ArtSpace Maynard was established in 2001 in Maynard’s former Fowler school, a picturesque brick building on
Summer Street, a few blocks from the downtown area. For over 20 years, it was home to up to 70 artists in private and shared studios in every corner of the building, from classrooms to the cafeteria. Time hadn’t been kind to the 1911 structure, however, and the need for extensive repairs coupled with the pandemic shutdown spelled the end.
ArtSpace Inc., a 501c3 nonprofit corporation, fortunately exists independently of any particular building. In 2023, the board hired a new director, Suchitra Mumford, and made the decision to move. “That was a very emotional time for everyone,” said Mumford. It wasn’t clear where ArtSpace would — or even could — move to. Yet, the organization and its dedicated tribe of artists were determined to find a space.
That space, it turned out, has become three spaces. “We’re now calling it a campus,” said Mumford. “We were
absolutely committed to staying in Maynard and serving our community, and we made it work by being flexible
and thinking outside the box — or in this case, the building.”