History and Mission:

The Lawrence Arts Center was founded in 1975 as a public and private partnership between the city of Lawrence and citizens who believed that Lawrence should offer the best in arts programming. From its first years in Lawrence's Carnegie Library Building on 9th Street, the Arts Center has grown to include contemporary exhibitions, arts education, and performances for the community and the region. Under the leadership of founding director Ann Evans, the Lawrence Arts Center moved to its current location at 940 New Hampshire in 2002. Our 40,000 square foot building continues Lawrence's tradition of public and private support for the arts and embodies our mission of enriching individuals and the community by providing the best in contemporary exhibitions, performance, and arts education in an artist-centered environment.