About
A creative space for our community.
Stay Gallery is a community-led art gallery and creative space in Downtown Downey. Since 2012, Stay Gallery has served as a central gathering place for Downey and Southeast Los Angeles residents, offering a diverse range of artistic, cultural and educational experiences. We have hosted over 200 art exhibitions representing 800+ local and emerging artists, provided arts education programs for thousands of local youth and families, and organized hundreds of free and low-cost art classes, workshops, events and performances.
Stay Gallery is managed by Stay Arts, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to broadening arts access and representation locally through high-quality, community-led programs and projects.
In addition to managing Stay Gallery, Stay Arts serves as a valued community partner for after-school arts education programs. Our teaching artists provide year-round, free visual arts enrichment classes at over 17 elementary and middle schools. Stay Arts also offers a range of professional services, including mural production, artwork installations, and customized art programs tailored to meet the needs of our clients and community partners.
Our Mission
To engage, inspire and empower Southeast Los Angeles artists, youth and families through the transformative power of the arts, creative exploration and cultural expression.
Our Vision
For the individual – We envision a future where every individual has access to the arts and is empowered to discover, explore, and apply their innate creativity.
For our community – We envision a future where our region becomes a unique epicenter of the arts, shaped by an identity that reflects the diverse voices of the people – past, present, and emerging – who live, work, and create locally.
For humanity – We envision a future where the arts, culture, and creativity are integrated into the fabric of society to nurture and sustain collective well-being.
Our Beliefs
Creativity is for everyone – we believe that creativity is innate to the human experience, driving our sense of self, purpose and connection. Like a muscle, creativity must be activated and exercised to remain effective.
The arts are essential – we believe the arts are an essential tool that unlocks creative potential and sustains the effectiveness and health of our creativity. Access to the arts provides a meaningful avenue for improved quality of life through creative expression.
Art, culture and creativity tell our story – we believe that showcasing and documenting the artistic, cultural and creative contributions of Downey and Southeast Los Angeles is integral to the shared human story.
Our impact since 2012
Hosted
200+
admission-free art exhibitions
Supported
800+
local and emerging artists
Impacted
24,000+
youth through free and low-cost arts programming
Produced
500+
free and low-cost community events
Raised
$120,000+
in-kind and monetary donations towards capital improvements for the space