Fuel Your Creativity
Doors opening 2025
Welcome to the future Creative Hub Community Arts Center at 2 Ionic Ave, where creativity and community converge. A dedicated hub for artists, makers, entrepreneurs, and all creative people to thrive while inviting everyone to engage with the arts.
Developed for emerging and established artists, with a belief in the intrinsic value of the arts, and a commitment to fostering creative expression, this center will be your space to explore, create, and connect.
What to Expect
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Artisan's Market
A monthly makers and artists market supporting over 100 creative vendors and encouraging guests to buy local and handmade.
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Incubator Space & Artist Studios
Dedicated studios and collaborative workspace for the development of both emerging and established artists.
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Art-Making Experiences
Dive into diverse art-making experiences and resources.
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Community Arts Classroom
A public resource, including performance and exhibit space.
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Event Space
From gallery unveilings to fashion shows, our versatile venue accommodates up to 200 people.
Project Timeline
“We're very excited to announce that construction will begin in the spring of this year, and we expect to be open in approximately 12 months. We wouldn't be here without the support of the community and our long-time donors and sponsors who have believed in us over the years."
— Laura Marotta, Executive Director of Creative Hub Worcester
Take a 3D Tour
Explore the community event space at the Creative Hub Community Arts Center.
Explore the gallery space at the Creative Hub Worcester Community Arts Center.
History of the Project
The Creative Hub Community Arts Center project marks the transformation of the historic Ionic Ave Boys Club in Worcester. Established in 1914, the Boys Club served as a vital community anchor for nearly a century, offering a haven for youth engaged in athletics, reading, art, and more. Despite its closure in the early 2000s, the building's cultural significance prompted Creative Hub to embark on a mission to revitalize it as a community arts center.
In 2015, Creative Hub initiated a $10M fundraising journey, supported by founding partners - The Arts and Business Council of Greater Boston’s Creative Campus Program, Peter Heaney and Eric Appleton, and the Guild of St. Agnes. Local institutions, including MassDevelopment, UMass Memorial Health, the Barr Foundation, the City of Worcester, and many more also rallied behind the project.
Now, we are excited to break ground in late spring 2024!
Project Team
Current Project Development Team
Stacy Lord
Laura Marotta
Allen Fletcher, Harding Green Development Group
Ray Quinlan, Harding Green Development Group
Lamoureux Pagano Associates
C.E. Floyd
Prince Lobel Tye LLP
Donors & Sponsors
Abbvie
Arts and Business Council of Greater Boston
Bay State Savings Bank
Berkshire Bank
Catheryn McEvoy
City of Worcester
Coghlin Electric
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Country Bank
Davis Publications Charitable Trust
Eric Appleton
George F. & Sybil H. Fuller Foundation
Guild of St. Agnes
Hanover Insurance Group
Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
John & Susan Haffty Family Foundation (Fidelity Charitable)
Mass Cultural Council
Mass Development
Patty & Fred Eppinger
Paul Demoga
Pershing LLC (Elinor B Keil)
Taylor Family
The Barr Foundation
The Fletcher Foundation
The Stoddard Charitable Trust
The Tartaglia Family of Worcester
UMass Memorial Anchor Mission Investment
Webster Five Foundation
Are you an artist, creative person, community member? We’d love to hear from you!
Imagine this space in your life…how would you like to use it?