Greetings Everyone,
Welcome to 2025 and the State of the ACE address! It’s been a while— almost FOUR years to the day, to be exact— since our last blog post, but what better time to reconnect? Studio ACE has undergone some incredible transformations, and we’re thrilled to share them with you!
A New Mission, A Renewed Purpose
ACE’s mission statement has evolved to reflect our growing commitment:
“Studio ACE is an arts education nonprofit organization with a mission to connect, inspire, and enrich lives through Arts, Community, and Education (ACE).”
Since the pandemic, we’ve placed an even greater focus on using the arts to address mental health challenges and combat loneliness. While art has always been a powerful tool for healing, we’re now working even harder to ensure that art opportunities are accessible to all—regardless of age or ability. All you need is your imagination!
Expanding Our Creative Space
Studio ACE now boasts 2,100 square feet of space, including a 1,000-square-foot classroom where we host classes and grant-funded programming. Our classroom is graced by a breathtaking mural by Oceanside artist Michael Summers, reminding us all to “Be Kind,” a concept that is beautifully illustrated by a lion and a zebra tranquilly resting together.
With the acquisition of the middle of our three connected spaces, we proudly launched the ACE Art Shop, a curated space supporting local artists by showcasing and selling their work. This shop not only fosters creativity but also helps fund ACE's classes and programs. We’ve introduced a permanent “Gently Used Art Supplies” section in the Art Shop, where the public can purchase donated art supplies—with 100% of proceeds benefiting our mission!
The ACE Gallery & Overcoming Challenges
Last February, we remodeled ACE’s original 603 square foot space to create the ACE Gallery, a dedicated community exhibition space designed to support our programming through rotating exhibitions. Students from ACE art classes will have opportunities to showcase their work, and we’ll host juried exhibitions and community collaborations throughout the year.
Unfortunately, in October we faced a major setback—a flood in our brand-new 8-month-old gallery that was caused by a hidden hot water heater in the ceiling that burst. With no assistance from our landlord and only partial coverage from insurance, we were left to navigate a challenging and costly repair. However, thanks to the incredible generosity of our donors, the ACE Gallery is back and better than ever!
To celebrate, we’re launching our first official exhibition in the remodeled space: H2O: The Water Show—because we’d rather have water on the walls than on the floor! We hope you will join us for the grand opening on March 22, 2024, from 5:00-7:00 pm!
Introducing “Hunt For The Hearts”
To express our gratitude for our community’s unwavering support, we’re launching a brand-new initiative: “Hunt for the Hearts”.
Beginning in March, we’ll be hiding handcrafted ceramic hearts throughout North County San Diego each month, encouraging the public to discover these unique treasures and participate in a movement of creativity and connection. Created by Oceanside High School students in Allison Taylor’s ceramics class, these hearts symbolize the power of art to bring people together.
Follow us on Instagram @studioacearts for clues on where and when to find them, and learn more here!
Thank You From The Bottom Of Our HeARTs
If there’s one thing we cannot emphasize enough, it’s kindness and love— there is never too much of either in this world, and we are committed to spreading both. For nearly seven years (!!), you— our incredible community— have shared your kindness, generosity, and passion with us, and we simply cannot thank you enough. We truly could not have done this without you.
So, from the bottom of OUR heARTs, thank you for believing in the power of art. Here’s to another amazing year at Studio ACE!
With Love, Kindness, & Gratitude,
Julia Fister
Executive Director
