Quinlan Visual Arts Center

The Quinlan Visual Arts Center, the cultural heart of Gainesville, has been inspiring creativity since 1946.

Sparking Creativity: Quinlan Visual Arts Center hosts a workshop for Gainesville High School’s Science National Honor Society. Photo credit: contributed.

It started with a group of amateur artists who would meet in each other’s homes for critique and discussion. The activities began to attract marquee names such as Ed Dodd, the creator of comic strip Mark Trail, and in 1964, Leslie and Edith Quinlan donated the funds for a permanent, jewel-box venue.

“We strive to provide an immersive, full-sensory experience to everyone who walks through the door, from kindergarteners to senior citizens,” says Executive Director Nairika K. Cornett.

Last year, the “Q” featured seven exhibitions representing more than 150 living artists. Between the wine-and-cheese openings and artist talks, it is a bustling place. “You won’t see the same piece of art twice,” Cornett says, explaining that the organization operates on three “pillars:” exhibitions, education and engagement.

Classes, workshops, camps and after-school courses are taught by nationally and internationally recognized instructors for “every level of proficiency,” she says, and serve around 600 students a year. “We especially take our camp seriously – it’s not just a babysitting service. We really work hard to spark creativity in the child.”

There is a pottery studio and a program called “Ekphrasis for the Masses,” which invites visitors to write and discuss poetry inspired by the work on the walls. “We’re more than just visual art,” Cornett says. “We host literary events and live music.”

An annual membership costs only $100 and grants free access to more than 1,300 museums that are part of the North American Reciprocal Museum Association. “So if you join with us, you can go to the High, and all these other places, for free!”