From world-renowned painters to a neighbor’s first exhibit, you’ll find makers of all kinds within these local museums and galleries.
by Addie Ladner & Ayn-Monique Klahre
Here in Raleigh, we have an outsize art scene for being a relatively small city. The North Carolina Museum of Art has earned world renown for its broad collection of important artists from across the globe and the centuries, but also prioritizes regional art and rotating exhibits that speak to the diversity of our population and its interests. But it’s our smaller galleries and studio spaces that nurture our local creative community, fostering opportunities for emerging artists to showcase and sell their work — and for their fans to become early patrons and collectors. Whether you want to be awed by an installation or are looking for affordable, meaningful art for your walls, consider visiting one of these museums or galleries this weekend.
Anchorlight
A warehouse turned studio space for local artists, Anchorlight was co-founded in 2017 by director and curator Shelley Smith. It hosts regular exhibits, a residency program and a biannual open house, where would-be collectors may find work for purchase.
1401 S. Bloodworth Street; anchorlightraleigh.com
Arts Access Gallery
This tiny gallery downtown is a nonprofit committed to making a positive impact through arts, education, and disability inclusion with frequent shows.
444 S. Blount Street, Suite 115B; artsaccessinc.org
Artspace
This spacious nonprofit studio and exhibit space, an anchor in the Warehouse District of downtown, is known for hosting a mix of established and emerging artists, its regular First Friday events attract guests with creative programming, unique exhibits and, often, a great DJ.
201 E. Davie Street; artspacenc.org
ArtSource Fine Art
This North Raleigh gallery and framing shop showcases dozens of regional artists with a focus on beautiful landscape, abstract and still life paintings.
4421 Six Forks Road, Suite 123; artsourcefineart.com
Birdland Gallery
VAE Raleigh’s pop-up space in Boylan Heights, this hub gallery curates exhibits with thought-provoking emerging, independent artists in a variety of genres in its open air studio space, along with hosting other community events.
706 Mountford Street; instagram.com/birdlandraleigh
Block Gallery
An open-to-the-public exhibition space within the Raleigh Municipal Building, Block Gallery features rotating exhibits with an emphasis on local artists.
222 W. Hargett Street; raleighnc.gov
Gallery C
A fine art gallery within a historic residence near Historic Oakwood, Gallery C features contemporary artists as well as unique historical pieces in exhibits that rotate frequently.
540 N. Blount Street; galleryc.net
Gregg Museum of Art & Design
Part of North Carolina State University, Gregg Museum holds a massive collection that encompasses more than 35,000 objects including textiles, Native American art, photography and outsider art along with frequent visiting exhibitions.
1903 Hillsborough Street; gregg.arts.ncsu.edu
Lump Gallery
This small nonprofit arts organization and gallery on the outskirts of downtown in an old warehouse curates exhibitions with a lens toward emerging, out-of-the-box art.
505 S. Blount Street; lumpprojects.org
North Carolina Museum of Art
With more than 40 galleries spanning 5,000 years, the People’s Collection includes some of the world’s most important makers, plus the largest collection of sculptures by Auguste Rodin in the country.
2110 Blue Ridge Road; ncartmuseum.org
The Mahler
This long-running fine art gallery in Five Points represents regional and national artists with an eye towards connecting them with collectors. Keep an eye on the calendar for seasonal curations from a variety of makers.
1700 Glenwood Avenue; themahlerfineart.com
Pullen Arts Center
Inside Pullen Park, across from NC State and its Belltower, this arts center showcases diverse local work from its maker classes in regular exhibitions and supports artists of all ages in various practices.
105 Pullen Road; raleighnc.gov
Sertoma Arts Center
In this studio in Shelley Lake Park, find three exhibit spaces within a cabin-like facade that offers rotating displays, often featuring work by makers within its own ceramic, painting and metalworking studios.
1400 W. Millbrook Road; raleighnc.gov
A version of this article originally appeared in the 2025 OUR TOWN. The online version was last updated on December 31, 2025.
