About
Allens Lane Art Center provides programs and activities that bring our diverse community together to experience and support the arts.
Celebrating 70 Years
This year we celebrate a milestone in Allens Lane Art Center’s history, our 70th anniversary! In honor of this landmark year, we will be looking back for inspiration from our past, sharing our values of racial justice and inclusivity in the present, and creating more opportunities to reach out to our diverse communities in the future.
Bringing Communities Together Through The Arts
Since its founding in 1953, Allens Lane Art Center has been a cornerstone of the Mt. Airy community by bringing residents together to participate in and experience the arts. Whether it’s art classes for children or adults, art exhibitions, or cutting-edge plays on the main stage, there is something for everyone at Allens Lane.
Our History
Allens Lane Art Center (ALAC) was founded in 1953 by a group of Mt. Airy residents. Most were parents of children attending local schools who felt that increasing access to the arts would be a way to bring people together as well as develop individual talents. “Living Together Through the Arts,” a program of The Ford Foundation and the Henry Home & School Association, originally sponsored ALAC.
Our Values
Allens Lane Art Center offers opportunities for people to explore their creative potential. These programs and activities are important because artistic experience and expression enhance our quality of life. Allens Lane Art Center strives to make our programs available to those who might otherwise be unable to participate. In carrying out our mission, Allens Lane Art Center is committed to social diversity, promotion of a collaborative environment, personal empowerment, freedom of expression, and openness to new ideas.
Our Vision
Allens Lane Art Center will be the model of community engagement in the arts in Northwest Philadelphia, providing quality and innovative art and cultural programming for the Greater Philadelphia Region.
