Belonging, Creativity, Support
The Blue House is a non-profit alternative artist-run exhibition and community space that provides a welcoming place for folks to engage and share ideas while supporting artists and highlighting visual art as a vehicle for connection and empathy.
SUPPORTING ARTISTS
Art is work. We are committed to supporting artists by providing professional practice resources and paying artists who exhibit with us an honorarium that is in alignment with W.A.G.E (Working Artists and the Greater Economy) criteria for solo exhibitions.
SPACE OF BELONGING
You belong here. We aim to offer an authentic non-performative space where folks can comfortably converge and exchange or interpret ideas.
CHALLENGING NOTIONS
What is art? Our exhibitions are generally experimental and experiential in nature, challenging ideas and advancing notions of the condition of art.
COLLABORATION
Everything is for everyone. We collaborate with other organizations, cross pollinating ideas and values to bring visual arts experiences to our communities.
Check us out on The ART Show!
Who We Are
The Blue House began in 2014 when Nicholaus Arnold and Ashley Jonas teamed up with Blue House owner, Diana Cordero to create an arts center in Northwest Dayton. Diana’s love for the neighborhood inspired her to acquire and transform the large blue house located near the corner of Seibenthaler and Catalpa; which was a vacant property in the area. Nicholaus and Ashley had just relocated to the area after graduate school at Syracuse University and The University of Colorado Boulder where they each received their MFA’s respectively. These three worked together renovating and rebuilding many areas of the house; resulting in the creation of a livable residence and a viable creative space.
Since 2014, there have been many changes. The Blue House as a venue has hosted many different types of events, exhibitions and different types of Artists in Residence. The Blue House has maintained its mission to create a learning place audiences can comfortably converge and exchange or interpret ideas; to show artwork that challenges ideas and advances the notions of the condition of art on a regional and national level and to bring artists from around the area and across the country to collaborate, create and contribute to our regional culture.
Around 2019, Nick and Ashley purchased The Blue House and we began to enter a new phase. In the last year or so, The Blue House has started becoming an arts incubator. Nick and Ashley partner with local organizations to curate host and create new types of art events through grant writing and fundraising. We’ve also changed the gallery up through generous support from the Montgomery County Arts and Cultural District! The future is bright, and we hope to continue to create more arts in Dayton!