Studio 23/The Arts Center
Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Studio 23/The Arts Center, Community Organization, 901 N Water Street, Bay City, MI.
Studio 23/The Arts Center, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization, supports the Great Lakes Bay Region by providing a vibrant arts center dedicated to making the visual arts relevant and accessible to all. The mission of Studio 23/The Arts Center is to provide the Great Lakes Bay Region with a community facility to deliver arts experiences, education, and civic engagement. The organization is dedicated
![](https://img5.findglocal.com/561/932/965144265619324.jpg)
![Photos from Studio 23/The Arts Center's post](https://img4.findglocal.com/569/077/964429765690774.jpg)
We'll be having artists join us for Thelen Free Art Fridays! Stop by and watch them work on their art throughout the summer. From painting, to needlework, to cartooning - we'll have all different kinds of mediums. Ask the artists questions about their processes and inspirations. Today Jason Nuttall will be joining us, working on some drawings!
![Photos from Studio 23/The Arts Center's post](https://img5.findglocal.com/909/315/963739269093157.jpg)
Thank you so much to our wonderful volunteers who are representing Studio 23 at the Dow Championship! It looks like they're having a great time so far this week! ⛳️
![](https://img4.findglocal.com/917/475/962923269174757.jpg)
Students, Faculty, and The 100 Day Project members of Studio 23 are invited to submit up to five images of artworks for Painters and Potters 2024 exhibit.
Deadline for entry is July 14, 2024 at 11:59 p.m.
Follow the link here for entry
https://form.jotform.com/curator.studio23/painters-potters-2024?blm_aid=49284096
Exhibition dates are July 25 - September 7, 2024
Opening reception is Thursday, July 25, 5 - 7 p.m.
![](https://img3.findglocal.com/924/541/962216649245419.jpg)
We're so excited to with the Dow Championship! Our team will be Cheyenne Knight & Elizabeth Szokol, who won the tournament last year! We can't wait to cheer them on as they make their way through the week. Good luck Cheyenne & Elizabeth!
If you are interested in attending the tournament on behalf of Studio 23, please reach out to Meg at [email protected].
![Photos from Studio 23/The Arts Center's post](https://img5.findglocal.com/597/638/961573615976389.jpg)
Adorable bird project from today’s art camp!
![Photos from Studio 23/The Arts Center's post](https://img3.findglocal.com/614/446/959892816144469.jpg)
Thank you to Joanne Grabinski for joining us for Thelen Free Art Friday! We look forward to having artists throughout the summer showing us their work and processes!
The full list of workshops for Free Art Fridays can be found on our website and page.
More of Joanne's work can be found (and purchased!) in our Off the Wall Member Gallery.
![](https://img5.findglocal.com/622/575/959079966225754.jpg)
Artist Joanne Grabinski will be here today 12-5 as part of our Thelen Free Art Fridays! Stop by and watch her work and ask her questions about her process!
![Studio 23/The Art Center - Art Inspires: Unconventional Upcycling](https://img5.findglocal.com/296/783/958325842967833.jpg)
There are still some spots in this fun class with artist Allise Noble! Sign up asap to secure your spot!
Studio 23/The Art Center - Art Inspires: Unconventional Upcycling Become inspired by 3 contemporary artists; world renowned artist with down syndrome Judith Scott, mid century modern nature enthusiast Charley Harper, and surreal mixed media artist Betsy Youngquist; as you create a project based on each of their work. Each week we will explore one artist and the...
Our Thelen Free Art Fridays have been a big hit so far! We're so happy to be able to offer these free workshops to the community, courtesy of Thelen Subaru. There are so many fun workshops planned for the rest of the summer. Head over to our website to register (registration is required for these workshops).
https://www.hisawyer.com/studio-23the-art-center/schedules?page=1&schedule_id=camps
And a big thank you to Sean Gallagher, who painted Thelen's logo on our classroom window! It's a great reminder how fortunate we are to partner with local businesses, organizations, and artists to make the arts relevant and accessible to all.
(Check out those cool moving clouds in the reflection! ☁️☁️☁️)
![](https://img5.findglocal.com/658/225/955514946582256.jpg)
Happy Father's Day!
![Photos from Studio 23/The Arts Center's post](https://img3.findglocal.com/996/491/955021669964917.jpg)
Thank you to Diane Arendt for joining us for Thelen Free Art Friday! We look forward to having artists throughout the summer showing us their work and processes!
