Locations
Atlantic Center for the Arts is located in New Smyrna Beach, Florida and is comprised of three locations: ACA’s main campus is located at the north end of town, ACA’s downtown locations: Arts on Douglas, Harris House and Yurick Studios, are situated in the heart of New Smyrna Beach’s Historic District.
Atlantic Center for the Arts
Address: 1414 Art Center Avenue, New Smyrna Beach, FL 32168 (Click for Map)
Telephone: (Reception Desk): 386.427.6975, 800.393.6975
Gallery Hours: Tue- Fri 10 AM – 4 PM, Sat 10 AM – 2 PM
ACA’s main campus is set on eleven lush acres of land, on the edge of Turnbull Bay. While the facilities, including the Pabst Visitors Center and Gallery are easily accessible to the public, the residency program and Leeper Studio Complex are also set back from neighborhoods and main roads, allowing artists in-residence the necessary privacy to work uninterrupted. The environment of the campus is rich in species of flora and fauna, and the architecture of the complex is built to blend and interact in this natural environment. In total, ACA owns 67 acres at the main campus.
Atlantic Center for the Arts at Harris House
Address: 214 South Riverside Drive, New Smyrna Beach, FL 32168 (Click For Map)
Telephone: 386.423.1753
Gallery Hours: Gallery viewing by appointment. To schedule, email community@atlanticcenterforthearts.org or call (386) 423-1753.
Purchased and renovated in 1990, Harris House serves as Atlantic Center for the Arts’ community outreach facility and is recognized as a place that fosters creative and intellectual experiences for children, artists, and community members.
ACA Downtown: Arts on Douglas, alt_space Gallery, and Yurick Studios
Address: 123 Douglas Avenue, New Smyrna Beach, FL 32168 (Click for Map)
Telephone: 386.428.1133
Gallery Hours: Tuesday – Friday 10 AM – 5 PM, Saturday 10 AM – 4 PM by appointment
Atlantic Center for the Arts Downtown is subdivided into Arts on Douglas, ACA’s Yurick Studios, alt_space gallery, and administrative offices. ACA’s Yurick Studios consists of three classroom / studios used for community arts programming. Day-long classes and workshops, children’s art programs, evening poetry readings and lectures are conducted throughout the year.
Arts on Douglas was established in 1996 by artist and Atlantic Center for the Arts (ACA) founder, Doris Leeper and artist/benefactor, Ed Harris. Originally conceived as a commercial gallery to promote the work and careers of professional artists from the state of Florida, the gallery has since formalized its affiliation with Atlantic Center for the Arts, combining missions, resources and programs, in order to further facilitate community engagement with the creative arts. Located in historic downtown New Smyrna Beach, the building was formerly a used furniture warehouse, and originally a 1930s era Ford showroom and service center. The building was transformed into a 3,500 square foot exhibition space that presents 18 exhibitions a year. The gallery’s ongoing exhibition program features a broad spectrum of artistic styles, media and temperaments, including experimental genres in its newest addition, the alt_space gallery. Click here to visit website
ACA’s alt_space gallery is an exhibition space dedicated to Florida artists from various contemporary genres including: conceptual art, site specific installation, new media, digital media, video, sculpture, or other experimental practices. The space was conceived in order to provide emerging and established visual artists with an alternative space to show their work, as well as to provide a platform to engage the community in a dialogue about art process, methodology, concepts, and materials.
New Smyrna Beach and Surrounding Area
New Smyrna Beach is a semi-rural town with 24,000 residents, relying on fishing, tourism, and service industries. Nearby towns include Daytona Beach (15 miles north), DeLand (25 miles west), and Orlando (55 miles southwest).
Adjacent to the Atlantic Center for the Arts (ACA) is the Doris Leeper Spruce Creek Preserve, a 2,300-acre area featuring Spruce Creek, a rare blackwater stream. This preserve, with its Class III water quality rating and Outstanding Florida Waters designation, hosts various endangered species and unique wildlife areas.
Tourism is the town’s largest industry, attracting visitors to its 13 miles of beaches ideal for water sports like surfing, swimming, boating, and fishing. The barrier island offers access to the Atlantic Ocean via Ponce Inlet and includes attractions like Mosquito Lagoon and the Canaveral National Seashore Park. Smyrna Dunes Park features a 1.5-mile boardwalk loop through pristine nature and coastal dunes.
New Smyrna Beach is recognized in John Villani’s book, “The 100 Best Small Art Towns in America,” largely due to the Atlantic Center for the Arts (ACA), an international artists-in-residence community on Turnbull Bay. Villani highlights ACA’s role in attracting top contemporary artists to teach midcareer artists.
In addition to its picturesque white sand beaches, New Smyrna Beach features Flagler Avenue, a charming street with boutiques and art galleries adorned with children’s artwork. Historic downtown Canal Street also offers unique antique shops and galleries, including The Artist’s Workshop. These community art projects and cultural attractions contribute to the town’s vibrant artistic community.
Atlantic Center for the Arts also captured the attention of Anne Jeffrey and Aletta Dreiller, authors of The Art Lover’s Guide to Florida. “Finding yourself in 67 secluded acres complete with small art gallery, theater, library, and various studios where nationally recognized artists can develop and test new works is a surprise and a treat,” the authors write.