Community Arts of Elmira
Elmira, Chemung County, NY
Community Arts of Elmira was born out of a recognition that the city needed a home for creativity, an arts center that welcomed artists of every level, genre, and background. In 2005, after operating first from a living room and later from a downtown storefront, the founders seized the opportunity to acquire a historic Second-Empire Italianate mansion at 413 Lake Street through incredibly-generous benefactors, The Przygodas.. Though the 14,000-square-foot building was in disrepair, it offered the potential to be transformed into a vibrant hub for education, exhibition, performance, and cultural connection.
This moment marked the beginning of Community Arts of Elmira’s dual mission: to restore and activate a landmark building on Elmira’s Eastside and to serve as a grassroots model of placemaking rooted in creativity, collaboration, and inclusivity.
The Spark
The purchase of 413 Lake Street lit the spark for a long-term vision: a “Third Place” where artists and community members could connect across backgrounds and experiences. Just a few years later, in 2013, the spark spread when GST BOCES received a grant for a public mural. Partnering with then-Councilperson Brent Stermer and Community Arts of Elmira, the idea quickly expanded into Elmira Infinite Canvas, the city’s first public art mural program that will grow to include other public art genres. In 2017, Stermer also created Elmira’s first Public Art Commission during the tenure of current Mayor Daniel J. Mandell that continues today.
What began with a single mural on a blighted underpass grew into a citywide movement. By 2025, over 100 walls across Elmira have been transformed into vibrant public artworks, collectively telling stories of the city’s past, present, and future. Together, Community Arts of Elmira’s Elmira Infinite Canvas have elevated the city’s identity, amplified diverse cultural voices, and positioned Elmira as both a creative economy and an arts and cultural destination.
The Project
From its inception, Community Arts of Elmira has been sustained by collaboration. Its very first partner, Chemung County Cooperative Extension, served as fiscal sponsor until nonprofit status was secured in 2007. Early partners like GST BOCES, Elmira Kiwanis, The Arc of Chemung, the YWCA, Tanglewood Nature Center, Chemung County Meals on Wheels, and Care First helped establish both credibility and community trust.
Over time, these relationships deepened and multiplied. New collaborators now include the Elmira City School District, Elmira College, Eldridge Park, Corning Museum of Glass, Near Westside Neighborhood Association, and countless small businesses. Through these partnerships, Community Arts of Elmira has expanded programming, nurtured artists, and grown the Elmira Infinite Canvas initiative into a cornerstone of the city’s cultural life. Behind the murals and events lies a commitment to thoughtful planning and continual learning.
From contract procedures to ribbon cuttings, the organization embraces feedback from artists, funders, and community members to refine its practices and strengthen its impact. Ultimately, even if they are not list here, we thank all of those with whom we have partnered, collaborated and worked over time to build the foundation of Community Arts of Elmira and to grow to this place in 2025.
Equity & Inclusion
rom its inception, Community Arts of Elmira was designed to be welcoming, inclusive, and diverse. Programming is always free, and outreach is proactive, through hardcopy, email, direct invitations, social media, website, partnerships, community events, and news media communication.
Special initiatives demonstrate this commitment:
● The Fusion Arts COLLECTIVE
● Art Reflects
By hiring skilled teaching artists who reflect the community, the organization ensures participants “see themselves” in mentors and role models. Community Arts of Elmira works especially hard to reach marginalized and underserved individuals through hand-to-hand invitations and partnerships with other organizations, uplifting not only its own programming, but also the capacity of fellow community-serving entities.
Community Impact
Today, Community Arts of Elmira offers free arts programming, from classes to exhibitions to events and public art, advertised via its website, social media, and community calendars. More importantly, it provides a safe and welcoming Third Place for anyone seeking kindness, connection, learning, and creative expression.
For many, the center offers friendship, diversity, solace, inspiration, and inclusion. Its role as a community hub is not only about art, but also about providing access, equity, tolerance, collaboration, leadership, and growth together. Inside 413 Lake Street, exhibitions, performances, and workshops bring together students, emerging artists, and professionals. Outside, murals narrate the city’s evolving identity, giving residents and visitors alike a sense of belonging, and, ultimately, we are forever grateful to the artists who have transformed all of these spaces to community places.
Outcomes and Benefits
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Modeled inclusive, accessible placemaking through community-driven design and execution.
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Established Elmira as both a creative economy and an arts tourism destination.
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Launched Elmira Infinite Canvas, employing local artists to create 100 murals across the city by the end of 2025.
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Expanded partnerships across education, healthcare, business, and government.
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Amplified diverse cultural storytelling through public art and collaborative programming.
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Transformed a historic building into a community arts hub on Elmira’s Eastside.
Reflections
Community Arts of Elmira has been transformative both personally and professionally for its leaders. As Board Member Lynne Rusinko reflected:
“This journey has been life-changing. It has deepened my understanding of our community’s needs, ideas, and dreams, and heightened my capacity to see people, to hear people and to learn from people, deepening my own vulnerability, sensitivity, empathy and compassion through experiencing theirs. I also have witnessed the heartbeat of Community Arts of Elmira radiating outward, through volunteerism, teamwork, and synergy, as empowering forces that continue to uplift my own life as well as that of community members.”
Lessons Learned / Transferable Insights
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Community-rooted arts organizations thrive on diverse and evolving partnerships.
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Diversifying funding streams and embracing feedback strengthens long-term sustainability.
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Public art can serve as both cultural storytelling and economic development.
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Historic building reuse can anchor broader community placemaking.
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Continuous learning and transparency build trust and deepen impact.
Celebrating its twentieth anniversary in 2025, Community Arts of Elmira demonstrates how imagination and collaboration can reimagine not only a building, but also an entire city. From one historic mansion to 100 public art murals, the organization has built a model of inclusive, creative placemaking that transforms spaces into places of connection. Its story reminds us that art is not just decoration, it is a catalyst for identity, pride, and possibility.
The Susan Christopherson Center for Community Planning is a project
of the Center for Transformative Action, a registered 501(c)3 organization.
Susan Christopherson Center for Community Planning
Tompkins Center for History and Culture
110 North Tioga St.
Ithaca, NY 14850
© 2025 by Susan Christopherson Center for Community Planning