The full list of workshops for Free Art Fridays can be found on our website and page!
![](https://img3.findglocal.com/337/361/954268053373612.jpg)
We'll be having artists join us for Thelen Free Art Fridays! Stop by and watch them work on their art throughout the summer. From painting, to needlework, to cartooning - we'll have all different kinds of mediums. Ask the artists questions about their processes and inspirations! Today Diane Arendt will be joining us from 3-6, working on her in-progress painting.
![](https://img5.findglocal.com/010/151/953655710101513.jpg)
We are excited to announce that we have been selected as a nonprofit partner for the 2024 Dow Championship!
The Dow Championship was introduced to the LPGA Tour schedule in 2019, and 144 of the world's best golfers will tee off again at Midland Country Club. The tournament will be held June 24-30 this year. It was founded with the vision of building community and accelerating the efforts of the Great Lakes Bay Region and Dow's strategy by building a world-class and unique LPGA Tour event that positively impacts people's lives. While the LPGA tournament is the heart of the Dow Championship, the event incorporates more than just golf. The whole family is invited to take part in the week-long series of community events, including the Eat Great food festival, several youth activities, and opportunities to give back and celebrate the Great Lakes Bay Region.
As a part of the Dow Championship's mission to create an even better place to live and work, the tournament is committed to with LPGA players to benefit local charities throughout the region, and we are one of those chosen! Nonprofits were chosen based on their organization’s impact on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education; sustainability; inclusion, diversity, and equity (ID&E); community resiliency; and/or innovation. Each of the 36 nonprofits will be paired randomly with one of the 72 teams competing in the 2024 Dow Championship LPGA tournament, and a total of $237,000 will be donated through this program, with each selected nonprofit guaranteed to receive at least a $4,500 grant.
We are so grateful for this opportunity! If you are interested in attending the Dow Championship on behalf of Studio 23, please reach out to Meg at [email protected] or call the Studio at 989-894-2323 to get more information.
![Photos from Studio 23/The Arts Center's post](https://img3.findglocal.com/015/818/953088980158186.jpg)
There are only a few days left to view our current Collegiate Spotlight, Silas Parker. Silas is a recent graduate of Delta College and works in several different mediums. This work will come down after this Saturday, June 15, so don't miss out!
![Photos from Studio 23/The Arts Center's post](https://img3.findglocal.com/684/008/952936616840089.jpg)
2024 VISITING ARTIST ANNOUNCEMENT! ⬇️⬇️⬇️
We're so happy to announce our 2024 Visiting Artist will be Jessica Harvey. Jessica Harvey is an artist based in Mid-Michigan, where she was born and raised. She is an MFA candidate at Cranbrook Academy of Art 2025 and received a BFA with High Honors from the College for Creative Studies in Detroit in 2018. Using wood carving, metals, and ceramics, she replicates everyday life's mundane yet fascinating movements to explore gestural behaviors and how memory shapes our interpersonal interactions. The puppet becomes a vessel for narratives that echo the human condition. Themes of manipulation, control, longing, and pleasure are explored in the work. A sense of magic can be found in play, the whimsy of articulated limbs, and the timeless allure of storytelling.
Her exhibition will take place August 29-October 26, 2024. We can't wait to have her work here! It's incredibly unique and thought-provoking.
This exhibit is made possible by the C Joanne Grabinski Visiting Artist Fund. The mission of the Studio 23 Visiting Artist Program, through selection of an annual visiting artist, is to enhance the experience of art for our community via exposure to a greater diversity of artists, art media, and artistic styles.
![Photos from Studio 23/The Arts Center's post](https://img3.findglocal.com/375/435/950460613754356.jpg)
Thank you to Elli Hennessy who came yesterday and worked on her art during our Thelen Free Art Friday! We'll have artists every Friday this summer, demonstrating their work here at the studio. Check out our website or page for the list of free workshops throughout the summer!
![](https://img5.findglocal.com/382/055/949798603820557.jpg)
Join us for Free Art Friday Art Lab from 3-5 p.m.! Come make a project in our classroom with all sorts of fun materials.
![](https://img3.findglocal.com/049/343/949736540493430.jpg)
We'll be having artists join us for Thelen Free Art Fridays! Stop by and watch them work on their art throughout the summer. From painting, to needlework, to cartooning - we'll have all different kinds of mediums. Ask the artists questions about their processes and inspirations! Today Elli Hennessy will be joining us from 3-6.
