels by providing both a foundation in traditional craft processes as well as contemporary methods and concepts.

5. We create an inspiring learning environment that supports our curricula. We do this by providing well-equipped studios, offering art-making experiences in a wide variety of media, and hiring teaching artists to lead our programs.

6. We aspire to create a culture of self-reflection in our programs. As an organization, we strive to listen to our community and prioritize time to measure our successes and evaluate opportunities to improve what we offer.