What is Mess up to?

In 2026 we made the decision to pivot towards a free volunteer run mutual aid program model, focused on nourishing the community and providing accessible arts and youth leadership opportunities in the city. This will look like open studios, community art nights, and group shows. 

Past Mess Arts Milestones

In the summer of 2025 we moved out of our studio space and made the decision to pivot as a community to a mobile program in the fall! Stay tuned for updates on free community art nights, open studios, and collaborations to come!

First Kids Art Market: We hosted our inaugural Kids Art Market, Underwater Taco Cat, a vibrant event showcasing the creativity of our youngest community members. Curated by Harper (8) and Clara (11), the market empowered kids to take leadership roles in the arts, highlighting their voices and ideas in a playful and imaginative way.

Exhibition Success: Mess Arts presented InnerWorld at The Front Gallery, a thought-provoking show that explored themes of identity and self-expression. This exhibition was a major success, receiving critical acclaim and earning a feature in Frieze Magazine, spotlighting the impactful work of our organization and community.

Expanded Summer Camp: Our summer camp program grew significantly this year, welcoming over 80 young artists. With diverse weekly themes and activities like artist talks, collaborative projects, and material exploration, we created an inclusive space that balances rigor and play, ensuring every child felt supported and inspired.

Single-Parent Scholarship Fund: In our ongoing commitment to accessibility and equity, we launched a scholarship fund specifically for single parents. This initiative helps ensure that families of all structures and backgrounds can participate in our programming, reducing financial barriers to creative education. We have officially funded five full year scholarships and cannot wait to fund more with your help. 

Community Engagement: Mess Arts continues to provide open studio space, offering a welcoming environment for artists and community members to connect and create. This ongoing effort supports our mission to foster collaboration, self-expression, and a sense of belonging within our vibrant artistic community.  We strengthened our community impact by collaborating with organizations like Longue Vue Gardens to host our Queer Arts Fest. This event provided an intentional, safe, and celebratory space for exploring gender, queerness, and identity through playful art-making and meaningful community connection. 

We wouldn’t be able to do what we do without our generous supporters and community partners

 

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