Established in 1973, Creative Growth Art Center is an internationally recognized nonprofit based in Oakland, California. It is the world's first independent art center dedicated to advancing the careers of artists with developmental, mental, and physical disabilities. Today, Creative Growth supports 140 artists, many of whom have sustained decades-long studio practices and exhibit widely in museums, galleries, and public collections around the world.
CURRENT EXHIBITION
STEREO DYNAMIC
ON VIEW FROM SEPTEMBER 18th - NOVEMBER 21ST, 2026
Stereo Dynamic is the ultimate visual mixtape! This group exhibition explores what happens when music fuels the making, featuring handcrafted instruments, music videos, customized vinyls, and hand-stitched portraits of musical legends. Join us to celebrate the tracks, icons, and beats that inspire the art. Opening night will feature live performances by Creative Growth artists, a live DJ set, and a glam rock window installation by Aurie Ramirez. ASL and Spanish interpretation provided.
MEMBER PREVIEW: Friday, September 18, 5–6 PM
PUBLIC OPENING: Friday, September 18, 6–8 PM
ARTIST LED EXHIBITION TOUR: Saturday, September 26th, 2:30–3:30 PM
CLOSING RECEPTION: Friday, November 20, 6-8 PM
📍 Location: Creative Growth Art Center, 355 24th Street, Oakland, CA, 94612
SPOTLIGHT EVENTS
Latefa Noorzai Solo Exhibition at Creative growth's gallery in Berkeley
November 5, 2026 - January 30, 2027 | by Collector Preview or appointment only
Join us for a special collectors’ preview celebrating Latefa Noorzai and her remarkable body of work. The exhibition features the last three remaining large-scale paintings on paper, presented alongside a selection of her later work. Together, these pieces offer a unique opportunity to revisit a significant chapter of her artistic practice and discover how her work continued to evolve. We look forward to welcoming you for an intimate first look at this special presentation.
SPOTLIGHT NEWS
CREATIVE GROWTH ARTISTS
SHINE ON NBC BAy Area
NBC Bay Area recently stopped by Creative Growth for a sneak peek at one of the designs heading to the runway during Oakland Style Week.
Reporter Velena Jones visited the studio to meet Creative Growth artist Elizabeth Rangel and learn more about her approach to fashion design. Rangel shared how her Mexican heritage inspires her work and how she turns the ideas in her imagination into wearable art.
For Rangel, fashion has been a lifelong dream. She’s been designing since she was a child, and today she’s bringing those early visions to life through Creative Growth’s Fashion Program. When asked what she would say to someone with a dream of their own, Rangel kept it simple:
“If you have a dream, don't let anyone take that away.”
SHOP CREATIVE GROWTH
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
WILLIAM SCOTT
View the process behind Praise Frisco: Peace and Love in the City, a work commissioned by SFMOMA as part of Creative Growth's landmark exhibition The House That Art Built. This piece captures artist William Scott’s optimistic vision of San Francisco, where his vibrant imagination transforms the city's architecture into an idealized urban landscape. Documented by Creative Growth staff, the creation of this work highlights Scott’s artistic journey, as seen in his Bay Area Walls mural. With bold colors and expressive brushstrokes, Scott conveys a hopeful and dynamic perspective of the city, celebrating peace, love, and community in his reimagined San Francisco.
CURRENT AND PAST EXHIBITIONS
NEWS & EVENTS
Visit The Creative Growth Art Center
Creative Growth Art Center is located in the Downtown/Lake Merritt area of Oakland, California. We are a 10 minute stroll to the lake. Our two-story tall art center was originally an auto shop and has tall ceilings and big windows. We are surrounded by still functioning auto shops, restaurants, newly constructed tall buildings, and a few historic homes. Our studio and gallery have separate entrances. The studio entrance is the most accessible for wheelchairs and other mobility aid users. Inside, the studio and gallery are connected by a long ramp. In the back of the studio there are accessible, gendered bathrooms. To access a single-stall gender neutral restroom, please ask a staff member. Outside, there is a wooden parklet to sit and rest in.
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