How RIT’s City Art Space is Bridging Creativity and Community in Downtown Roc

Art exhibit at RIT’s City Art Space

Expression through various artistic media is arguably one of our greatest abilities and attributes as a mammalian species inhabiting Earth. We are not alone in this endeavour; Chimpanzees, elephants, and dolphins have been taught to create art using paint brushes, signaling higher intellectual capabilities. Critters like beavers are known for their ability to modify their physical environments by building dams that influence water storage, reduce flooding, and create thriving ecosystems, an aftereffect caused by their construction of intrinsic architectural designs. I digress.

Located in downtown Rochester, New York, the Rochester Institute of Technology’s City Art Space is a free community space that brings artistic creations crafted by RIT students, faculty, and local Rochester artists to all who visit.

A different perspective of the City Art Space in Downtown, Rochester, NY

Beyond our borders, the City Art Space features internationally acclaimed artists, offering community members and visitors exposure to foreign artists while exposing artistic works created here in the city by local artists. In a sense, it is RIT’s democratization of the arts to the community, an act of enrichment to Rochester, an area recognized as one of the Top 15 Most Arts-Vibrant Communities of 2024. It is a bridge that connects creatives with the local community through art.

Presently, RIT’s City Art Space is shifting its location from the historic Sibley Square to the Neighborhood of Play, across the street from the Strong National Museum of Play, and next to several vibrant bars and restaurants, including Nerdvana, Fattey Beer Company, Lila’s (pronounced Lee-Luhs), and Spotted Octopus Brewing, a brewery founded in Buffalo, NY.

Photographic exhibit of photos taken by an internationally acclaimed artist

A politically motivated painting by unknown artist

Visitors of the gallery can expect everything from avant-garde installations to multimedia storytelling exhibits that push the line of artistic boundaries. Check the RIT’s City Art Space hours if you plan to visit, as they vary throughout the week. Exhibits change every few months, so if you go, it’s worth checking to see what’s on display. You can also visit the exhibit during “First Fridays”, a city-wide art event that showcases local talent at dozens of venues across the greater Rochester region.

Always Free, Always Fresh!