A Forever Home for Follow Your Art
Follow Your Art Community Studios currently rents the Big Yellow House. The plan has always been that FYACS will purchase the building from the current owners. The owners of the Big Yellow House are ready to sell, and we want to buy! We are asking for help from our creative community to raise $500,000 toward a significant down payment.
The “Big Yellow House” is Follow Your Art’s indisputable home and a vibrant part of the local arts and culture scene. By investing in the purchase and stewardship of 647 Main Street in Melrose, we can ensure that Follow Your Art continues to make creative experiences available to all as your local arts center.
By 2026, FYACS is raising $500,000 toward ownership of the Big Yellow House.
The Big Yellow House is home to safe, creative gatherings that make the arts accessible to everyone. Beyond creative classes, the space provides a vital springboard to partnerships and creative engagement in the broader community, including:
- Free public events that build community
- Individualized adaptive support and subsidized programming to remove barriers to participation
- Free storytelling events that have led to the creation of a new disability-focused storytelling group
- Studio space for three dozen local writers and artists in residence and opportunities to share their work
- Mentorship and employment for high school youth
- Opportunities for young adults with disabilities to access creative experiences both at the Big Yellow House and off-site
- A venue for live music featuring local and nationally-renowned performers
Investing in our space to meet your needs
With this significant capital investment, FYACS can purchase and maintain this historic building to support the accessibility and growth of our creative programming.
Make much-needed improvements | As owner of the property, FYACS plans to expand the ceramics studio to meet increased demand, undertake important building envelope maintenance, and collaborate with the property next door to make our current children’s theater space accessible to everyone.
Free up funds to support creative projects | By purchasing the property, FYACS can save ~$9,000 a year in taxes that we currently pay on the property. These funds could be reallocated to support creative projects in the community.
Your donation supports our efforts to own and care for our space - for YOU!
Follow Your Art Community Studios is a 501c3 independent nonprofit organization. To reach our capital campaign goal, we are applying for grant funding, setting aside funds monthly, and seeking community support.
Donate to the capital campaign below or check out other ways to contribute.