Our Purpose

GFFFTA's mission is to expand opportunities for art education, expression and professional development in the Great Falls community, and to network with other individuals and organizations that share these goals. 

How We Got Started . . .

GFFFTA was formed in 2007, by members of the Board of Directors of Great Falls Studios who wanted to establish a not-for-profit arts organization in Great Falls.  As a non-profit, GFFFTA is able to raise money to realize its dream of establishing a center for the arts in Great Falls.  Our non-profit status is what distinguishes us from our community partner Great Falls Studios. 

Today . . . 

GFFFTA operates three programs that it views as cornerstones of a future art center:

The Great Falls School of Art offers professional instruction for children, teens and adults             in a variety of medium through workshops, courses and special programs;  

The Artists’ Atelier provides affordable, shared studio space for 15 local artists; and 

 The GFFFTA Gallery provides a venue for showcasing local and regional art.  

Tomorrow . . .

Due to the success of GFFFTA’s programs, it has outgrown its space twice in its first two years of operation.  In order to continue to grow the school, meet ongoing demand for shared studio space, and provide a venue for artists to display their work, it will be necessary for GFFFTA to again relocate to a larger space within the next 12 months.  

The Future . . .

GFFFTA’s long-range vision is to establish a community center for the arts in Great Falls  - a multi-use facility that would provide a cultural campus for artists, art students, art enthusiasts, collectors and patrons, while increasing Great Falls’ visibility as a noted Northern Virginia arts destination.