imported>Staticshakedown: Adding short description: "Art center in Alexandria, Virginia"

2024-09-29T17:12:13Z

Adding short description: "Art center in Alexandria, Virginia"

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{{Short description|Art center in Alexandria, Virginia}}
{{coord|38.804869|-77.039833|type:landmark|format=dms|display=title}}
[[File:2021 Torpedo Factory Art Center, 105 North Union Street, Alexandria.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Torpedo Factory Art Center in 2021]]

The '''Torpedo Factory Art Center''' is the former [[U.S. Naval Torpedo Station]], a naval munitions factory on the banks of the [[Potomac River]] in [[Old Town Alexandria|Old Town]], [[Alexandria, Virginia]] which was converted into an [[art center]] in 1974. The facility is located at 105 N. Union Street, near the eastern end of [[King Street (Alexandria, Virginia)|King Street]].<ref name=al2021>{{cite web|url=https://alexandrialivingmagazine.com/news/city-scenarios-revitilization-torpedo-art-factory-center-alexandria-va/|title=City Presents Scenarios to Revitalize the Torpedo Factory Art Center|last=Moore|first=Susannah|website=alexandrialivingmagazine.com|date=December 6, 2021|access-date=March 2, 2022}}</ref>

The Torpedo Factory Art Center is home to the largest number of publicly accessible working artist studios in the U.S. Each year, more than a half-million visitors interact with its community of artists.<ref name=gallery>{{cite web|url=https://torpedofactory.org/about-us/overview/|title=Overview|website=Torpedo Factory Art Center|access-date=March 2, 2022}}</ref> As of March 2022, it housed 82 artists' studios, 8 galleries, and workshops, with some 165 professional visual artists who work in a variety of media, including painting, ceramics, photography, jewelry, stained glass, fiber, printmaking, and sculpture.<ref name=gallery /> The Torpedo Factory has become a model of creative [[placemaking]] for other communities.<ref>{{Cite book
| title = On Target: Stories of the Torpedo Factory Art Center's First 25 years
| last = Landingham
| first = Marian Van
| date = 1999-01-01
| publisher = Marian Van Landingham
| isbn = 9780967137506
| location = Place of publication not identified
| language = English
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.frontsigns.com/blog/insights-into-creative-placemaking-main-principles-and-strategies/|title=Insights Into Creative Placemaking: Main Principles And Strategies|last=Davies|first=Helen|website=frontsigns.com|date=January 9, 2021|access-date=March 2, 2022}}</ref>

Artists are selected as part of an annual jury and re-jury process. Once accepted, they receive a three-year lease of publicly subsidized rent.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://patch.com/virginia/oldtownalexandria/jury-process-begin-torpedo-factory-art-center-studios|title=Jury Process To Begin For Torpedo Factory Art Center Studios|last=Leayman|first=Emily|website=[[Patch (website)|Patch]]|date=February 18, 2022|access-date=March 2, 2022}}</ref>

==History==
After months of planning, on November 12, 1918—ironically the day after [[Armistice Day]] marked the end of [[World War I]]—the U.S. Navy began construction of the [[U.S. Naval Torpedo Station, Alexandria|U.S. Naval Torpedo Station]]. The factory built torpedoes for five years before becoming munitions storage. With the onset of [[World War II]], the factory produced Mark III torpedoes for aircraft and Mark XIV torpedoes for submarines.{{citation needed|date=March 2022}}

By the war's end in 1945, the complex was converted to government storage for things such as congressional documents, artifacts from the [[The Smithsonian|Smithsonian]], and [[Nuremberg trials|Nazi trial]] records. The [[Alexandria, Virginia|City of Alexandria]] eventually bought the building in 1969.<ref name=wp2021>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2021/11/30/torpedo-factory-alexandria-artists-restaurant/|title=As Alexandria looks to revamp the Torpedo Factory, artists fear they will be kicked out|last=Armus|first=Teo|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=November 30, 2021|access-date=March 2, 2022}}</ref>

