Whatcom Art Center

The New Community Art Space in Whatcom County

Classes

Art Shows/Events

Art Studios

Welcome to Whatcom Art Center, your new creative hub in the historic Fairhaven neighborhood of Bellingham, Washington!

We’re thrilled to open our doors on November 1, 2024, with a grand opening celebration to follow in the coming weeks.

As an exciting new initiative from the Whatcom Art Guild, the Whatcom Art Center (WAC) was founded to celebrate the Guild’s 60th anniversary. Our vibrant center offers studio spaces for rent, a variety of public art classes, exhibitions from local artists, and special events throughout the year. Whether you’re an artist looking to grow or someone passionate about the arts, we have something for everyone.

For workshop leaders and facilitators, the WAC provides versatile rental spaces equipped with everything you need to create a memorable experience for your participants.

Conveniently located next door to the Whatcom Art Market, where 45 local artists’ works are displayed and available for purchase seven days a week, the WAC is your gateway to a thriving artistic community.

The Fairhaven district is known for its boutique shopping, diverse eateries, cozy cafes, and a scenic waterfront boardwalk that offers stunning views of Bellingham Bay—perfect for a post-lunch stroll. If you’re visiting from out of town, the bus and train stations are just a short walk away.

With so much planned for 2025, we invite you to sign up for our *Arts In Every Color* newsletter to stay in the loop on all our upcoming events, classes, and shows (sign up below).

We can’t wait to meet you at the Whatcom Art Center!

Location: 1105 11th St, Bellingham, WA (see map below).

Art Studio available for Rent

$475 per month

  • Available Immediately – 6 or 12 month lease
  • First and last month’s rent required
  • Rental insurance required
  • Not allowed:
    • Flammable materials
    • Kilns or acetylene tanks
    • Noxious materials

Please contact Peggy Alexander to inquire about availability and further details:

Contact: peggy@whatcomartcenter.org

Testimonials

Feedback from some of our happy class attendees!

Dear Belinda, Candice, and Kim

I cannot express how truly grateful I am to each of you for your amazing combined workshop yesterday.  I love to see three creative friends not only gather to share in an educational experience, each bringing her own specialty to the day, but also, supporting each other, as well as the students, throughout the entire day.  Such a collective spirit of mutual respect and love, and truly refreshing.

I appreciated the attention to detail you each took in preparing for the day…for inviting us to the demo table so to speak, by showing what would be created, talking about it, executing the task at hand, getting us super excited, and setting us free to play.  Thank you as well for your generosity in the sharing of your supplies.  They take time to gather, organize, are costly, and Belinda…my Lord…those pressed flowers…glorious.

So…let’s just say this gal is ever so grateful to each of you. My brain was stimulated and excited to learn new things.  I felt that creativity zen.  It was a magical day.  Thank You.

Hugs
Jodee

It was so much fun!! The best thing I’ve done for myself in quite a while. Thanks so much!

Too much fun!! Very memorable, can’t thank you enough for making it happen!!

“Once in a lifetime day” and really wants to keep working on our journals later. She truly had the best time and just adores you all- thank you all so much!!!

