Established in 2016 it is the intersection of ideas, needs, and opportunity. Our mission is to provide affordable studio space to local artists and encourage collaboration. Easton and the surrounding Greater Lehigh Valley has a thriving Arts community. Servicing that need, eleven20 has 17 occupied studios and is in the process of finishing 7 more, including three occupied by the eleven20 partners
. In addition to clean well lit studios, we have communal clean up spaces, a kitchenette, new accessible bathrooms, collaboration and teaching spaces, an Art Gallery for special events and some shared workspaces for wood and metal fabrication. Future amenities include a paint booth and kiln room. Our shared history. In 1925, 1120 Butler St. was erected in a growing industrial/ residential neighborhood along the Lehigh River palisade. It was a car show room and repair facility for Dodge and DeSoto Cars. Alas the Great Depression ended that use by 1932 and the building was empty. Not long after it became home to the Polack Brush Company a pre Revolution Easton business that remained there late into the twentieth century. Circle Systems sporting gear remanufacturing occupied the space until it's demise and a hail of FBI investigations in 2013. Already in disrepair the building was shuttered. Around that time partners Bert and Clint found them selves aligned through some mutual acquaintances and goals. That relationship proved fortuitous when leases were lost and we found another space to occupy. The new space which was almost equal to the current one encouraged the growth by addition of partner Mary and subletting to artists that we each knew. Then early in 2016 came the news we feared but had caught wind of. The building was being sold and no leases would be carried forward. We were already seeking resources when the news broke but where in Easton coueleven20 Art Studios and Workspaces in Easton's West Ward. Established in 2016 it is the intersection of ideas, needs, and opportunity. In addition to clean well-lit studios, they have communal clean up spaces, a kitchenette, new accessible bathrooms, collaboration and teaching spaces, an Art Gallery for special events and some shared workspaces for wood and metal fabrication. Not long after it became home to the Polack Brush Company a pre–revolution Easton business that remained there late into the twentieth century. Circle Systems sporting gear remanufacturing occupied the space until its demise and a hail of FBI investigations in 2013. Around that time partners Bert and Clint found themselves aligned through some mutual acquaintances and goals. That relationship proved fortuitous when leases were lost, and they found another space to occupy. The new space which was almost equal to the current one encouraged the growth by addition of partner Mary and subletting to artists that they each knew. Then early in 2016 came the news they feared but had caught wind of. Deciding to spend the day intensifying the search he found the property newly listed and called the realtor. A meeting was scheduled for Noon. Walking through the lower level with its 15,000 SF, they were convinced this would work. 13’ – 16’ ceilings, two overhead doors, concrete floors upgraded power. Yes, this will do nicely. Then they went upstairs. They were dumb struck. Here a 4,500 square ft canvas was ready for primer and our hands to transform it. Bert, Clint, and Mary stood motionless in the space for several minutes just taking it all in. They told the realtor they would discuss it and call him. 20 minutes later as they sat around Clint’s kitchen table, they all agreed that this was the space that they all knew they wanted but had never really verbalized. They knew that this was bigger (literally!) than the needs of the three. By 5:00 that night a contract was signed and eleven20 became a reality. June 1, 2018 they opened our doors to the first nine artists on the Butler St. level. In June of 2020 phase II on the Elm St. Level became occupied and In July of 2021 Phase III was in full swing for the final build out. Stay tuned to see what happens next!