In 1974, [[Marian Van Landingham]], as president of [[The Art League]], proposed a project to renovate part of the factory into studio spaces for the Alexandria Bicentennial Project. The project was originally approved for only three years. Large-scale renovation began in May 1974 and the new center formally opened on September 15, 1974. From 1982 to 1983, the building underwent further renovation in compliance with the City's waterfront development plan and was entirely gutted and rebuilt with a new ventilation system and central heating. It formally reopened on May 20, 1983. Adjacent industrial facilities were demolished to build the Torpedo Factory Condominiums in 1985.{{citation needed|date=March 2022}}

The Torpedo Factory Artists Association created by artists and The Art League, managed the center for 12 years, from 1998 to 2010. From 2011 to 2016, it was managed by the specially created Torpedo Factory Art Center Board nonprofit.<ref name=history>{{cite web|url=https://torpedofactory.org/about-us/history/|title=History|website=Torpedo Factory Art Center|access-date=March 2, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.alexandriava.gov/recreation/arts/info/default.aspx?id=95569|title=Torpedo Factory Art Center Frequently Asked Questions|website=www.alexandriava.gov|language=en-US|access-date=2019-02-19}}</ref> The Torpedo Factory Artists’ Association is the Torpedo Factory's professional artist community of more than 275 juried visual artists. Past presidents include [[Tanya Davis (artist)|Tanya Davis]], and other artists, and the current president is artist Rachel Kerwin.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.torpedofactoryartists.com/category/artist-news/|title=Artist News – Torpedo Factory Artists' Association|language=en-US|access-date=2019-02-19}}</ref>

In 2018, the City of Alexandria took control of all operations of the Torpedo Factory, despite opposition from some artists.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://alextimes.com/2018/11/city-takes-permanent-control-of-torpedo-factory/|title=City takes permanent control of Torpedo Factory|website=[[Alexandria Times]]|date=November 20, 2018|last=Schrott|first=Missy|language=en-US|access-date=March 2, 2022}}</ref> In August 2019, one of the galleries was named after Marian Van Landingham.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://patch.com/virginia/oldtownalexandria/torpedo-factory-art-center-founder-honored-new-gallery-name|title=Torpedo Factory Art Center Founder Honored With New Gallery Name|last=Leayman|first=Emily|website=[[Patch (website)|Patch]]|date=August 21, 2019|access-date=March 2, 2022}}</ref> In October 2021, city authorities started to consider different options for funding renovations.<ref name=al2021 /><ref name=wp2021/>

==Gallery==
<gallery class="center" widths="275px" heights="250px">
File:U.S. Naval Torpedo Station - Alexandria, Virginia.jpg|The [[U.S. Naval Torpedo Station]] in 1922
File:Alexandria Torpedo Factory3.jpg|A torpedo on display inside the Center
File:2021 Torpedo Factory Art Center interior 1.jpg|A view of the Art Center's interior
File:2021 Torpedo Factory Art Center interior, staircase.jpg|A staircase inside the Center
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links==
{{Commons category|Torpedo Factory Art Center}}
* [http://torpedofactory.org/partners/target-gallery/ Target Gallery] is the Torpedo Factory Art Center's contemporary exhibition space.
*[https://www.torpedofactoryartists.com/ Torpedo Factory Artists' Association]
* [http://www.theartleague.org/content/gallery The Art League Gallery]
* [http://torpedofactory.org/partners/associates-gallery/ The Associates Gallery (TAG)]
* [http://torpedofactory.org/partners/enamelists/ Enamelists Gallery]
* [http://www.multipleexposuresgallery.com/ Multiple Exposures Gallery] (photography)
* [http://www.potomacfiberartsgallery.com/ Potomac Fiber Arts Gallery]
* [http://www.scopegallery.org/ Scope Gallery] (ceramics)

{{Alexandria, Virginia}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Buildings and structures in Alexandria, Virginia]]
[[Category:Industrial buildings completed in 1918]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Alexandria, Virginia]]
[[Category:Arts centers in Virginia]]
[[Category:1974 establishments in Virginia]]
[[Category:Old Town Alexandria]]

Torpedo Factory Art Center - Revision history

imported>Staticshakedown: Adding short description: "Art center in Alexandria, Virginia"