Art Center East

Mission: Inspire, enrich, and interlace Eastern Oregon communities through creative expression.

Founded in 1977 as Eastern Oregon Regional Arts Council, Art Center East is a member-based arts services 501(c)(3) non-profit organization located in La Grande, Oregon, in an historic Carnegie Library.

Regionally ACE provides arts education to K-8 students and teachers across Eastern Oregon through the Artists in Rural Schools program, serving 80% Title I or low-income schools at no cost to families.

Locally, ACE provides residents of and visitors to La Grande with an average of 150 art classes and experiences per quarter, community music ensembles and lessons, heritage dance classes. In addition, annual events take place like Handmade Holidays that feature work of local artists, and three galleries exhibit work of national and international artists to our rural community. Our juried Gift Gallery exhibits and sells the artwork of over 40 regional artists.

The three galleries and Handmade Holidays offer valuable product exposure and revenue streams for local, artist-owned small businesses, helping to incubate a strong arts economy and contribute to the $1.2 million in economic activity generated by the arts culture sector in Northeast Oregon.

Art Center East is proud to partner with local and statewide organizations to offer arts programming to underserved communities. Current partnerships include Eastern Oregon University, La Grande Farmers Market, Shelter from the Storm, Union County Juvenile Department, Northeast Oregon Arts Trail Map, Union County Chamber of Commerce, Cook Memorial Libary, and more.

We would love to have you join us! See our Membership page for details.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement

Art Center East (ACE) has offered arts opportunities to community members of all income levels across ten counties in Eastern Oregon since 1977. We value our long tradition of service to the people who live in our rural, underserved, and economically disadvantaged region. We believe that our communities are richer for the multitudes of unique histories, perspectives, relationships, and conversations that deserve to be heard, explored, and represented.

ACE is dedicated to the transformative and regenerative power of the arts and to the belief that creative expression is necessary for a well-lived life. The ACE board of directors and staff continue in their steadfast commitment to making the historic building ACE calls home a space welcoming to all individuals by proceeding with our capital campaign to complete ADA-required renovations.

We are committed to creating a staff, board, and volunteer base reflective of our communities, building and nurturing a diverse pool, and we will seek training that encourages all of us to ask questions, stay informed, and remain humble.

We will continue to use community engagement as a tool to listen, learn, evolve, and build mutually beneficial relationships and programs. While learning about and wrestling with what it means to develop high-quality arts programming that is more diverse, we will update organizational policies and establish DEI practices that allow for greater creative exploration, self-reflection, and equitable access to the joy and power of the arts.

Mission: Inspire, enrich, and interlace Eastern Oregon communities through creative expression.

Regionally ACE provides arts education to K-8 students and teachers across Eastern Oregon through the Artists in Rural Schools program, serving 80% Title I or low-income schools at no cost to families.

The three galleries and Handmade Holidays offer valuable product exposure and revenue streams for local, artist-owned small businesses, helping to incubate a strong arts economy and contribute to the $1.2 million in economic activity generated by the arts culture sector in Northeast Oregon.

We would love to have you join us! See our Membership page for details.

Wednesday-Friday: 12:00pm - 5:00pm Saturday: 10:00am - 2:00pm

Wednesday-Friday: 12:00pm - 5:00pm
Saturday: 10:00am - 2:00pm