Calendar

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6:30 PM - WAM All Hands
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Whatcom Art Guild Monthly Meeting
July 27, 2026    
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Monthly meeting of the Whatcom Art Guild. This month's special guest speaker: Jason LaClair, indigenous artist from Bellingham and the Pacific Northwest.  Jason LaClair, a...
Gel Printing and Collage (Session 2 of 2)
Gel printing is a form of art that creates one-of-a-kind prints. Under the guidance of the instructor, during the first session, the class will create...
Collage Connections
August 1, 2026    
1:00 pm - 4:30 pm
If you love working with collage, come join us on the first Saturday of the month from 1:00 - 4:30 to create your masterpiece. This...
Watercolor Group
August 13, 2026    
1:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Broom Kit Filming
August 17, 2026    
9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Blocking this time for Becka to film Broom Kit making process
Three Thrilling Watercolor Techniques to get Your Landscape Groove on
Three sheets, three techniques, three colors in under three hours! Art medium: Watercolor Instructor: Julie Mortimer Cost: $30 Age groups: All welcome Class size: 20...
Whatcom Art Guild Monthly Meeting
August 24, 2026    
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Jeff Jacobs is a teacher and artist based in Bellingham, Washington. He creates bold linocut prints, inspired by local landmarks such as the Whatcom Museum,...
Fairhaven Art Walk
August 28, 2026    
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Whatcom Art Market and Center participation in the monthly Fairhaven Art Walk!
WAM All Hands
September 3, 2026    
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
WAM All Hands meeting
Events on July 27, 2026
Whatcom Art Guild Monthly Meeting
27 Jul 26
Bellingham
Events on July 31, 2026
Events on August 1, 2026
Collage Connections
1 Aug 26
Bellingham
Events on August 13, 2026
Watercolor Group
13 Aug 26
Bellingham
Events on August 17, 2026
Broom Kit Filming
17 Aug 26
Bellingham
Events on August 22, 2026
Events on August 24, 2026
Whatcom Art Guild Monthly Meeting
24 Aug 26
Bellingham
Events on August 28, 2026
Fairhaven Art Walk
28 Aug 26
Bellingham
Events on September 3, 2026
WAM All Hands
3 Sep 26
Bellingham

Featured Events

Sep 2026

Open Studio Painting Class

Open Studio Painting Class

September 16, 2026    
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Open Studio Painting has found a wonderful new home at the Whatcom Art Center in Fairhaven, where this beloved program continues to support artists seeking [...]
Mixed Media - Messy and Mindful Paint & Collage

Mixed Media - Messy and Mindful Paint & Collage

September 19, 2026    
1:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Walking on Eggshells Let’s just say it: things are stressful right now. That’s exactly why I chose this as the first class of the fall [...]
Autumn Equinox Sound Healing

Autumn Equinox Sound Healing

September 20, 2026    
2:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Relax and recharge with an uplifting sound bath featuring crystal singing bowls, handpan and gong. Class size: 22 Age Groups: All ages Art Medium: Music [...]
Open Studio Painting Class

Open Studio Painting Class

September 23, 2026    
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Open Studio Painting has found a wonderful new home at the Whatcom Art Center in Fairhaven, where this beloved program continues to support artists seeking [...]
Fairhaven Art Walk

Fairhaven Art Walk

September 25, 2026    
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Whatcom Art Market and Center participation in the monthly Fairhaven Art Walk!
Rough Around the Edges - How to Make Texture Wall Art

Rough Around the Edges - How to Make Texture Wall Art

September 26, 2026    
1:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Texture – Lets You Get All Touchy-Feelie! Texture is its own visual language — and once you can speak it, flat art starts to feel [...]
Maui Artist Newman Love/Robert Bystrom (Art Show)

Maui Artist Newman Love/Robert Bystrom (Art Show)

September 27, 2026    
11:00 am - 5:00 pm
A one man show from the collected watercolors, drawings and kinetic sculpture of Robert Bystrom, remembered by many as Newman Love, a brush name Robert [...]
Whatcom Art Guild Monthly Meeting - "Looking Through a New Lens"

Whatcom Art Guild Monthly Meeting - "Looking Through a New Lens"

September 28, 2026    
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
The special activity for this meeting will be the Art Challenge, "Looking Through a New Lens". Have you ever been staring at a tree trunk [...]

Oct 2026

Basic Hand Broom Making Class

Basic Hand Broom Making Class

October 1, 2026    
1:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Join experienced broom maker, Becka Viets of Hexagon Textile & Broom in learning hand broom making basics. Students will learn with skills to make turkey [...]
Whatcom Artist Studio Tour - Fall Show

Whatcom Artist Studio Tour - Fall Show

October 3, 2026 - October 11, 2026    
10:00 am - 5:00 pm
The Whatcom Artist Studio Tour is a FREE juried event offering you the opportunity to meet the region’s finest artists in their own creative spaces. [...]
Open Studio Painting Class

Open Studio Painting Class

October 14, 2026    
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Open Studio Painting has found a wonderful new home at the Whatcom Art Center in Fairhaven, where this beloved program continues to support artists seeking [...]
Collage Layers and Mixed Media (2 sessions)

Collage Layers and Mixed Media (2 sessions)

October 15, 2026    
1:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Have you wondered how to create more depth in your collage work? What about adding lava gel, glass beads or joint compound to create texture? [...]
Take Photos That S.C.A.R.E.

