THE Lawrence Arts Center
Our Mission
Founded in 1975 in Lawrence, Kansas, the mission of the Lawrence Arts Center is to create meaningful arts experiences with and for the community through education, exhibitions, and performances.
Our core value is that art is for everyone.
As a multidisciplinary community arts organization, the Lawrence Arts Center is one of the largest employers of cultural workers in our region. We are uniquely positioned to offer arts education, performances, and exhibitions in one robust facility. Annually, we offer over 750 classes in all disciplines, serve 50+ families in our year-round Early Childhood Education program, feature 25 exhibitions in our galleries, and present more than 50 productions in dance, theatre and film. Over 200,000 individuals come through our doors each year and we offer $60,000 in financial aid to ensure that the arts are accessible to everyone.
The vision of Lawrence Arts Center is to help support and build a community that embraces the arts as a part of everyone’s daily life. We invite you to be part of that journey!
Where We Started, Where We Are
1974
Born from a partnership between the Lawrence Arts Commission and the City of Lawrence, the Lawrence Arts Center was established on May 24, 1974,
1974
In the first year, the Lawrence Arts Center offered 9 classes and began running the Summer Youth Theater.
1975
Working in partnership with the City, the Lawrence Arts Center launched in the historic Carnegie Library Building and quickly held its first arts center exhibit.
1978
After remodeling the facility, the Lawrence Arts Center’s 1978 curriculum included 41 classes, up from just 9 classes when the center first opened.
1979
Lawrence Arts Center presented the Seem-To-Be-Players, a theatre group for young people.
1980
The Lawrence Arts Center was awarded a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, helping us grant access to workshops and classes for those in need of financial assistance.
1985
The Dance Program at the Lawrence Arts Center was founded by Candi Baker. In this same year, the Lawrence Arts Center Early Childhood program was founded by Linda Reimond.
1987
The inaugural Cultural Arts Fair for parents, teachers, and youth leaders was held on Oct. 13, and Ann Evans, arts director at the time, received the Lawrence Cultural Enhancement award for “major contributions to city enhancement and cultural exchange.”
1991
Lawrence Arts Center received the Kansas Governor’s Arts Award.
1996
Lawrence Arts Center began the Souper Bowl Saturday Fundraiser.
2000
The people of Lawrence raised $3.5 million to build a state-of-the-art facility. The City agreed to match this private investment, and through this partnership, a $7 million thriving public facility and city asset was born.
2002
The Lawrence Arts Center opened the doors to its new building at 940 New Hampshire St, allowing us to expand existing programs.
2002
The Center presented its first performance of Little “Nutcracker” on the Prairie, a version of the Nutcracker set in Lawrence during the “Bleeding Kansas” period. This has transformed into what is now The Nutcracker, A Kansas Ballet, a Lawrence Arts Center holiday tradition.
2004
Linda Reimond, Lawrence Arts Center arts-based preschool instructor, was awarded the Mayor’s Award for teachers in the Lawrence school district.
2005
The Artist in Residence Program began.
2010
Lawrence Ballet Theatre (LBT) was founded by Cynthia Crews with the mission of providing extensive training and performance opportunities for dance students while expanding connections to the dance community.
2012
Lawrence Arts Center hosted the first ever Free State Film Festival founded by Marlo Angell.
2013
Opening of new gallery space doubled the art that can be shown at the LAC.
2015
Hang12, a teen curatorial collective, was founded under the Youth Visual Arts program.
2016
Summer Youth Theatre’s internship program was introduced to give high school and college students hands-on, professional experience.
2022
Driven by high demand for Arts Center programs, in 2022 the Arts Center expanded to 10th and Mass. Studios, an annex space for dance, theatre classes, small audience productions, movie screenings and community events.
2023
Lawrence Arts Center acquired the former Salvation Army building at 946 New Hampshire using the City of Lawrence’s Arts Commons Tax Increment Fund (TIF) agreement, financing and generous donors to fund the purchase. Learn More
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