An Update on Strategic Renovation

Renovations are coming to The Umbrella Arts Center! As spring arrives, improvements are about to bloom, increasing resources for students, learners, and makers.

The Umbrella’s strategic vision for the next 5+ years strengthens our commitment to supporting artists at every stage of their journey and serving our community’s needs. As part of our planning, we identified some key initiatives that will serve as a strong foundation for our work going forward. We will…

• Nurture our Ceramics program: Even after a recent expansion to the program, our ceramics offerings regularly sell out and waitlist 100+ hopeful learners. We will be reconfiguring and expanding our spaces to accommodate this strong interest, while preserving the current spirit and strongest assets of our Ceramics program. Changes will include adjustments to our glaze room on the first floor as well as the creation of an additional classroom and kiln and operations room on the second floor.
• Expand our Woodworking offerings: Responding to the popularity of workshops and skills-based classes, we are dedicating studio space to woodworking and teaching artists and plan to expand class offerings.
• Create a Community Studio: This new space will support artists at every stage of their journey with expanded access to studio space on a seasonal registration basis.
• Strengthen our expanded Artist-in-Residence program: Increased studio space and resources will be dedicated to our growing cohort of emerging artists across all programs.
• In addition to these changes to our brick-and-mortar building, we will also launch a new website to provide our community with an improved online gateway to real-life arts experiences.

Scroll on for details, and stay tuned to this page for more information as our project progresses!

TIMELINE

You may have already noticed some traffic cones, moving trucks, and rolling dollies at work around The Umbrella in recent days! Stay tuned for more information at each phase of our plan.

• Building surveys and conversations with community members, Studio Artists, and staff have been underway since last year.
• WE ARE HERE: Preparations have begun and will be ongoing through March.
• Construction is slated to begin by early April.
• Construction is anticipated to be complete in May – just in time for Summer Camp!

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU?

• We may alert and redirect you to alternate entrances when our crews are moving furniture, working on our infrastructure, etc.
• Our spring semester is moving forward, and you may notice that our course schedule looks a bit different, as it has already been designed to accommodate the project timeline.
• All performing arts Film Nights, rehearsals, productions, and events will take place as planned including all performances of To Kill A Mockingbird and Hairspray, the March 27 Salt Lick Sessions Concert, the May Broadway Concert dates with Megan Hilty, and the June Headline Concert (stay tuned for an artist announcement later this spring!).
• The annual Artrageous Gala will proceed on April 11, 2026 and will include a sneak peek at the progress we're making on this project.
• Open Studios, our beloved annual event featuring many of our working artists' studios and processes will be held May 2-3, 2026 as usual, with plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy!

THANK YOU

We, the Board and Staff of The Umbrella Arts Center, appreciate the support and flexibility of our community -- from the town of Concord to our Studio Artists, teaching artists, students, visitors, donors, and patrons -- as we make more space for discovery, creation, and inspiration in the heart of Concord!

Do you have questions? Comments? An interest in information we haven't thought to share here? Please complete our inquiry form to let us know!