Our vision is a thriving Durham arts ecosystem where artists and audiences connect, create, and grow together. At Boardinghouse, we center femme, queer, and BIPOC artists, providing the space, support, and pathways they need to sustain their work, shape the cultural future of our city, and build bridges that extend beyond the local.

A home for the arts.

We’re Laura and Shirlette. Five years ago, in the middle of our first year of marriage and the second year of the pandemic, we bought a 100-year-old building at 703 W Trinity Avenue. It had faded from orange to pink, with wobbly legs and a storied past.

We were both raised in Durham’s art community. We’ve seen many spaces come and go. In the bones of this building, we saw the opportunity to ask ourselves: Can we build the space our community deserves?

Boardinghouse Arts is the result: a creative home where artists can thrive beyond genre and across disciplines, with space to work, exhibit, and record—all under one roof.

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Boardinghouse Arts exists for the creators at the heart of Durham’s culture and for the community that grows around them.

FOR ARTISTS

We center queer, BIPOC, and femme artists, providing affordable studios, resources, and platforms to transform practice into sustainable careers.
FOR SUPPORTERS

We connect patrons, partners, and cultural organizations with artists to strengthen Durham’s creative ecosystem through collaboration and investment.
FOR COMMUNITY

Our doors are open. Come see us!