Heights Arts holiday store opens Nov. 4

Nine years ago, a group of arts lovers volunteered to clean up a vacant Lee Road storefront to create a temporary pop-up gallery during the holiday season. Local artists came out of the woodwork to offer their work for sale, and the community flocked to the space to purchase local hand-made art. A gallery was born.

Those original arts lovers were early founders of the fledgling nonprofit community arts organization Heights Arts, which has rented the 900-square-foot storefront, strategically located a few steps from the Cedar Lee Theater, since that first holiday display closed. This summer, Heights Arts made another leap and tore down a wall to enlarge the gallery into the adjacent storefront abutting the Cedar Lee minipark. The expanded space includes a classroom where local artists teach workshops and classes for people of all ages. The organization also was able to move its upstairs office to the gallery level so that the gallery can be open more hours. The space enables Heights Arts to present arts and crafts year-round, as well as feature 6 exhibitions annually. 

This month Heights Arts celebrates the Tenth Annual Holiday Store in the newly expanded gallery at 2175 Lee Road. More than 75 artists, whose work is selected by a committee, are represented in the gallery during the holiday season. Each artist takes at least one shift in the volunteer-run gallery, so shoppers can meet them in person. 

Shopping at Heights Arts sustains our rich artistic community year-round. Whether artists are internationally known or most famous for being often seen at at Phoenix Coffee, they are essential assets to the neighborhood and to the region. 

The Heights Arts Holiday Store opens with a public reception Friday, Nov. 4, 6-9 p.m., and runs through Dec. 30. For hours and more information, visit www.heightsarts.org or call 216-371-3457.