MANCHESTER, NH – ArtLab is a grassroots presence in Manchester’s creative community, spearheaded by its founder, Carolina Davidson.This group is defined by the simple belief that people need art and they need each other. Over the years, Davidson has watched strangers meet at her free workshops, become friends, and start supporting each other’s artistic growth.
“I just sit back and watch everybody,” said Davidson. “They become friends, they help each other out, and they’re like a resource center.”
Davidson’s history in the city including volunteering at schools, participating in the Arts Commission, running community art projects, and working with seniors, shows a long commitment to local service. ArtLab is a continuation of Davidson’s years of work building creative spaces where none exist.
ArtLab has always operated wherever space was available: Eclectic Avenue, the public library, Jupiter Hall, and most recently at 85 Brook Street on the North End.
Each move reflects both the persistence required to run community arts programming in Manchester and the ongoing challenge of finding stable, affordable space.
Yet despite the instability, the mission hasn’t changed. Parents and children come to create together; adults who are isolated or struggling find comfort; and community members in recovery enjoy a safe, alcohol-free space to express themselves.
Hsiu Chang, the building’s owner, whose support allowed the current iteration of Artlab to continue, said, “There aren’t a lot of third-space alternatives that don’t involve drinking, going to work, or going home. I think it’s important to have an alternative.”
Davidson said Chang is winterizing the Brook Street building so community art labs are on hold – but she is hoping labs will resume in the spring, although she is actively seeking a new space.
One consistent theme throughout her work is accessibility. ArtLab’s supplies, easels, paint, papers, tools, are almost entirely donated. “Everything you see has been donated by friends and artists,” Davidson says.
However, the uncertainty of ArtLab’s current location illustrates a broader issue in Manchester: the lack of permanent, community-centered art spaces. The mills once housed artist floors, studios, and collectives, but many of those opportunities have disappeared.
For ArtLab to continue, she needs a sustainable location, she envisions a space that is “for [the] people, by the people.”
Donations, fundraisers, or a GoFundMe may be part of that solution, especially since future rent will need to be covered. But what she is ultimately advocating for is bigger than her own project: She is calling for Manchester to reinvest in its creative roots.
As she puts it, Manchester needs “a place where a creative person can go,” one that restores the sense of connection the city once had. The work of building that space continues, even as ArtLab looks for its next home.
Those interested in Artlab’s mission can visit their Facebook page or email Carolina directly at artlab85brookstreet@gmail.com.