HAMILTON, MA, The Community House is proud to announce that it has assumed stewardship of Art Grows Here, the Hamilton-Wenham community’s annual celebration of local visual and performing artists. Now in its seventeenth year, Art Grows Here will take place August 14-23, 2026, with a theme of Community. The Call to Artists is open now, and any artist living in Hamilton or Wenham is encouraged to apply. 

Art Grows Here was founded by Sue Kassirer and fellow artists rooted in the Hamilton-Wenham community, who believed that art belongs in the places where people live, gather, and know each other. What began as a grassroots celebration grew into a beloved annual tradition, drawing artists and audiences together each summer in a spirit of creative generosity. For a number of years, the program found a home at the Wenham Museum under the curatorial leadership of Jane Bowers, whose vision and dedication sustained and grew the event. As the museum evolved its programming and Jane prepared to relocate, both she and museum leadership recognized the need for a new organizational home , one with the community infrastructure, the programming expertise, and the spirit to carry Art Grows Here forward with the energy it deserves. 

That home is The Community House. 

“Arts are our jam,” said Melissa Elmer, Executive Director of The Community House. “We are happily taking this on. Art Grows Here is exactly the kind of program that reflects who we are,  it sits at the intersection of the artist community, performing arts, and fine arts, and it engages the people and neighborhoods that make Hamilton Wenham such a remarkable place to live. Art has a home here.” 

CALL TO ARTISTS 

The Call to Artists is open now through July 31, 2026. Any visual or performing artist who lives in Hamilton-Wenham is eligible to participate , no professional credentials required. Art Grows Here has always been a program rooted in inclusion and community, and TCH is committed to continuing that tradition. 

Artists are encouraged to apply here: 🔗 Apply Now 

2026 PROGRAM DETAILS 

Theme: Community 

Main programming week: August 14-23, 2026 

Programming will include exhibitions, performances, and community gatherings across Hamilton-Wenham during the main week. A self-guided art tour map, listing participating artists and venues, will be available digitally and in print. Full programming details will be announced as the event takes shape; updates will be posted at communityhouse.org. 

SPONSORSHIP 

Art Grows Here 2026 is made possible in part through the generous support of Parelli Optical, whose investment in this program reflects a shared belief that the arts are essential to a thriving community.  

Organizations and businesses interested in sponsorship opportunities are encouraged to contact Lindsay Konos at lindsay@communityhouse.org. 

ABOUT ART GROWS HERE 

Art Grows Here is an annual celebration of local visual and performing artists in the Hamilton Wenham community, now in its ninth year. Founded by HamiltonWenham artists and previously hosted by the Wenham Museum, the program is now stewarded by The Community House. Art Grows Here brings neighbors together each summer to experience and celebrate the creative life of their community. 

ABOUT THE COMMUNITY HOUSE 

The Community House is a nonprofit community center located in South Hamilton, Massachusetts, serving the Hamilton Wenham region and surrounding North Shore communities with arts, education, youth, senior, and community programming year-round. Learn more at communityhouse.org. 

MEDIA CONTACT Lindsay Konos The Community House lindsay@communityhouse.org communityhouse.org