We Believe!
"Started as a pop-up..."
The vision for The SPACE came to the founder, Shaymar Higgs, while he was traveling in 2015 through Southeast Asia -- specifically in Bangkok, Thailand with all of its ancient and modern artistic glory. On the flight back to the US, he wrote the first program drafts.
The Dream: To give underserved communities access to high-quality art supplies, materials, and lessons to provide skills with and exposure to entrepreneurship, career development, and individualized growth!
In 2018, Shaymar pitched the idea to Quantum Companies, who first offered the space as a 3-week pop-up art space. Today, the SPACE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, registered in the great state of Maryland! Since opening our doors, we have had the honor of providing over 8,000 individual art-making experiences within our 394 sq. ft. community space.
Our Mission
The SPACE provides a place where the Prince George’s County community can unite to discover themselves and each other through art to heal, share, and question their experiences.
Our Values
These are the values that we believe are centrally important in our work:
● Safe & Non-Judgemental
● Diversity, Inclusion, & Equity
● Anti-racism & Intersectionality
● Curiosity & Self-exploration
● Access & Opportunity
● Respect, Integrity, & Authenticity
● Compassion & Empathy
● Consistency & Presence
Our Motto
The S.P.A.C.E.
"Sharing Positive Artistic & Creative Energies"
"The precise role of the artist, then, is to illuminate that darkness, blaze roads through that vast forest, so that we will not, in all our doing, lose sight of its purpose, which is, after all, to make the world a more human dwelling place."
-James Baldwin
One More (Important) Thing...
The SPACE does not support nor do we support organizations that discriminate on the basis of characteristics such as race, sex, gender, color, creed, religious beliefs, citizenship status, national origin, age, martial status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, or disability.