The Key West Art Center and Gallery, Inc

The Key West Art Center is incorporated as a non-profit organization, devoted to the encouragement of local artists by furnishing them with a central market place for their work.  The Center is supported by membership dues and a commission of sales.  A wide variety of art by dedicated local artists, both in style and price can be found here.

Membership meetings are held the second Thursday of the month.  A business meeting is followed by a program which may include a demonstration by a known artist.  Program demonstrations may include painting, sculpture, or lectures on art history or printing techniques.  These programs are open to the public as well as the membership.

History

The Key West Art Center is currently housed in a historic quaint wooden building in the midst of the city’s old town waterfront area. It was originally constructed in the 1850’s near the waterfront for use as a grocery store. A fire seriously damaged the building in 1886. It was rebuilt as a single story building and the second floor added in the early 1900’s. The grocery was owned and managed by the George Babcock family for many years. In later years the building was the location of the first WPA Art Project under President Roosevelt.

The KWAC membership prior to 1960 had several locations, one of which was in the 400 block of Simonton St. This group of local artists was joined by several businessmen and persuaded city officials to save the historic building on Front Street which had been condemned. It was then converted into a city sponsored art center and gallery.

It was one of the first buildings to be restored in the old Mallory Square area and became the home of the Key West Art Center in 1960.