arts &
makers

CREATIVITY GROWS IN GARDEN CITY

Artists have long been attracted to Garden City’s affordable rents and thriving DIY scene. Here, artists and makers are welcomed and feel free to create — this place is a source and inspiration for visual artists, grassroots performing artists, and artisans and makers. You’ll be astonished at the breadth of talent (we know we are).

side by side visuals of the sculptural glass art process

Zion Warne Studios

Zion Warne is known for colorful, sculptural glass art. Zion has been an artist for more than 20 years and shares his passion for the craft with students and buyers. He creates site-specific installations, too, if you’re looking for just the right piece for your space.

Surel's place

Surel's Place

This space was once the home of local arts legend Surel Mitchell, who passed away in 2011. Surel’s Place now continues her work of fostering and promoting art, attracting artists in residence from throughout the country and abroad. The organization hosts up to three free or low-cost workshops per month, serves artists through its Art Event Program, and fosters a spirit of creativity throughout the community.

Man dancing shirtless as part of a performing arts showcase

Visual Arts Collective

The Visual Arts Collective, or VAC, offers a showcase for performing arts, contemporary arts, and cultural programs. You’ll find a constantly rotating selection of carefully curated interactive art experiences, including concerts by artists as varied as Jason Isbell, Yo La Tengo, and local favorites Dark Swallows and Sun Blood Stories.

hand blown glassware from Stover Glass

Stover Glass

Lisa Stover’s award-winning, handblown glassware infuses the everyday with color and joy. This begins with the glassmaking process itself, which requires equal measures of dedication and play to finesse the fluid, molten glass into its final, static form. For nearly two decades, Stover Glass has brought this age-old craft into the modern era with a unique range of pieces. You can even try it for yourself with one of Stover’s hands-on classes!

Outside of Audio Lab building in Garden City

Audio Lab

Nothing evokes emotion, memories, and the human experience quite like music. Audio Lab supports this essential artform with state-of-the-art multi-track recording, mixing, and mastering for in-studio and live performances. With more than 45 combined years of experience, the team can also handle sound design, editing, and composition for film and video. In fact, the founders have worked with everyone from Crosby Stills & Nash to the Foo Fighters, Eric Clapton to Beck.

Garden City Art Benches

Garden "SITy" Art Benches

Public art is a priority in Garden City, where the Garden City Arts Commission asked local artists to create public benches for installation along the Greenbelt and in city parks. These benches range from the uber-modern to the magical and feature each artist’s unique interpretation of their surroundings. Look for the public benches in these locations:

  • Heron Bench – Heron Park, 3858 Reed Street
  • Greenbelt Sherbet – end of 50th Street on the Greenbelt
  • Blue Bench – Mystic Cove Park on the Greenbelt
  • Trio – E. 40th Street and the Greenbelt
  • Underneath –  located at Riverside Park at Glenwood & Riverside Dr.

Verre Boise Stained Glass Image

Verre Boise Stained Glass

Brittney Gehrig is a teacher and stained glass artist in Boise, ID.

Verre Boise is a one woman-run Stained Glass studio. Creating since 2012 but established officially in 2020, Verre Boise is a labor of love and a cherished creative outlet.

Verre Boise’s approach melds tradition with modernity, a testament to Brittney’s background as a French teacher with experience living and studying in France. This fusion results in stained glass designs that blend classic techniques with contemporary aesthetics, creating pieces that resonate with a wide range of art enthusiasts.