Cultivate

Update - everything was taken, and quickly! So glad that the supplies can live on in the community. Because it’s all gone, we will not be hosting the giveaway tomorrow.

In a spirit of mutual aid and care, we invite folks that need things to please have them for free!

We have final supplies and furniture left and want these supplies to be in the hands of artists, educators, and community members!

We have -
Tables, chairs, curtains, coffee maker, paper, fiber materials, yarn, magazines, markers, artist pencils, tools, etc - more!

Giveaway is -
Friday, Nov 22 5-8pm
Saturday, Nov 23 12-5pm

With love,
Cultivate

Final Art Sale - everything priced to go!

We have supplies, etc for half off
And supplies for donation/free!

We’d prefer that these supplies go to artists, educators, community members, and orgs that need them - so come on by!

Nov 22, from 5-8pm
Nov 23, from 12-5pm

Cultivate will be closing its doors at the end of this month. We have been an independent artist run arts organization for almost three years.

While this marks the end of our journey in person, we want to celebrate the incredible impact we’ve made together. Starting today, we’ll share highlights of what we’ve accomplished, thanks to your support and love for the arts.

It has been amazing sharing, teaching, exhibiting, laughing, and creating with you.

Thank you for Cultivating community with us. Please follow along as we celebrate our impact and work together -

and, in a continued spirit of our work and mission, please follow along in the future as we continue to share articles, research, stories, and conversations on the arts as we go forward. ❤️

Sale is ON!

We have —
Still life objects
Drawing - charcoal, colored pencils, graphite pencils, oil pastels
Fiber - lot!
Painting - brushes, palettes,
Paper of many kinds
General art supplies - scissors, glue sticks, glue
Games for all ages
Furniture - tables, shelves, chairs, trash cans, TV’s, iPads
Miscellaneous Kitchen - cutting boards, plates, vases, pitchers, French press, tea kettle
Miscellaneous Storage - Bins and shelving
Office supplies - printers, bulletin boards, display acrylics

More! Including a free table!

Massive Art Supply Sale!

Paper
Canvases
Tv’s
Exhibition/Installation Supplies - Levels, Ladder, etc
Painting Supplies - Brushes, Paint of all kinds,
General supplies - Scissors, Markers, etc
Collage materials
Furniture
Drawing materials - Colored pencils, Oil pastels, Drawing Pencils, more
Easels
Fiber and textile supplies - a LOT!

We are making this sale for Art Educators and Local Artists first on Nov 15, from 11-8pm.
And a Sale for the Public starting on Nov 16, from 2-5pm and regular business hours the next week.

We can take payments in cash or Venmo to make it easy for folks!

Please share! Especially with local artists and educators!

Last In Person Classes and Event Schedule at Cultivate

All classes at Cultivate will continue through the end of November. All classes held at KCAD will continue through the end of December.

All studios and clubs will continue at Cultivate through the end of November.

Join us for our Artist and Art Educator Sale, and our Public Sales - Sale opens Nov 15th from 11-8pm. Public sale is Nov 16th from 2-5pm, and open hours the following week.

Please consider joining us for a Meditation session on Nov 16, from 12:30-1:30, to share a present moment together. This event is hosted by Ashley of

Please consider joining us for Friendsgiving on our very last day in the building - Nov 30th from 4-7pm, where we share a meal together, and share memories of the space and moments we’ve had.

We hope to see you soon, and thank you for all the kindness and support from our amazing communities.

If anyone has questions or needs assistance, please email us at [email protected] - some messages from students are oddly ending up in our “other” folder in social media, and we don’t want to miss you!

I was hoping to share this on a day with better news, but - we have made the difficult decision to close Cultivate. We will close our building at the end of this month.

We will be following up with all students, artists, and community that have been involved and to share next steps.

But together, we shared an independent artist run arts organization for three years. We had amazing accomplishments -
A brick and mortar gallery and studio space
Exhibiting 24 artists
Had 90 volunteers
Created 26 jobs in the arts
Supported over 1,000 local, regional, and national artists with mentorship, education, and professional development
Supported nearly 10,000 students ages 3-adult with fine art education

This decision is not made lightly. It is breaking my heart. My heart wants this and loved this, but it is a multi faceted reason for closing - including sustainability in the arts, capacity, and my health needs.

I have been writing articles for the Cultivate website for the past three years, and these articles are now being taught at colleges and high schools across the country, so the website will continue to live on as a resource for people.

When I have processed, I will continue to add articles, videos, and sharing resources and conversations on sustainability in the arts, systemic arts issues we all move through in this field, and more.

Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this. I am grateful for every day, for every student, for every artist, for every community member and partner and volunteer.

Together we cultivated something incredible.

Logistical Details:

Our last day in the building will be at the end of November.
We will sell and share our art supplies and equipment. Artists will have first access to this sale, and then it will open to the public. Please watch our social media for sale dates.
We will contact all students with classes that will not be running and provide refunds where needed.
We are committed to wrapping up all obligations and supporting students, artists, and community members through this transition.

