Join The Germantown
ArtHaus Restoration Project!
The City Needs Art & Community Now More Than Ever!
What is an ArtHaus?!
Built in the early twentieth century, this Germantown landmark still boasts handcrafted glass-fronted cabinetry from its early years as a pharmacy. The ArtHaus is a nod to the German Bauhaus design movement of the early 20th century & Germantown’s German roots. It’s also a play on words: the building is “house” shaped and will be covered in art!
The location is best known as the site of William and Ena Swain’s accounting business and printshop and is affectionately known as “The Swain Building.” The Swains were prominent African American business leaders and historians in their day, and inspired by their entrepreneurial drive, we are restoring and reinvigorating The Swain Building as the Germantown ArtHaus.
Our Vision
The Germantown Art Haus is a creative hub in historic Germantown, Philadelphia that is committed to creating jobs, empowering creatives & spurring entrepreneurship.
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- Community Art Space offering:
- High-quality arts programming;
- Professional Development & Resume Writing Workshops
- Health & Wellness Workshops & Events
- An Art Café with art & art supplies for sale;
- Artist studios for rent to local artists and/or entrepreneurs;
- Commercial space with private entrance;
- Community Art Space offering:
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Why the ArtHaus?!
Ever since funding for the arts decreased, it has been imperative that we make a way to bring the arts to underserved communities, and make high-quality art accessible to the masses. The stakes have never been higher!
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to encourage and nurture creativity and personal growth through the promotion of high-quality community arts, wellness, education, and professional-development programming. The ArtHaus will be a collegial place where artists can create, exhibit, and sell their work. A vibrant hub for the community, the ArtHaus will also be a safe place for our children to experience the boundless opportunities for freedom of expression the arts make possible.
OUR GOAL + HOW YOU CAN HELP
The building needs work “from soup to nuts”, as they say. While we have secured the acquisition & majority of the renovation costs via PIDC, we have a significant gap in funding at the back end of the project.
Former Print Shop & Accounting Office
1st Floor: The floor in the back area is bowed and in need of structural repair due to decades of use with 5 large cast iron printing presses.
Stairs to 3rd Floor
This majestic staircase is pulling away from the wall and needs structural repairs. Subsequently the stairs below (from the 1st floor) need to be rebuilt (and possibly widened) to meet code.
Future Office or Programming Space
The lower level (basement) has an original dirt floor and needs to be leveled, concrete installed and bathroom & storage fit out.
Future Studio Apartment
The 3rd Floor has extensive water damage from decades of deferred maintenance.
In addition, unexpected structural repairs (they definitely did things differently in 1904 than we require today for safety!), and increased materials costs due to the COVID pandemic’s impact on the industry have increased our shortfall as well.
Our total restoration fundraising goal is $500,000 of which we’ve raised:
Community Events
Funds Raised to Date (of $500,000)
Lives Touched
How You Can Help
SPORT YOUR SUPPORT
Choose your favorite ArtHaus swag as a “Thank You” & sport your support on a t-shirt, or your new favorite coffee mug.
GIVE a Hand!
Add your handprint to the building and be a part of the dream to empower creatives and budding entrepreneurs.
$250 Tax-Deductible Donation
SPONSOR a Brick
Brick by brick we’re repaving the front walk with engraved bricks & community support! 100% Tax-Deductible
starting at $500
Donate Funds
Donate any contribution to our Go Fund Me campaign. Every dollar brings us closer to our goals.
100% Tax-Deductible
We Envision A Space that
Serves the Community:
The first floor hosts a Cafe complete with coffee & specialty drinks, smoothies, salads, sandwiches and soups.
… but that is where the “normal” ends! The ArtHaus Cafe sells local artists’ artwork, paintings, apparel, jewelry, hand-crafted earthenware, etc. Come in for a smoothie and leave with a unique gift for a friend or co-worker (or dare, I say… yourself!).
The ArtHaus Cafe offers the community an opportunity to see art in action in our “Maker Space.” Our side yard provides outdoor seating, live music events and off-hours outdoor arts programming.
The second floor artist studios are available for lease & classroom space is designed for artists and entrepreneurs. Professional Development Workshops and the opportunity to consign their work in the cafe is also extended to our studio artists.
On the lower level of the building, The ArtHaus offers a commercial or non-profit tenant over 775 sq. ft. of private space for administrative or community programming.
Did you catch the vision? We hope you’ll join us on this journey!,
