Street Theory Collective has spent its first year in the heart of Central Square trying to create more than a place to display art.
The nonprofit gallery, founded by Liza Quiñonez and visual artist Rob “ProBlak” Gibbs, offers exhibitions, studio space and professional development opportunities for artists. The gallery also hosts civic and community gatherings with the Central Square Business Improvement District, including the 25th Middlesex District candidate debate in the summer and teach-ins during Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Now, with its first anniversary approaching, Quiñonez, its executive director, said the goal is to build on what the organization has established.
“The most rewarding part has been being able to have a space to call home,” Quiñonez said. “I really hope that it becomes a bustling epicenter for arts and creatives.”
To celebrate its anniversary in November, STC will launch its “Streets Are Talking” exhibition. The gallery is finalizing details for the anniversary show, but it’s scheduled to open Nov. 12.
Quiñonez and Gibbs had spent two decades creating public artwork in Boston and beyond before forming the nonprofit. Quiñonez also worked as a mural consultant for the city of Boston, where she helped commission and manage mural installations.
Those experiences showed Quiñonez the importance of passing professional knowledge on to emerging artists.
“Street Theory Collective came about through an understanding that all of the lessons we learn, there needs to be an avenue to teach that to the next group of up-and-coming artists,” she said.
One way STC does that is through its artist-in-residence program.
Boston freelance artist Michael Talbot became the gallery’s first artist-in-residence in March. Although the residency was originally planned to last three months, Talbot has continued working out of the space as STC prepares for its next resident.
“I now have dedicated studio space that I didn’t have before,” said Talbot, a “visual storyteller” whose work includes murals and public art. “It was nice to have a home base that I could operate out of, but also just being here and using this as my office to work while being in the presence and in the community with other like-minded artists.”
During his residency, Talbot developed a body of work that was showcased at a solo exhibition at BLK Chip Gallery. He also worked on a public mural commissioned for Boda Borg, an interactive gaming center in Malden.
Talbot said the program strengthened his artistic practice while giving him a place to connect with other artists and visitors. The gallery’s location in Central Square helps make those connections possible, he said, as visitors can stop in while walking through the neighborhood, even if they only have time for a quick look.
“It sends a message that art isn’t being gatekept,” Talbot said.
That sense of accessibility extends beyond the gallery walls. STC also houses Cà Phê Collective, a coffee shop Quiñonez said has helped turn the space into a place where visitors can linger and connect.
In its first six months, STC showcased the work of 50 artists, with 25 original works sold to established and emerging collectors and $50,000 distributed to artists.
The gallery has also partnered with organizations outside of Central Square. From February to April, STC collaborated with the Tanya Weddemire Gallery in New York on “Everything and More,” a group exhibition featuring all women artists.
Tanya Weddemire, founder of the gallery, said the collaboration grew out of her relationship with Quiñonez and her interest in STC’s mission.
“I love the community that they have really built in at the gallery,” Weddemire said. “It’s a space where people can come and sit and belong and be in the community, and I think that’s what’s so special about that space.”
STC is now looking toward its second year. On Thursday, the gallery will launch “Harvest,” the first exhibition by After Awakening, a Boston-based streetwear and apparel brand.
The nonprofit plans to continue its exhibitions, expand its creative professional development programming and open applications for its next artist residency.
“Within this first year, we’ve been able to prove or have proof of concept,” Quiñonez said, “and are really looking forward to continuing to build that out into our next year.”
This story is part of a partnership between Cambridge Day and the Boston University Department of Journalism’s Newsroom program.
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