ART IS FOR EVERYONE
Alliance Center
The Alliance Center is the physical home of the Arts Alliance of Greater Bloomington. At the Alliance Center located in College Mall we operate a Gallery and FlexSpace where you can buy beautiful local art, book the venue, participate in arts classes & workshops, or play our famous public piano!
EXPERIENCE THE ALLIANCE CENTER
Visit the Alliance Center and …
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See beautiful art
Come to the Gallery for exhibitions and pick out your favorite piece. Make your own mark and leave on our wall. You’re an artist? Consider becoming an artist on display!
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Learn something fun
Passionate about painting, craft, or dance? You can learn from talented local artists. Check our latest events for more!
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Enjoy an event
Whether poetry or music recitals, the FlexSpace is a great place to enjoy your favorite event. You can also book the FlexSpace for your own event or produced experience.
A patron plays our famous Public Piano in the Alliance Center
A place for everyone
Still debating on whether or not to visit? The Alliance Center is a place of art for everyone.
We can hear you thinking…
(Click through each section to see what we think. Spoiler, you should come anyway!)
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No worries! While we do have beautiful oil paintings, we also have cards, prints, jewelry, candles, children’s books, and so much more! If you have $5, you can walk out of the Alliance Center with a unique piece of art that is all your own. And if you have $0, you can walk out with plenty of inspiration and happy memories.
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No worries there either! You don’t need to “be fancy” or have a diploma upon entrance. We love being located in College Mall because we strongly believe that art is for everyone, mall-walkers definitely included. So grab a soft pretzel, a new phone case, and wander right in with the rest of us!
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Come here, let’s hug it out. That’s right, bring it in. Better? Better. You don’t have to be an artist or deeply involved in the art world to enjoy the Alliance Center. We’re a welcoming bunch and happy to answer any questions you might have. Who knows, this could be the start of your brilliant new career in the arts!
A LITTLE HISTORY
Making the Alliance Center
The initial concept of a gallery/store program for local artists was conceived and executed under the Board in 2019. That was ArtBeat, and originally founded at the Simon College Mall beside Macy’s. ArtBeat comprised of over two-dozen local artists. ArtBeat closed just a handful of months after opening during the COVID-19 Global Pandemic.
In March of 2025, connecting to a larger effort to refresh organizational branding, the Arts Alliance Center name has been adjusted to Alliance Center.
In early 2021, the board decided the structure of our program needed to be rehabilitated. The space was relocated, restructured, and renovated under the leadership of President Adam Nahas, and was renamed "The Arts Alliance Center" (AAC) in the spring. Due to the collective help of the community, the AAC opened up to the public on August 7th, 2021.
Since then, we have welcomed residents and visitors of Bloomington to appreciate art of many forms and participate in events, taking home items and good memories. The AAC displays the mission of the Arts Alliance of Greater Bloomington to “strengthen and sustain the arts by connecting artists, cultural organization, and artistic endeavors with patrons and the community.”
Visit us
The Alliance Cente is located at 2894 E 3rd St, Bloomington, IN 47401. Find us in College Mall.
HOURS
Wed. - Thurs.: 10 am - 8 pm
Fri. - Sat.: 10 am - 9 pm
Sun.: 12 pm - 6 pm
We look forward to seeing you in the Alliance Center soon!
Special thanks…
Without the help of community professionals, this would not have been possible. A very special thanks to Simon Mall, Artisan Alley, Brothers Carpeting, and Cyclops Studios LLC for the space and renovation contributions, as well as the countless volunteers who have spent hours, providing needed resources and vital support, including; The Ryder Magazine (now deceased), Morgenstern's Bookstore & Café, Abi Zagel, Danielle Bruce, Michael Squires, Denise Lessow, Terri Klingelhoffer, David Reuter, Joanne Shank, Kendall Reeves, Henry Leck, Mary Hoedeman Canaris, Dorothy Ann Strange, Tom Duffy, and Heather Hales as well as many many many others.
