THE CHERRY ARTS is a multi-arts hub that creates spaces for collaboration and experimentation across artistic and cultural boundaries.

The Cherry began in 2015 as a loose group of Ithaca, NY-based theater artists seeking ways to create professional work outside of the ordinary US theater landscape, without sacrificing our jobs and child-care (and gardening!) obligations. We started producing new international work in venues around town.

In 2017, founding Artistic Director Samuel Buggeln, and his partner, Cherry co-founder Nick Salvato, built THE CHERRY ARTSPACE at 102 Cherry Street on the banks of the Cayuga Inlet in Ithaca’s West End. The Artspace is a flexible, multidisciplinary arts and performance venue. Click here to learn more! 

The Cherry Arts, Inc. launched our mission to support a wide range of artists and arts organizations by hosting them in the Artspace. Forms to date have included dance, music, puppetry, circus, chamber opera, storytelling, burlesque, cabaret, installation, folk arts, and many more.

The theatermaking arm of the Cherry became THE CHERRY ARTISTS’ COLLECTIVE, an independent, self-governing ensemble of artists. The Collective develops new performance works that are radically local, radically international, and formally innovative. We’ve presented English-Language premieres of new plays from France, El Salvador, Germany, Québec, Serbia, Belgium, Mexico and Argentina, and commissioned innovative new performance works (including headphone walking-plays and plays incorporating video) from Ithaca-based writers.

In the fall of 2021, the Cherry expanded into two new arts spaces! The Cherry Gallery and Camilla Studio are located in the new Ithaca Arthaus, at 130 Cherry Street just across the parking lot from the Artspace. The Gallery houses visual arts exhibitions, and the Studio is home to rehearsals, classes, and more. Both spaces are also suitable for small-scale performance.

Above the Gallery and Studio in the Ithaca Arthaus are 120 apartments exclusively for lower- and middle-income families, with 40 units set aside for young people who had been unhoused. The Cherry offers a slate of programs to engage and support folks who live in the Arthaus, alongside the broader community—with “art hives,” writing workshops, a public mural project, an open mic series, classes, and more. These programs are designed to make a big impact on the lives of the people in this community, empowering people to tell their stories and make positive change in the world.

Won’t you join us please!

Back in the day:

 

The Cherry Arts, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and we could not exist without the support of arts lovers like you. Please click here to make a tax-deductible donation. We thank you for your support!

CLICK TO VIEW OUR PHOTO GALLERY!View our photo gallery!

Questions? Email info@thecherry.org.

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