Common Space Arts Council

The Arts Council Lake Erie West (ACLEW), known as Common Space, is a regional not-for-profit community arts agency serving communities in the Lake Erie West Region of Northwest Ohio / Southeast Michigan. The grass roots agency was created in 1983 by entrepreneur: artists, educators and business persons to cultivate the arts with affordable artist work spaces and creative programs for the public.

ACLEW operates two facilities under the names of Common Space to dispel the arts mystic, encourage broad community participation and be more accessible to all ages. ACLEW and resident artists and agencies offer classes, workshops and summer camps to the public. ACLEW also owns and operates the Seven Eagles Historical Education Center in Grand Rapids, Ohio; and the administrative staff provides arts business consulting services to area community agencies and internationally to developing countries.

As a regional arts agency, the ACLEW is not in competition with other local, regional or state arts, planning, or governmental agency. ACLEW intends to foster partnerships and build relationships within communities. It is our belief that cooperative efforts help the arts and build our regional community educationally, culturally and economically.

ACLEW’s mission is to foster the arts and engage socio-cultural participation through creative spaces, programs and leadership for all ages.