Envision the Future at the Artists Archives of the Western Reserve

Preserving the art and stories of our artists is the communal work of preserving our shared history. At the Artists Archives of the Western Reserve (AAWR), we take this very seriously. In December 2025, the Archives will be closing down the exhibitions held within our home galleries for a potential five-month period as we create the Archives for the Future, for our Ohio artists.

AAWR has spent the last two decades expanding and preserving the cultural legacy of our Northeast Ohio artists. As a unique regional museum and archival facility, we’ve reached a critical point. Our collections storage systems must evolve to match the excellence of the work we preserve, as well as the evolving standards and technology of storage and display that will more safely and efficiently allow for the works entrusted into our care to be studied and maintained.

Ohio artists deserve state-of-the-art archival infrastructure that reflects their importance to our history, community, and future, and these upgrades ensure the safety, visibility, and longevity for our collection and provide a better workplace for our collections staff.

The three concurrent exhibitions on view—PJ Rogers: Overlapping Moments, Wendy Partridge: Time and Space, and the Ohio Collage Society Members Exhibition—will be the last until May 2026. Following the December 6 close of our 2025 season, we will temporarily use our gallery spaces to store our collection while we have Delta Designs Ltd. / Bruynzeel Storage Group install Penda art racks and state-of-the-art high-density mobile shelving into our storage area. We will also address conservation issues associated with the space itself and improve the workspace for our collections staff. Delta is an internationally recognized manufacturer of high-quality museum storage, and Bruynzeel uses green steel technology for its products.

Please rejoin us in the spring of 2026 when we reopen with a big celebration and The Annual Members Exhibition. We look forward to seeing everyone here as we show off our collection of Archived Artists in the renovated Archives storage facility.

Thank you to all the individual donors who are helping us envision the future! Visionaries, Luminaries, Champions, Advocates & Believers, you are the stars that have helped us get to the final stage of this campaign. Interested donors please contact us and you can be the ones who finally fulfill the dream and make our vision for NEO Artists a reality.

ARTISTS ARCHIVES OF THE WESTERN RESERVE
1834 East 123rd Street
Cleveland, Ohio 44106
artistsarchives.org
216.721.9020