CULTURE CLASH (CURIOUS GALVESTON)
n o t s e v l a G e B Got to By Janes
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IF YOU CAME TO THE THIRD COAST LOOKING FOR ARTISTIC EXPRESSION AND VIBRANCY, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Our eclectic little island is home to several artist-inhabited enclaves. In fact, we have some of the best artists in the county cropping up at unique venues centralized in the downtown Galveston area. If unique spaces and obscure art are what you want, it has got to be Galveston!
THE NATIONAL HOTEL ARTISTS LOFTS
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ce P l ace facebook.com/ TheNationalHotelArtistLofts/ 2221 Market St, Galveston, TX 77550
The National Hotel Artist Lofts (NHAL) were built in 1870 as an opera house and the building enjoyed a glamorous but brief reign as Galveston’s cultural centerpiece. In 1895, a new owner substantially rebuilt it as an office building. Five years later, it survived the great hurricane of 1900, which leveled much of Galveston. It subsequently housed a bank, various stores and offices, and the National Hotel. Developed at a cost of $3.6 million, this important Galveston landmark has now been reborn as the National NHAL Hotel Artist Lofts, a 27-unit live/work building that includes both affordable and market-rate housing as well as ground-floor commercial space via the Proletariat where artists can display their works. We love the NHAL for its unique shows and quirky cubbies such as their Space Place where residents can zone out, or the Costume Closet where you can become anyone you want to be.
C U LTU R EC L A S H G A LV E STO N . C O M • J A N / F E B 2 0 2 2
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