IN THE NEWS

We are deeply grateful to partner once again with Mosaic Lowell  to bring our community canvases and free face-painting to the Dutton Street Market . This six-month pop-up village celebrates local makers and creative entrepreneurs and is located at 350A Dutton Street, right next to the Hamilton Canal Innovation District parking garage. As part of this activation, our students received paid opportunities through workforce development to engage with the public, share their art

We are grateful to the City of Lowell, Points of Light, CASE, and the Spring Buskers Festival for inviting us to bring our Community Canvases to the city's local events. These collaborations started a little over a year ago, they allow us to engage residents in collective artmaking, fostering unity and shared expression. Community Canvases serve as interactive spaces where individuals contribute to a collective artwork. This process encourages participation, reflection, and d

Thank you for making last Saturday’s art show such a success! Your presence, support, and outreach to family and friends uplifted our artists and team, making us feel valued, seen, and celebrated within our community. We are very grateful for our Western Avenue Community for making this exhibit possible, our team, and student volunteers for stepping up and helping us pull it together! This event was more than just an art show—it was a gathering of creativity, connection, and

This year, we created more than art—we built a thriving community where creativity, empowerment, and opportunity flourished. From debuting our first public mural, Urban Healing , to supporting 95 students—90% of whom relied on financial aid—Refuge Art School has been a beacon of hope and expression. Together, we achieved incredible milestones: 17 programs and 3 workshops across 3 semesters. Piloted our first "Storytelling Through Dance" performance program. Over $60K in finan

In the heart of Lowell, a vibrant mural now tells a story of connection, growth, and healing. "Urban Healing" , created by Refuge Art School students—former Stoklosa Middle Schoolers now aged 18-21—is a testament to the resilience of both nature and the human spirit. This mural explores the healing properties of urban plants often dismissed as "weeds," but which hold incredible medicinal value. Plants like Milkweed , which attracts and sustains monarch butterflies; Yarrow , k

We are thrilled to share the success of our recent public art initiative, made possible through the generous support of the City of Lowell's Office of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (CASE). This project provided our youth with an invaluable opportunity to contribute to the city's vibrant public art scene by painting barrels that represent Lowell's diverse neighborhoods. Neighborhood-Inspired Art Each barrel was designed to encapsulate the unique essence of Lowell's neigh

We are so excited to share our progress from the last three weeks of pulling this mural together. What started as a modest plan quickly grew into something much bigger—organically and beautifully. Along the way, we faced plenty of challenges: moving ladders constantly, enduring four rainstorms, and working through the heat and humidity on a south-facing wall. It was all worth it. This mural would not have been possible without the support of Project Learn, who generously fund

In January, Refuge Art School partnered with the City of Lowell and artist Skribbles to host an incredible night of art and community connection! This special event featured live painting by our talented RAS students and public community canvases where everyone was invited to contribute their creativity. It was truly a night to remember, full of energy, inspiration, and collaboration. The live art portion of the event showcased our students in action as they brought their cre