Follow Your Art Community Studios (FYACS), an independent nonprofit arts center serving the Metro North area, has reached a significant milestone in its goal to purchase its space at 647 Main Street in Melrose.
In June of 2025, The Mass Cultural Council, in collaboration with Mass Development, selected Follow Your Art for a $200,000 Cultural Facilities Fund matching grant, which could be accessed when an equivalent amount was raised. Follow Your Art announced in early February that it has raised the full amount of the match.
“We are so grateful for the community’s support, which has been integral in reaching this goal. We have been truly humbled by the generosity and creativity of the hundreds of donors and volunteers that have supported the campaign to secure Follow Your Art’s forever home,” shares FYACS Executive Director Kris Rodolico.
The Cultural Facilities Fund supports the acquisition and renovation of nonprofit cultural facilities. FYACS will apply the funds toward the purchase of The Big Yellow House, which it has been renting from a group of founding investors since 2019. Follow Your Art always planned to purchase the building once it was firmly established in the community. “We’re excited to be in the position to make that dream a reality,” commented Rodolico.
FYACS will be moving forward with the purchase of its space in 2026. The matching grant and any additional funds raised will enable FYACS to make a significant down payment on the building and support updates to the property. Additional details can be found on the campaign webpage.
About FYACS
Thousands of people have taken classes, visited gallery exhibitions and live performances, or contributed to community art projects at The Big Yellow House. In its first six years as the area’s community arts center, FYACS has become a vital space for community gathering. The nonprofit mentors and employs dozens of high school youth, fills an important role as a local venue for live performances, and offers individualized support so people of all ages and abilities have access to creative experiences. Learn more at fyamelrose.org