What’s Happening in The League’s Alexandria Spaces?

Summary & Call-to-Action:

With the successful closure of The Art League’s beloved Madison Annex after nearly 30 years, we have completed one of the most significant transitions in our organization’s history: the relocation of our school into two new, permanent facilities in Alexandria.

Today, The Art League is fully operating across:

• The Slaters Lane Classroom Annex (800 Slaters Lane), a former print shop warehouse thoughtfully transformed into purpose-built studios for ceramics, sculpture, woodworking, and metal arts; and

• Muse Studios (1201 North Royal Street), a newly built condominium shell space now home to printmaking, painting, drawing, photography, stained glass, and mixed-media studios.

Together, these spaces form The Art League Creative Campus, anchoring the emerging Old Town North Arts District and ensuring that visual arts education remains accessible, vibrant, and rooted in our hometown.

We are now in Phase Two of our Relocation Campaign—focused on completing specialized build-outs, fully outfitting classrooms, paying down construction financing, and stabilizing operations in our new spaces. Phase Two represents the final stretch of this multi-year effort: moving from “open” to “fully realized.”

This relocation was made possible in part through a secured construction loan funding package approved by City Council, in partnership with the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership (AEDP) and the Industrial Development Authority (IDA). In early 2024, City Council further expanded this partnership, recognizing The Art League as the first cultural anchor tenant in the Old Town North Arts District.

That public-private collaboration helped us overcome the immense challenges of Alexandria’s real estate market—and your continued philanthropic support is what will ensure long-term success.

Your investment in Phase Two directly supports:

• Completing classroom fit-outs and essential infrastructure

• Reducing construction-related debt

• Sustaining high-quality programming during this critical transition

• Securing The Art League’s future in Alexandria for generations of artists, students, and neighbors

To learn more about the Classroom Relocation Project, our new Creative Campus, and the progress we’ve made, we invite you to contact us at [email protected] or 703-549-5450 x11, or stop by our school or admin offices—we’d love to hear from you.

Background:

Montgomery Center (Madison Annex)

The Madison Annex, housed in the Montgomery Center, is set to be replaced by a mixed-use development featuring residential units, retail, and arts components. Construction is anticipated to commence in Fall 2024, allowing The Art League to continue its operations at the Madison Annex until July 2024.

Torpedo Factory Art Center

As a foundational tenant of the Torpedo Factory Art Center, The Art League occupies studio spaces on the first and second floors, housing the gallery, three classroom studios, art supply store, and administrative headquarters. Our one-year lease, ending September 30, 2024, aligns with the City’s efforts to revitalize the Torpedo Factory Art Center, as evidenced by the Torpedo Factory Stakeholder Task Force’s recent findings.

City Manager Jim Parajon presented the consultant research results to the City Council on December 12, 2023, with an opportunity for questions. No vote was be taken. 

Old Town North Arts District

The establishment of the Old Town North Arts & Cultural District, approved by Alexandria City Council, formally recognizes the area’s growing creative identity—and positions The Art League as its first cultural anchor.

Now fully operating within the district, The Art League’s Creative Campus plays a central role in advancing the district’s vision: activating formerly industrial and commercial spaces with arts education, exhibitions, and community engagement. This designation supports the long-term creation of cultural destinations and aligns directly with our mission to serve artists, students, and neighbors through accessible, high-quality visual arts programming.

We continue to collaborate closely with the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership (AEDP), the City of Alexandria, and neighboring businesses to help shape programming, placemaking, and visibility for the Old Town North Arts District as it grows.

How The Art League Community Can Help:

Funding & Advocacy

With our relocation complete, The Art League is now in Phase Two of our Relocation Campaign, focused on fully realizing and sustaining our new Creative Campus.

Phase Two priorities include:

• Completing specialized classroom build-outs and equipment needs

• Paying down construction-related financing

• Stabilizing operations across two facilities

• Ensuring long-term affordability and access to arts education in Alexandria

The campaign’s $1.2 million Phase Two goal is essential to moving from “open” to “fully equipped, financially stable, and future-ready.”

Community engagement remains a cornerstone of this work. Throughout the transition, we hosted FAQ & Info Nights and Office Hours to keep our community informed and involved. While the move is complete, we will continue offering behind-the-scenes tours, updates, and opportunities to engage with the evolving Creative Campus.

We invite you to:

• Make a Phase Two contribution

• Advocate for the arts within Old Town North

• Stay connected through email updates and community briefings

Your support ensures The Art League not only survives this transition—but thrives.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Has The Art League Relocated? Yes and no.

Yes: The Madison Annex has closed, and all school programs previously housed there have successfully relocated to new facilities in Alexandria.
No: Our offices, gallery, and other classrooms will remain at The Torpedo Factory.

Why? The Madison Annex building was sold and is pending redevelopment in early 2026.

Where are you now?
The Art League’s school now operates across two locations:

• Slaters Lane Classroom Annex (800 Slaters Lane) — painting, mixed media, summer camps, jewelry, ceramics, sculpture, woodworking, metal arts, etc.

• Muse Studios (1201 North Royal Street) — printmaking, painting, drawing, photography, stained glass, mixed media

Our gallery, store, offices, and additional studios remain at the Torpedo Factory Art Center, ensuring continuity in Old Town.

Why did you move?
The Madison Annex building was sold to Carr America for private redevelopment after nearly 30 years of use, requiring The Art League to secure new classroom space while remaining in Alexandria.

What will happen at your old building (Madison Annex/Montgomery Center)?
The Madison Annex building will be redeveloped by Carr America: “Montgomery Center will be a new nine-story, concrete construction mixed‑use multifamily asset that will be the premier offering in Old Town North. The Property will feature market leading, condo‑like amenities including a state‑of‑the‑art fitness center, coworking lounge, private courtyard, rooftop pool, arts venue and much more. Moreover, the Property’s Arts Space and Retail space, in conjunction with the area amenities, will provide an abundance of open‑air space and plenty of activities.”

Who did you work with for your relocation project?
This relocation was made possible through collaboration with the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership (AEDP), the Industrial Development Authority (IDA), the City of Alexandria, Carr America, Cole & Denny Architects, Tartan Properties, Ed Lash / JiL Group, and The Art League’s Board, staff, donors, and community.

How much did the relocation cost?
Phase One build-out costs totaled approximately $1.2 million, supported through a combination of public financing, philanthropy, and private investment. We are now raising another $1.2 million to complete Phase Two, focused on finishing, equipping, and sustaining the new campus while servicing our construction loan.

Did classes shut down during the move?
No. Thanks to contingency planning and community support, we minimized the class disruptions to a month for equipment-based departments and maintained continuous school programming  throughout the transition.

Your support is essential to securing The Art League’s future in Alexandria.
Please consider making a Phase Two gift today.

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