The Studios of Key West is a professional non-profit cultural organization celebrating its tenth year as a multidisciplinary presenter, arts center, artist residency provider, and maintains long-term studio spaces dedicated to Florida Keys artists. Through classes, performances, lectures, gallery exhibits, partnership projects, and special events, The Studios unites Pulitzer Prize-winning authors and world-renowned artists with local audiences and art practitioners at all stages of their creative careers.
Admission to our galleries and campus is always free of charge. As a non-profit, community organization, we offer discounted fees for classes, performances and events to members of The Studios. If you are interested in the benefits of membership visit our website today!
The Studios was founded with the vision of bringing world class artists to the island, connecting them with local audiences and artists, and offering space for both to explore their creativity. Every month hundreds of people visit The Studios to take in new experiences and catch up with old friends at our workshops, exhibitions, studios, performances and more!
Workshops are our largest program, serving over 1,000 people each season, with more than 50 distinct classes in a range of media for artists from beginners to professionals. Our instructors include year-round, local artists and artists visiting from across the globe, either as one of The Studios’ Artists-in-Residence or just to teach what they know.
The Studios has exhibition space over three floors. Our first floor has a large gallery space and a smaller project gallery. The third floor space is dedicated to the XOJ Gallery and offers plenty of space for exhibitions. The second floor’s lobby provides additional exhibition space, when we’re full to the brim with artist’s work. With each season we strive to balance established and emerging artists, both local and from out of town.
Studios are offered to both those in our Artist-In-Residence program, which draws about 36 artists annually to Key West from across the country and overseas, and local artists who can rent a work space year-round and benefit from being at the heart of Key West’s cultural scene.
Performances in our rollicking concert series feature roots-oriented music from folk and blues to world music and jazz. Cutting edge performances at The Studios include dance, performance art, small-scale theatrical productions and burlesque and circus arts.
Community Engagement has long been something we’ve embraced. Our goal of breaking down barriers in the arts and being an integrated part of Key West life are central to our community programs. These engagements focus on youth education programs in out-of-school settings, presented in collaboration with other institutional partners. We’ve recently expanded upon initiatives including a Spring Break art camp at the Douglass Center in Bahama Village, and a summer ArtCamp in collaboration with the Key West Art & Historical Society.