Take Photos That S.C.A.R.E.

October 16, 2026    
1:30 pm - 4:00 pm
This class will teach you how to improve your photography by using the S.C.A.R.E. method--a five-step way to start taking better pictures, regardless of the [...]
Collage Connections

Collage Connections

October 17, 2026    
1:00 pm - 4:30 pm
If you love working with collage, come join us on the first (or third, in this case) Saturday of the month from 1:00 - 4:30 [...]
Come for the Drama: A Dark Academia Wall Art Workshop

Come for the Drama: A Dark Academia Wall Art Workshop

October 18, 2026    
1:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Have you been dreaming of a space that feels deeply personal, cozy, and filled with old-world soul? If you’re tired of sterile, plain white rooms [...]
Open Studio Painting Class

Open Studio Painting Class

October 21, 2026    
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Open Studio Painting has found a wonderful new home at the Whatcom Art Center in Fairhaven, where this beloved program continues to support artists seeking [...]
Fairhaven Art Walk

Fairhaven Art Walk

October 23, 2026    
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Whatcom Art Market and Center participation in the monthly Fairhaven Art Walk!
Basic Hand Broom Making Class

Basic Hand Broom Making Class

October 24, 2026    
1:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Join experienced broom maker, Becka Viets of Hexagon Textile & Broom in learning hand broom making basics. Students will learn with skills to make turkey [...]
Light My Fire: Fall Mosaic Candle Holder Workshop

Light My Fire: Fall Mosaic Candle Holder Workshop

October 25, 2026    
1:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Fall has a way of turning us inward. The light softens, the days shorten, and it starts to feel like the right season for reflection. [...]
Weaving, Plaiting and Stitching on Hand Brooms

Weaving, Plaiting and Stitching on Hand Brooms

October 25, 2026    
5:30 pm - 9:00 pm
This advanced beginner class builds on the foundation of Basic Hand Broom Making Class. Previous broom making experience is requested. In this class students will [...]
Whatcom Art Guild Monthly Meeting

Whatcom Art Guild Monthly Meeting

October 26, 2026    
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Special guest artists/speaker: Andy Phillips Andy Phillips is a welder and fabricator in Bellingham, WA. With a background in woodworking and glass, Andy's experience includes [...]
Open Studio Painting Class

Open Studio Painting Class

October 28, 2026    
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Open Studio Painting has found a wonderful new home at the Whatcom Art Center in Fairhaven, where this beloved program continues to support artists seeking [...]
Bellingham Illuminations - Art in a New Light

Bellingham Illuminations - Art in a New Light

October 31, 2026 - November 8, 2026    
11:00 am - 6:00 pm
"Bellingham Illuminations—Art in a New Light" is an immersive experience showcasing both two-dimensional and three-dimensional art unified by the theme of phosphorescence and light. The [...]

Nov 2026

Open Studio Painting Class

Open Studio Painting Class

November 11, 2026    
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Open Studio Painting has found a wonderful new home at the Whatcom Art Center in Fairhaven, where this beloved program continues to support artists seeking [...]
Watercolor Group

Watercolor Group

November 12, 2026    
1:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Beneath The Layers: A collection of work by the Collage Connection Group - Opening Reception

Beneath The Layers: A collection of work by the Collage Connection Group - Opening Reception

November 13, 2026    
4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Opening Reception for: Beneath the Layers   Art work created by Collage Connection participants which meets once a month at the Whatcom Art Center.
Beneath The Layers: A Collection of work by the Collage Connection Group

Beneath The Layers: A Collection of work by the Collage Connection Group

November 14, 2026 - November 15, 2026    
11:00 am - 6:00 pm
Art work created by Collage Connection participants which meets once a month at the Whatcom Art Center. The work includes mixed media and other forms [...]
Open Studio Painting Class

Open Studio Painting Class

November 18, 2026    
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Open Studio Painting has found a wonderful new home at the Whatcom Art Center in Fairhaven, where this beloved program continues to support artists seeking [...]
Foraging the Forest Floor: Framing Nature's Small Wonders

