After several long months of construction, we are excited to finally be able to open up The Arch to the community!

We invite you to join us for a casual mixer and open house on Thursday Dec 18h from 7PM – 8:30PM

Light refreshments will be provided.

Help us spread the word about this amazing opportunity for local artists and join us!

What is the Arch –

Coming soon to Lancaster, The Arch is a new art collective, community gallery housed in the Steeple View Lofts’ building, 118 North Water Street, Lancaster PA 17603. The Arch will be part of the Candy Factory family in collaboration with building owners, Zamagias Properties.

“We’ll have room for 8-10 artists in the collective space and the gallery will be open for classes, workshops, events, etc. We want The Arch to become an active part of this already great creative community, and we will be looking to collaborate with other organizations on projects and initiatives. We have been given a wonderful opportunity thanks to the Zamagias team. Their support of this project not only reduces our costs, but it allows us to be the community gallery we want to be,” says Anne Kirby, the founding member of The Candy Factory and Groundworks. “We have more flexibility knowing the owner of the building believes and supports our mission.”

David Martens of Zamagias Properties also commented on the partnership and the vision: “We wanted to team up with a group that had their finger on the pulse of what is going on in the City along with the creative talents to combine a sense of place with community involvement. Our hope is that The Arch can continue to add to the excitement of what is happening downtown and provide an opportunity for new creative talent to showcase their work.”

The Arch will complement other local galleries that highlight community as part of their mission. “You’re seeing a movement towards ‘art as an experience’ and not just something pretty to look at. We want to touch it, be part of it, make it our own. This is what we strive to be; this will be a space for the whole family, for everyone, to experience art in new ways,” says Kirby.

The collective shares the open workspace concept similar to The Candy Factory, and while bookcase dividers will allow for privacy and storage, the philosophy of coworking will be very much a part of the collective ethos. Community, openness, collaboration and accessibility are key elements of that philosophy. Artists will be able to host shows and classes in the gallery as well, giving them an outlet for their work.

“We see a real need for this kind of community art space. Art education ensures the sustainability of the art community,” says Kirby. “It just made sense to us that it be part of The Candy Factory network since building community is at the core of what we do.”

Goals – Always evolving

Create ~ Educate ~ Innovate

Create | for all
Our goal is to create a community space for artists by offering studio, gallery, and collaborative space, as well as space for classes and workshops.

Educate | Inspire, learn
WE ARE a creative outlet for kids and adults.
Art education ensures a thriving art community’s sustainability. As a community gallery space, we believe art should not only be looked at but experienced, touched and pushed to new limits. We will work to provide classes, workshops, and community events that will be accessible to all.

Innovate | experiment, thinking outside the box
WE ARE Community Focused | We will reach out to the wider community through art classes, exhibits, and creative space. Art is made to be shared.

Click here to learn more about The Arch