With love,
Mallory

At Cultivate, we are proudly powered by the community we serve.
​​
🎨 Why Your Membership Matters 🎨
​
More than 90% of our support comes directly from you—our dedicated participants, students, and members. Each class registration, each summer camp enrollment, and every workshop you attend plays a vital role in sustaining our array of programs, making art education accessible and enriching for everyone involved.​

Join Here - https://www.cultivategrandrapids.org/cultivate-membership

$5 Sustaining Member: Stay connected with monthly newsletters, supporting accessible art education.

$10 Sustaining Member: Adds a 5% discount on classes and workshops, enhancing your engagement with our programs.

$20 Artist Member Tier: Offers a 10% discount on classes, art business resources, and free open studio sessions, perfect for artists aiming to expand their skills.

$30 Family Member Tier: Provides family-oriented benefits, including a 10% discount on classes and free open studio access, fostering family creativity.

$50 Cultivate Patron: Includes a 15% discount on classes, early bird registration, and recognition, ideal for those deeply invested in supporting our community.

$100 Benefactor Member: Features two private art consultations, unlimited open studio access, and invites to exclusive events, tailored for dedicated art supporters.

$250 Visionary Member: Offers all Benefactor perks plus guided art tours and unique art pieces, designed for those leading in our artistic mission.

Each level is crafted to ensure you receive great value and opportunities to engage with the broader art community, whether you’re beginning your artistic journey or looking to deepen your involvement.

Visual Tour of a class at Cultivate —

We offer classes in three locations - East Grand Rapids Parks and Recreation, Kendall College of Art and Design, and our home base is our building.

Take a peek at what your experience would be like exploring our new education-focused space ❤️

❤️Enter through our front doors
❤️To your right is our elementary and family classroom - with a chair for reading picture books and chapter books on artists, art supplies, sketchbooks, as well as accessibility resources for kids
❤️ To your left is our teen/adult classroom - with our tv for sharing reference photos, artist videos, and more, and more advanced tools and materials
❤️ Straight ahead is our lounge area - with our student gallery/critique wall, art library, tea and coffee station, and shelf of still life vignettes. Here, we invite reading, hanging out, and invite people to touch/play/explore different things to draw.

Photo tour in order -
1. Come on in through our front doors
2. To the left is our elementary and family classroom
3. To the right is our teen and adult classroom
4-5. Explore our rotating open studio table with a simple sensorial lesson on it
6. Hang up your coat
7. Grab an apron
8. Make a cup of tea
9. Move through class
10. Share on our student gallery wall and have group critique/share
11. Finish up and put work on the drying rack

We love our art studio overall, but really love these big and small details that make it a comfortable, beautiful, welcoming space for art students of all ages.

Come on in to explore this new design and work!

Check out our Tuesday series of studios for adults!
See our website for the full calendar and to learn more - https://www.cultivategrandrapids.org/community-and-art-events

❤️ Fiber Open Studio is led by Gail Long, who leads a new lesson in Fiber and Textile Arts each month. This is a drop-in studio, and all materials are provided.
First Tuesdays, 6-8pm, $10/person. Members are free.

🎨 Collage Club! Led by Veronica Polniak. Come and make analog collages or zines! Veronica shares different collage practices! Drop-in studio, and all materials are provided.
Second Tuesdays, 6-8pm, $10/person. Members are free.

❤️ Adult Open Studio invites adults who want to experiment with new media or material, test out ideas, or continue works in progress around others! Drop-in studio, and all materials for ideas are provided.
Third Tuesdays, 6-8pm. $10/person. Members are free.

🎨 Contemporary Art Club is led by Cultivate Director Mallory Shotwell. This is a structured club that teaches contemporary artists and movements with lecture and discussion, and invites participants to make their own art as inspired by these artists. Not a drop-in session. Fourth Tuesdays, 6-8pm. $10/person. Members are free.

At Cultivate, we do more than teach art. We immerse our students in a progressive, hands-on learning environment rooted in the educational theories of Howard Gardner and Maria Montessori.

Our approach goes beyond developing artistic skills—it fosters critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and social awareness, preparing learners of all ages not just to create, but to think and act creatively in every part of their lives.

Join us at Cultivate, where we’re supporting the future of art education in West Michigan, one innovative lesson at a time.

Read our whole philosophy of education here -
https://www.cultivategrandrapids.org/cultivate-philosophy-of-education

To see like an artist is to look at the world with a kind of reverence, where the smallest details hold stories waiting to be discovered.

It’s about approaching the ordinary with open eyes and an open heart, knowing that beauty is often found in the quiet, the overlooked, the simple.

This practice of slowing down, noticing, and holding space for both wonder and truth is what we cultivate at Cultivate—this is what we do. We teach people to see the world in this way, to observe with intention and discover the beauty in both the everyday and the extraordinary.

It’s about nurturing the courage to create and express, not just for ourselves, but for the collective healing and transformation that art invites.

Through our classes, open studios, and resources, we provide space for artists and learners to grow, express themselves, and connect, knowing that in this shared experience, transformation happens.