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Jerome Art Center at the Old Jerome High School


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​The Old Jerome High School was built in the mid 1920's during the Boom Town era of copper mining days. When the mines finally closed in the mid 1950's, the town emptied out and the population dwindled down to "ghost town' status. Students from surrounding small towns of the Verde Valley continued to make the trek up the mountain to attend this school until the early 1970's when a new High School was built in Cottonwood.
At this time, a new resident population was forming in Jerome. One made of energetic creatives who came to settle the town and revitalize the memory. With artistic flare and commitment, they began to occupy the vacant structures and succeeded in archiving, restoring and maintaining Jerome to assure that the town's legacy lived on.
Over the span of these last 40 + years, many talented individuals have come to, and thru, Jerome and have woven their own stories into the town's colorful history.
Today, the spacious corridors and classrooms of the Old Jerome High School have been transformed into art studios and galleries, occupied by over 20 artists- each working in a variety of mediums and methods. This artist's enclave is open to the public daily and all are welcome to stop in for a studio visit  and tour the halls of this historic structure. 


​The Old Jerome High School is located
at 885 Hampshire Ave,  also known
as Historic SR 89A. 
Once you turn into the parking area, you will see that there are four separate buildings which make up the school's complex. Buildings A, B and C - each house individual
artist studios & galleries, sharing a common entrance and
free parking for visitors. The Old Gymnasium is a large quonset hut building and  home to a local furniture company. It has a separate entrance driveway & parking lot for it's visitors.


"Artistic Voices from the
​Old Jerome High School"
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THE VIDEO ABOVE WAS CREATED BY NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY
FILM STUDENT, NAOMI THALENBERG AND WAS SHOWN AT THE ANNUAL FILM FESTIVAL IN FLAGSTAFF ARIZONA.
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PANORAMIC HEADER PHOTO ABOVE WAS TAKEN
BY KIM HOSHAL OF PURPLE SKY PHOTOGRAPHY.
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This hand painted gallery sign is a familiar icon at The Old Jerome High School. It is constantly evolving and offers a colorful directory of all the studios on sight. It is a work of art in and of itself.
                           Come Visit Us!!!
​Jerome​ is a special community, renowned for it's history, art, music, good food, wine,  beautiful panoramic views,  art, music, food, wine...and well...ghosts!
Jerome is in close proximity to Sedona. Cottonwood, Clarkdale, Camp Verde, Cornville, Page Springs, Prescott and the developing Arizona Wine Country. We are just an hour and half north of Phoenix, for an easy and scenic day trip!
Here at the Old Jerome High School, you will find an array of talent in areas of contemporary and traditional art genres, including: painting, sculpture, ceramics, jewelry making, rock art, art glass, photography, video & media arts, printmaking and fashion design. A monthly Art Walk is held from 5 to 8pm on the 1st Saturday of each month. It is a festive evening where you will find a large showing of artists and local town folk.