History

Steeped in history, the village of Lawrenceville has always had a quaint and inviting main-street “life.” Flanked by the illustrious and nationally known Lawrenceville School, its lively daily activity has always provided a town center with charm and a neighborhood ambiance. Now the town has taken a major step to becoming a destination for people outside the area, while enhancing life for those who live in its boundaries.

In the summer of 2009, the Lawrenceville Main Street Board conducted a survey of all businesses in the community to determine what needed to be done to achieve that end—to make the village enticing to travelers. The overwhelming response was in favor of establishing an "arts presence."  The Artists Network emerged as an answer to that need. 

Over the course of only a few months, more than 60 artists from the community attended meetings to connect and brainstorm. By November 2009, twenty-five artists—with the help of Lawrenceville Main Street Association—had joined together to open an artists' cooperative, right in the heart of the Village. Their ambitious goal had come to fruition: they had created a space where their artwork could be shared with the public, and where they could connect with one another. By helping each other on their respective creative journeys, these “pioneer” artists have added a new cultural presence to the Lawrenceville community. 

The gallery doors are now open to the public Friday through Sunday—with Artist Receptions every Second Saturday monthly. In January 2010, the artists in the cooperative began teaching art classes, conducting workshops, and presiding over camps for children and adults. The Artists Network, which now includes several categories of membership, is a growing and vital presence in Lawrenceville.

The history of the LMS Artists Network may be short, but the Network has quickly become the crossroads of a
new arts-centered community that is rich and vibrant.