With new look, same mission, museum is now Warwick Center for the Arts

By John Howell
Posted 10/11/16

The Warwick Museum of Art formally launched their new name, logo and website, transforming in to the Warwick Center for the Arts. Stephany Hessler, president of the board, explained that the new name reflects the organization's evolving focus on bringing

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With new look, same mission, museum is now Warwick Center for the Arts

Posted

The Warwick Museum of Art formally launched their new name, logo and website, transforming in to the Warwick Center for the Arts.

Stephany Hessler, president of the board, explained that the new name reflects the organization’s evolving focus on bringing arts and culture to the community.

“As a board and organization, we had noticed that we began to stretch beyond being a traditional art museum,” Hessler said in a statement. “We looked very critically about what defines art, what types of programs and services we wanted to provide to the community, and how we could engage the community in the many dimensions of art.” 

Center Director, Taylor Terreri, echoed the importance of this change for the community. “We have had a lot of requests from musicians, performance groups, illustrators, and other artisans who have an interest in our space and our work, but weren’t sure how they fit in the traditional museum structure of the organization. By broadening our definition of art to include multiple platforms of creative expression, we are able to bring more artisans’ work to the local community.”

The center engaged the talents and vision of students from Roger Williams University through the Community Partnerships Center in developing the organization’s new look. Adjunct Professor, Dina Zaccagnini Vincent and students from her graphic design course assisted the organization in 2015 in developing a new brand identity for the organization.

The center boasts a large main gallery with a stage that features rotating exhibits of original artwork and doubles as performance space for musicians, dancers, authors, lecturers, and performance artists. The main gallery is also available for rental for private and corporate events. The center also boasts a classroom that can accommodate lecture-style classes, artists groups for hands-on creativity, and small meetings for community groups.

 “Our goal is to be more than a gallery showcasing the work of local artists. We want to engage the diverse community of artists in the region in new and exciting ways, and bring their talents to the local community,” said Hessler.

The Warwick Center for the Arts is open Wednesdays/Fridays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursdays 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays from 12 to 3 p.m. Suggested donation of $3-$5 for gallery admissions. Please visit warwickcfa.org for more information on our camps, public programs, and how to reserve the space for your private event or program.

The Warwick Center for the Art’s core commitment is to serve as a center dedicated to uniting the community through the arts. We connect all ages and abilities to a variety of arts activities through exhibits, educational programs and cultural experiences. Emerging and established artists will find a unique and inviting space in which to share their creative vision with the community.

The Warwick Center for the Arts was established in 1974 as the Warwick Museum as part of the American Bicentennial Celebration focused on historic exhibits. After strong public interest in art, the name was changed to the Warwick Art Museum and then, in 1997, to the Warwick Museum of Art.

The City of Warwick provided exhibit space 

at the Pontiac Mill complex, which was procured by then Mayor Gene McCaffrey. In 1977, upon the death of the last surviving member of the Kentish Guard, the Kentish Artillery Armory, a National Historic Landmark, was deeded to the city and then rented to the organization where it has remained ever since.

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  • DillonYork

    Good news. With over $125,000 In capital improvements that the former treasurer obtain and kick started the revitalization of the organization from being a dull dark boring place to a vibrant center really helped. Tom did a great job getting the rebuild of the windows, flooring, hanging and entry way along with the new stage. Then there were the windows that Deb got replaced in the front that make the place so much nicer. The second project that really helped was the total gutting of the class room and kitchen. With hold Tom and the those board members the place would have closed in 2009.

    Friday, November 25, 2016 Report this