![](https://img3.findglocal.com/723/260/949011487232602.jpg)
We are closing early today, June 6, for a private event. We will be closing at 3:00 p.m. Classes will take place as normally scheduled.
![Photos from Studio 23/The Arts Center's post](https://img3.findglocal.com/063/228/948347990632285.jpg)
We're excited to announce that we will participating in the annual Riverside Art Festival organized by the YWCA Great Lakes Bay Region again this year! You can find our non-profit booth at # 119 and two of our wonderful clay students at booth # 118. We can't wait to see you there!
Saturday, 10-5
Sunday, 11-4
![Studio 23/The Art Center - Abstract exploration with Chelsea Garter](https://img3.findglocal.com/096/724/944998350967249.jpg)
We had a few spots open up this morning for tonight’s workshop!
Studio 23/The Art Center - Abstract exploration with Chelsea Garter This class is a beginners journey of dabbling in abstract painting. Abstract painting is a form of expression that I often use as a journaling practice for myself. An amazing way to express yourself when you don’t have words! To do this, we will use color, tools, line, texture, paint and compos...
![Photos from Studio 23/The Arts Center's post](https://img4.findglocal.com/449/243/943079784492439.jpg)
What a fantastic opening reception we had for Beyond Skin Deep, last Thursday! We welcomed over 120 people in our galleries to see this fun and eclectic body of work.
Beyond Skin Deep is a fusion of art and tattooing by local and regional tattoo artists. From painting to mirror etching, and from drawing to embroidery, these works are unique and many are unlike anything we've had here before!
We want to thank all our volunteers and each of our artists who made this exhibit possible!
Artists:
Paul Gomez from Evermore Tattoo Gallery (Bay City)
Jordan Taylor from Black Ball Tattoo (Midland)
Ashley Bork from The Studio (Saginaw)
Lexxus Panico-Mis from Hourglass Tattoo (Bay City)
Julia Shepard from Evermore Tattoo Gallery (Bay City)
Rae Sutto from Area 13 Tattoo (Bay City) - not pictured here
This exhibit is up until July 13 - stop in and view this awesome work!
![](https://img3.findglocal.com/456/921/942312024569215.jpg)
Happy Memorial Day!
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Join us this Thursday for our opening reception for Beyond Skin Deep: a fusion of art and tattooing by local and regional tattoo artists. A public reception will be held on Thursday, May 23, from 6 to 8 p.m. with light refreshments served. A demonstration of the tattooing process by Paul Gomez of Evermore Tattoo Gallery will begin at 5:30 p.m. This event is free and open to the public. Studio 23 welcomes everyone to join us and share your own tattoos and the stories and meanings behind them.
![](https://img4.findglocal.com/868/720/934465468687204.jpg)
Take a stroll with Saginaw Choral Society's Encore Performance at Studio 23. Relive the magic of Saginaw Choral Society's A Musical Promenade at Studio 23! If you missed the concert at the Marshall Fredericks Sculpture Museum, here's your chance to experience an evening of eclectic music once again.
Join us on June 13th from 6-8pm as members of SCS take the stage at Bay City's Studio 23. Enjoy yourself in the galleries of Studio 23 while listening to melodies performed by SCS.
Tickets for this event are available at saginawchoralsocietycom.ludus.com for $40, which includes complimentary hospitality. Don't let this opportunity pass you by—come indulge your senses and support the arts with Saginaw Choral Society!
![](https://img5.findglocal.com/549/526/933051505495267.jpg)
Use the code: mermay for 30% off this fun mermaid workshop! Saturday, May 18, 2-4 p.m. Learn how to draw/paint mermaids and add your own flair!
Register here:
https://www.hisawyer.com/studio-23the-art-center/schedules/activity-set/629087
Happy Mermay! Watercolor Workshop with Allise Noble
Saturday, May 18
2-4 p.m.
Follow along with artist Allise Noble as you create your own watercolor and ink mermaid illustrations that reflect your personality. We will learn how to blend colors, use different brushstrokes, and combine simple shapes to build forms. Basic outlines will also be available to trace and add your own creative touches for those interested. The goal is to relax, have fun, and express yourself! Ages 8 and up welcome, but if under 12, please come with an adult. All supplies included.
