Founded more than thirty years ago, Burlington City Arts has evolved considerably from its humble beginnings in the basement of City Hall. It was established in 1981, by then-mayor Bernie Sanders as part of the all-volunteer Mayor’s Arts Council. Its first offices were located inside a janitor’s closet. After years of successfully producing city-wide events and cultural programs on a modest budget, the BCA came into its own in 1995, when it assumed responsibility for the renovation of a four-story firehouse in Burlington’s industrial South End neighborhood and began its programming. The BCA presents emerging and established artists, with a newly instated focus on local artists showing and curating the work of others. Additionally, it presents screenings, concerts, and performances, both on-site and at partner organizations throughout Vermont, and produces publications to document and contextualize its activities.
Burlington City Arts
“Our grantees range from small arts organizations with one staff member to major museums, yet they all provide essential resources for artists as well as innovative platforms for critical cultural dialogue. Creative risk-taking is at the heart of this country’s most meaningful social, political, and cultural developments, therefore we are proud to stand behind artist-centered organizations that support experimental practice.”
Joel Wachs, President