Art in Mid Market
The Epicenter of Art in San Francisco
Mid Market has, and always will be, a home for the arts. Be it tiny galleries tucked into ground floor spaces, or grand theaters with Broadway performances, public art installations, art organizations dedicated to the next generation of artists, dance spaces, wood shops, art retail or museums, art is engrained in the neighborhood.
Check out the artists, makers and creative spaces that call Mid Market home, and below this, our map of where to spot public art in the neighborhood.
Arts Organizations, Galleries, Retail, Theaters, Workshops & More
200 Channels
An avant-garde performance theater and event venue, it offers immersive and provocative experiences.
6M Community Arts
6M is a public gallery, event and studio space focused on community empowerment and access to creativity.
6th on 7th Photography Workshop
A non-profit arts project of TODCO for adults living below the poverty line and military veterans. They also feature photography exhibits in their gallery space and on the exterior of their building.
American Conservatory Theater
A.C.T. brings bold, visionary stories to the Strand Theater stage with new works and longtime favorites. They also feature classes and workshops for budding performers of all ages.
Blick Art
The largest and oldest provider of art supplies in the US, with products that cater to the full spectrum of artists of various mediums. They also offer framing services and in-store demos, and a wide variety of art-related gifts.
Ape Do Good
Run by artists, they offer screen printing services, with options for hand printing; for shirts, sweatshirts, and most other garments as well as paper and flatstock printing.
Bindlestiff Studio
The only permanent, community-based performing arts venue in the nation dedicated to showcasing emerging Filipino American and Pilipino artists. They hosts classes and feature public performances.
Golden City Dance Collective
A dance collective, they feature group and private classes in many dance styles, host public dance events and showcases, dance parties, and floor space and event space rentals.
Golden Gate Theatre
Opening in 1922 as a vaudeville house, it was later converted to a major movie theater before becoming becoming a stage for world class performances such as Cabaret, Hairspray, My Fair Lady and Rent.
Holy Stitch
A denim-based workshop on Market Street, they offer classes to teens through adults for those interested in wearable denim designs.
Root Division
A non-profit arts organization that features studios and gallery shows for emerging artists. They also host public classes, rotating visual arts exhibits, and special events.
Hospitality House
Since 1969, their art program has offered free studio and gallery space dedicated to uplifting hundreds of talented low-income artists as they create, exhibit, and sell artwork.
International Art Museum of America
One of the longest-running arts organizations in Mid Market, they host both permanent and rotating exhibits, and host community events.
Intersection for the Arts
Established in 1965, it is the oldest alternative non-profit art space in SF. It currently provides fiscal sponsorship, low-cost co-working and event space, and professional development programs for area artists.
Jonathan Carver Moore Gallery
A contemporary art gallery featuring emerging and established artists who are BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and women and hosts an artist-in-residence program.
Warfield Commons
A creative hub, it’s home to Community Arts Stabilization Trust (CAST), KALW public radio, Litquake literary festival, Psyched! Radio SF, and others in creative fields.
LINES Dance Center
Home to Alonzo King LINES Ballet’s professional company, they offer advanced ballet classes where community members can train alongside company dancers. They also host a number of independently run dance classes.
Little Raven Gallery
A small and charming artist-run gallery, photo studio and event rental space.
Orpheum Theatre
Originally opened in 1926, and designated as a Historical Landmark, the Orpheum has presented everything from vaudeville acts to movie screenings to touring Broadway shows such as The Book of Mormon and the long-running Hamilton.
Ray Buffalo Fine Woodworking
An accomplished woodworker, furniture maker, and artist; see his site for current and custom pieces.
Wood Thumb
A wood shop, they craft beautiful products from reclaimed wood, and well as host public workshops and private events.
Roar Shack Live!
An experimental performing arts hub with a diverse array of avant-garde events.
The Warfield Theatre
A San Francisco institution for over 100 years, it opened as a vaudeville theater in 1922. Since the late 1970s it has played host to a number of notable concerts and currently hosts live music and other performance events.
TnT Art Lab
A project of artist Bradley McCallum, it’s a space for artists, where they develop public activations and building partnerships that connect creative practice to social change.
Vita Brevis Club
A membership-based social and cultural club with four floors of galleries, art spaces and lounges.
Art events, classes, workshops and more that happen in Mid Market:
2 Blocks of Art
An event that features 20+ exhibitions and performances from renowned Bay Area artists throughout reimagined spaces along Market Street. Locations include storefronts for lease, restaurants, retail stores, hotel lobbies and more.
Trellis Coworking Space
They feature a strong rotation of in-house creative classes and workshops, and many from various community-based orgnaizations. See their site for what’s coming up.
Well-Crafted
A recurring free art event presented by Market Street Arts with Workshop SF that pairs a craft project with various Mid Market restaurants, cafes and bars for a night of crafting and drinks.
Public Art
Mission
The Mid Market Community Benefit District (MMCBD) is a non-profit, community-based organization that provides programs and services to improve the quality of life experienced in the public realm in San Francisco’s Mid Market neighborhood. The MMCBD works every day to create a cleaner, safer, and more inviting place to be for residents, workers, merchants and visitors.