IN THE NEWS

Our 2026 Winter Showcase was a powerful reminder of what happens when community, creativity, and purpose come together in one space. We are still feeling the energy from this incredible night. We are deeply grateful to every community member ( Western Avenue & Taffeta Music Hall ), supporter, artist, student, and volunteer who showed up, participated, and helped make this event possible. This showcase was truly powered by our student volunteers, whose dedication, leadership

Recently, our Refuge middle school class had the opportunity to visit the studio of Sergio Bautista , a long-standing visual artist based at Western Avenue Studios & Lofts , not only our home but one of the largest artist communities in the United States. The visit gave students a rare behind-the-scenes look at how a professional artist works, thinks, and lives with their art. Walking into Sergio’s space, students experienced firsthand how an artist uses materials, space, an

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