Anchor House of Artists

Arts Center

The Anchor House of Artists was founded in 1997 with the mission to support and expand the careers of artists living with mental illness, fight the social stigma that they face, and contribute to the cultural enrichment of Western Massachusetts and beyond. At the center of our effort is our subsidized studio. Here those served by our mission can redefine their lives for who they truly are as fine artists. We welcome visiting professional artists to self-produce exhibits in our three galleries and we invite performing artists to stage shows in our forty-seat Experimental Performance Arena. Our Open Creative Education Center invites all into the art education experience regardless of income or social standing. In our New England Visionary Artists Museum, we conserve the legacies of fine artists whose lives traveled the daring path of the visionary in a conventional world. Since 1997 we match the self-taught amateurs and professional artists to build a foundation of peers, offering accessible and supportive studio life, celebrating art on the human scale. We bring all of our neighbors in to join in the big dance. We insist on all to Let the Artist Speak.

Primary Discipline

Humanities - General

Additional Disciplines

Literary Arts - General
Music - General
Theater - Devised / Artist-Led
Visual/Crafts - Illustration / Drawing
Visual/Crafts - Painting
Visual/Crafts - Sculpture

Activities

Art Sales
Artist Market
Artist Representation / Artist Management
Arts Criticism / Journalism
Arts for Social Change / Creative Activism
Arts Instruction / Lessons
Community Arts
Consulting - Curatorial Services
Creation of a Work of Art (Including Commissions)
Exhibitions
Performance / Concert / Reading
Portfolio Review
Preservation / Conservation
Public Art Projects (In Free, Public Spaces)
Venue Rental

Additional Information

  • Year founded: 1997
  • Approx. 20 events per year
  • Geographic Reach: Surrounding Counties/Region
  • Seasons active: Year round