Registration is required
$25
Members: use code "members15" for 15 % off
https://www.hisawyer.com/studio-23the-art-center/schedules/activity-set/629087
Click here to claim your Sponsored Listing.
Our Story
Like most grassroots organizations the history can change a little bit. It can change from different peoples perspectives, it can change from what has been written down and what hasn’t, and it can change from what photos are available. Studio 23 is a wonderful grassroots organization that began with an idea. An idea to have a collective space to exhibit artwork and host educational classes. For us, it is crazy to think of our community without Studio 23. Thankfully there was a vision in 1959.
Studio 23 choose their name because of their first location. Weiland Furniture store opened up their arms to a group of artists who wanted to exhibit artwork. This location was on US 23. Hence Studio 23.
Some other stories of Studio 23’s name came from the idea that we had 23 founding members. From records we have 24 recorded names that helped bring Studio 23 to life.
To this date, we have to thank these 24 names who had a vision for Studio 23. Countless volunteers, artists, members, donors, sponsors and now staff keep our mission alive.
As we are coming up on our 60th anniversary in 2019, (which isn’t too far away) we celebrate our story. Throughout the years we have changed our logo, location but kept our mission the same, TO support the region with a visual art center and to host art educational events.
Support from the community was strong when we began. We have traveled from home to home (five total) and also have been homeless during our history.
So lets begin at Wielands’ Furniture store. We stayed there for about 3 years until moving to the Little Red Schoolhouse on Knight Rd.
$1 a month was paid to the Bay City Schools for rent. Such a deal!
Tireless amounts of effort went into this space from our volunteers. They cleaned, repaired and painted the schoolhouse to get it ready for their opening debut. At this time the Studio held 6 exhibits a year and programming for adults and children. Quoted from Pat Serresque, an original founder “The building had been closed for ages, We had to redo the interior. We had a furnace that was a miracle it kept going. The hardwood floors all buckled up and looked like waves in the ocean. We had to get the heat going and get the floor back to where it was. That was home for quite awhile.”
Invitations of exhibits during this time were hand made, and were passed out to family and friends. Most of the attention of studio 23 was done by word of mouth.
We hosted All Area exhibits (which we still currently host today) and featured many different mediums of art.
At the Little Red School house we closed the space during the winter months due to lack of heating and even in the spring if the parking lot was too muddy.
20 years later, The Little Red Schoolhouse had deteriorated beyond repair and the furnace failed, causing Studio 23 to begin the search for the third home.
Thomas Jefferson School became our home on Park Avenue.
After the school we moved into our fourth location at City hall. In 1989, City manager David Barnes invited us to use three rooms on the fourth floor of City Hall.
With this new location we had to follow some new rules. Like no holes in the wall, but we managed to keep our spot for seven years. A successful picture hanging system was put in place, updated some lighting and updated hours of operation.
Bay Arts Council assisted us with the set up of a phone line and provided a membership list.
At this time we were holding ten exhibits a year, with our All Area show, students art exhibits and other artists. Sadly at this location we didn’t have enough space to host educational classes or special events.
In 1995 studio 23 became homeless again.
Luck struck in 1997 when the Rowleys came to the current board with an idea. The Jennison Hardware building was being updated into condos and the first floor was available. Our president at the time, Charlie Schwartz met with the Rowleys to discuss a deal. Needing a down payment on the space, Paul asked Charlie how much the Studio could afford. Being a public school teacher, Charlie stated that he had $20 in his pocket and luckily that was enough for Paul and our plans began.
The largest fundraiser campaign of our history took place. Our goal was to raise $500,000 for our permanent home.
Along with raising funds to complete the brick & mortar space, we also raised funds for an endowment fund through the Bay Community Foundation.
Community supporters were incredibly generous and allowed up to open shop pretty quickly.
Since we have been in the Jennison building we were able to get back to our mission of educational classes and exhibits.
It is the mission of Studio 23 / The Arts Center to provide the Great Lakes Bay Area with a visual arts center and embrace creative educational activities involving the community.
The gallery is dedicated to making the arts relevant and accessible to all
To work towards this mission we offer programming for all ages, exhibit artists from all over Michigan and work towards making our community a better place.
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Address
901 N Water Street
Bay City, MI
48708
Opening Hours
Tuesday | 11am - 6pm |
Wednesday | 11am - 6pm |
Thursday | 11am - 6pm |
Friday | 11am - 6pm |
Saturday | 11am - 6pm |
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