Fountain House Gallery and Studio provides an environment in which artists living with mental illness can express their creative visions and exhibit their work. Founded by Fountain House in 2000 as a not-for-profit exhibition space for its member-artists living and working with mental illness, the Gallery sells original artworks and collaborates with a wide network of artists, curators and cultural institutions. Embracing artists who are emerging or established, trained or self-taught, Fountain House Gallery cultivates artistic growth, makes a vital contribution to the New York arts community, and challenges the stigma surrounding mental illness. All Fountain House Gallery artists are members of Fountain House, founded in New York City in 1948 with the belief that people living with mental illness can be active participants in their own and each other’s recovery. Every day, hundreds of members come to Fountain House to contribute their talents, learn new skills, access opportunities and forge friendships. Over the past seven decades, Fountain House has inspired the creation of hundreds of similar programs in 32 states and 34 countries that serve more than 100,000 people annually. Hilton Foundation recognized Fountain House’s global reach and the efficacy of its evidence-based model with the prestigious Conrad N. Fountain House Studio is a dedicated studio space in Long Island City that provides member-artists with the resources, training, inspiration, and support they need to succeed in the highly competitive art world. Full-time access to the studio, where free art supplies are available, assists these artists in moving to a new level of creativity, expanding their marketable portfolios, and advancing their efforts to achieve broader name recognition and commercial success. At Fountain House Studio, artists living with mental illness work side by side with others in a collaborative setting that reduces isolation and fosters a supportive community. Located in the Silks Building, one of the pre-eminent landmarks in Long Island City, the Studio offers individual workspaces to Fountain House Gallery artists on a rotating basis. The space is available to the larger Fountain House community during designated drop-in hours. The establishment of Fountain House Studio has been made possible primarily through the generous support of individual donors.
