About Rush Galleries

Rush Arts Gallery + Resource Center is a core program of the Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation, a 501 © 3 organization founded in 1995 by brothers Russell, Danny and Joseph “Rev. Run” Simmons.  Rush Arts Gallery is dedicated to providing exhibition opportunities to an emerging artistic community and exposes disadvantaged urban youth to contemporary arts and culture through educational programming initiatives.

In the 90s, the mission of Rush Arts Gallery was to provide resources and support to early career, non-commercial artists of color who lacked representation in Chelsea’s art district. Since it’s establishment, this mission has been expanded to support the diverse creative practices of the entire emerging artistic community, including artists, curators and writers from around the globe. Rush Arts Gallery provides an inclusive space for new audiences and promotes experimental ventures in visual production, curatorial work, performance art and community involvement.

Rush Gallery’s Resource Center is equally progressive and donates the use of its space for events in all disciplines, with one-night events or fundraisers ranging from fashion shows and magazine release parties to grassroots fundraisers and educational lectures. In 2008, the Gallery was awarded the Mayor’s Award for Arts and Culture from the department of Cultural Affairs for its pioneering programming.  Rush Gallery has two exhibition spaces, the Rush Gallery and the Rush Project Space.

Rush Arts Gallery invites guest curators and one-night event producers to transform the gallery for proposed projects, exhibitions, fashion shows or screenings. Past one night fashion event producers include documentary filmmaker and fashion designer Zulema Griffin, Hood By Air, and Brian Wood.

Archive; 1996-present—a library of images and catalogue essays relating to the exhibitions of the gallery’s 13 year history. Since its establishment in 1995, the gallery has exhibited the multidisciplinary works of over 300 visual and performance artists including; Kehinde Wiley, Renee Cox, Mika Tajima, Shinique Smith, Suntek Chung, Odili Donald Odita, Mickalene Thomas and Wangechi Mutu. Subsequent to their involvement with the gallery, Rush alumni have gone on to exhibit with a prestigious collection of galleries and museums including the Studio Museum in Harlem, PS1, the Bronx Museum, the Whitney Museum, the Smithsonian and the Museum of Modern Art. The RAG Archive gives a unique insight into how these now world-renown artists got their start.

Corridor Gallery serves the local Brooklyn community by initiating a dialogue of contemporary art. Corridor Gallery accepts guest curator and artist submissions. Corridor Gallery has two exhibition spaces, the main Corridor Gallery and the Corridor Project Space. Corridor Gallery is also home to Rush Education Programs that exposes and immerses disadvantaged urban youth in the study and practice of contemporary art. The exhibitions and education programs of the galleries are sponsored in part by a grant from the New York State Council for the Arts and are free and open to the public. In 2008, the Gallery was awarded the Mayor’s Award for Arts and Culture from the department of Cultural Affairs for its pioneering programming.