"To develop and sustain space and opportunities to make, explore, and experience art"
Background
The Trailer Art Center was founded to focus the energy and imagination of a diverse cross-section of the community to realize creation of a multi-disciplinary art center. The catalyzing forces were the commitment of the Mt View neighborhood to create an arts and cultural district combined with the availability of industrial and retail facilities at the former Mobile Trailer Supply. A large public event in the summer of 2005 launched this site as the home of the Trailer Art Center programs and the center of the neighborhood’s arts and culture centered revitalization activities.
In 2008, the TAC, in partnership with the Anchorage Community Land Trust, conducted a feasibility study of its plans to create a multi-disciplinary art center. The study, funded with a grant from the federal Economic Development Administration (EDA) looked into design, program, and sustainability. Local consulting firm Agnew/Beck performed market research and finalized the study, determining that the arts center was viable. The Rasmuson Foundation funded initial design work with JL Properties and the plans were presented to the Rasmuson Foundation Board of Directors in December 2008. The Foundation awarded $3.25M towards the $13M project.
The Anchorage Community Land Trust donated a large empty lot suitable for the future facility. Site work was completed in the Summer of 2009. The economic crises and ensuing recession has slowed fundraising efforts but not the project. After the plans to break ground on the donated site were temporarily put on hold the TAC shifted gears and developed a plan for interim space with a funding commitment by the Rasmuson Foundation and JL Properties. An interim space will allow the TAC to pursue expanded programming and better serve artists and the broader community.
Today and the Future
The current facility houses artist studios, the MTS Gallery exhibition and performance space, school age art gallery, and a local youth theatre company. The MTS Gallery, a signature program of the TAC, has a reputation for high quality visual art exhibits and performance art events. The TAC schedules monthly exhibitions and performances by Alaskan artists and hosts first and third Friday events. The Gallery expanded in fall 2009 to include monthly exhibitions of art by students from Anchorage area schools.
The TAC launched its School Age Art Gallery in fall 2009 and became the Alaska Regional Affiliate for the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers (Scholastic) taking over that position from the University of Alaska Anchorage. Beginning with the 2009/’10 school year the School Age Art Gallery has hosted monthly art exhibitions of work by high school students and TAC recently hosted an exhibition of the work of the winners of the Statewide Scholastic Juried Art Competition.
The TAC's strategic plan focuses on work necessary to open its Interim Space. Project management, program expansion in several art disciplines, MTS Gallery operations, staffing, fundraising, board development are the focus of TAC work at this time.