To the Lansing Community,

As many of you know, the Lansing Art Gallery & Education Center closed the doors to our physical gallery in April of this year.

On the occasion of our 60th anniversary, we recognize that this closure is a disappointment after decades of being a cornerstone of Lansing’s cultural ecosystem. During those years, we had the privilege of educating, celebrating, and elevating artists in countless ways. We remain deeply grateful for the community members who have supported us throughout this journey.

While our physical space has closed, the organization — still an active 501(c)(3) nonprofit — continues. A small group is hard at work sorting, organizing, and responsibly stewarding our accounts and remaining funds, while also ensuring our rich history is preserved and archived. In short, we are conducting a careful and responsible wind-down of our space and its related educational programs.

At the same time, we are looking to the future. There will always be a need for public awareness, education, and enjoyment of the visual arts. Greater Lansing deserves enduring cultural institutions that reflect and strengthen our community.

Currently, the gallery is overseen by a small but dedicated board of directors. Our immediate priority is to expand that group so we have the vision and capacity to not only finish this organizational cleanup, but also to begin planning and dreaming about what comes next.

This process may take us in a few different directions: we may determine that the 501(c)(3) can and should remain active without a physical gallery, focusing instead on art education and advocacy. We may identify unmet needs in the community that call for new programming. Or we may conclude that our past initiatives are now well supported by other organizations, and that it is time to sunset the gallery with care and integrity. At the same time, this exploration could reveal strong community desire to reintroduce signature programs like ArtPath, or even to open a new retail gallery.

Throughout these conversations, we remain grounded in one truth: the arts matter. They are essential to a healthy, vibrant community. Studies consistently show that the arts build a stronger sense of place, encourage civic pride, and drive economic vitality by attracting visitors, supporting local businesses, and creating jobs.

Your voice is central to this process. Lansing Art Gallery has always been your community’s gallery. Please share your ideas, hopes, and perspectives with us as we consider the road ahead.

With gratitude,

Board of Directors, Lansing Art Gallery & Education Center
Rachel Beatty, President & Treasurer
Jen Estill, Secretary
Kymberly Hess, Member at Large