Foraging the Forest Floor: Framing Nature's Small Wonders

November 21, 2026    
1:30 pm - 4:30 pm
By late November, the woods are full of quiet beauty — textured bark, soft moss, skeletal leaves, and fallen twigs, all the small things we [...]
RETURN TO THE LIGHT — Holiday Edition: Glass Mosaic Candle Holder Workshop

RETURN TO THE LIGHT — Holiday Edition: Glass Mosaic Candle Holder Workshop

November 22, 2026    
1:30 pm - 4:30 pm
There's a reason candlelight sits at the center of so many December traditions. Whether it's the glow of a menorah, the shimmer of Christmas lights, [...]
Whatcom Art Guild Monthly Meeting

Whatcom Art Guild Monthly Meeting

November 23, 2026    
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Monthly meeting of the Whatcom Art Guild. Guests are welcome to attend and get connected with other local artists, see what we do, and decide [...]
Festive Art Show

Festive Art Show

November 27, 2026 - November 29, 2026    
11:00 am - 6:00 pm
Art Show focused on the season. More details to come!

Dec 2026

Open Studio Painting Class

Open Studio Painting Class

December 2, 2026    
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Open Studio Painting has found a wonderful new home at the Whatcom Art Center in Fairhaven, where this beloved program continues to support artists seeking [...]
Collage Connections

Collage Connections

December 5, 2026    
1:00 pm - 4:30 pm
If you love working with collage, come join us on the first Saturday of the month from 1:00 - 4:30 to create your masterpiece. This [...]
Mosaic Holiday Box-The Magic Gift Box (Session 1 of 2)

Mosaic Holiday Box-The Magic Gift Box (Session 1 of 2)

December 6, 2026    
1:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Mosaic Holiday Box – a Sparkling Gift Idea! This holiday season, make something with your own hands: a magic mosaic holiday box! This 2-session workshop [...]
Open Studio Painting Class

Open Studio Painting Class

December 9, 2026    
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Open Studio Painting has found a wonderful new home at the Whatcom Art Center in Fairhaven, where this beloved program continues to support artists seeking [...]
Build and Decorate a Gingerbread House (Seniors)

Build and Decorate a Gingerbread House (Seniors)

December 15, 2026    
10:30 am - 2:30 pm
Working with senior groups to have fun and enjoy building an edible house with lots and lots of delicious candies and cookies plus the wonderful [...]
Open Studio Painting Class

Open Studio Painting Class

December 16, 2026    
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Open Studio Painting has found a wonderful new home at the Whatcom Art Center in Fairhaven, where this beloved program continues to support artists seeking [...]
Make your own Festive Art!

Make your own Festive Art!

December 19, 2026 - December 20, 2026    
11:00 am - 6:00 pm
Various arts from Whatcom Art Guild and Market will be putting on various seasonal 'make & take' art activities, where you can create your own [...]
Build and Decorate a Gingerbread House (Youth)

Build and Decorate a Gingerbread House (Youth)

December 21, 2026 - December 22, 2026    
10:00 am - 12:30 pm
This is a 2 day class: First day, build the gingerbread house; Second day, decorate it. Building a gingerbread house is an awesome partnership project [...]

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Plan Your Creative Getaway – Stay with our Hotel Partners!

We’re thrilled to share that Whatcom Art Guild has partnered with Hampton Inn and Home2 Suites by Hilton in Bellingham to offer a special discounted rate exclusively for our visitors, artists, and event attendees!

Whether you’re coming to town for a WAG-sponsored class, art exhibit, workshop, or to explore the Whatcom Art Market, these two welcoming and conveniently located hotels are ready to host you in comfort and style.

Why book through us?

  • Exclusive corporate rate – only available through our partnership
  • Quick and easy online booking with our custom link
  • A perfect stay just minutes from galleries, markets, and downtown Bellingham
  • Enjoy art-filled surroundings – both hotels will proudly display WAG artwork and event flyers!

This exclusive offer is part of our mission to make Bellingham a destination for creativity, inspiration, and connection. So come for the art—and stay in comfort.

Click here to book your special WAG rate now!

Please note: This special rate is available only through the Whatcom Art Guild and is not transferable to other organizations.