ABOUT
A redevelopment project of the City of Santa Cruz Economic Development Department, and Artspace, Inc., the Tannery Arts Center opened in 2009. Offering 100 loft residences and 28 working artist studios, the Tannery is a sustainable, accessible, and vibrant home for the arts in Santa Cruz County. It features The Colligan Theatre, cafe, loft artists, art galleries, working studios, public art, and dance, and music schools.
History of the Tannery
The Tannery Arts Center once housed a thriving leather industry. The tanneries fueled the economy of Santa Cruz County and the Central Coast.
Jacob Kron, a tanner from Prussia, purchased the tannery site in 1866. The Kron family lived in the building now known as the Kron House, is now Arts Council Santa Cruz County’s main office. The Krons operated the Tannery until 1915>In 1918, the Tannery was acquired by Kullman, Salz & Co. Following the 1929 economic crash, with the future of the Tannery in doubt, Kullman, Salz & Co. was liquidated, and Ansley K. Salz contributed personal funds to keep the Tannery open, incorporating the business as A.K. Salz and Company. The Salz family owned and operated the business until it closed in 2001.
People from all over the world worked here, transforming raw hides into strong and durable leather. Today, their stories, the history of the tanning industry and its social and economic impact on the region are told through exhibits on the campus. Visitors can touch animal hides and finished leather while viewing the outdoor History Wall, featuring photo murals, an illustrated timeline and life-size cutouts of images from the past.
Five of the original buildings, constructed in the mid-1800s, were preserved as part of the Tannery Arts Center redevelopment project, including the Kron House, Hide House, Beam House, and Tanyard Buildings.
Development Project
The Tannery Arts Center is a live/work art community in Santa Cruz County, created through a joint effort by the former Redevelopment Agency of the City of Santa Cruz, Artspace, and the Tannery Arts Center, Inc. Artspace is a nationally acclaimed nonprofit developer of affordable space for artists and arts organizations, which has successfully developed and managed many artist loft projects throughout the country. Tannery Arts Center, Inc. (TAC) was a local nonprofit organization governed by a board of directors representing business, the public and the arts. TAC helped guide the direction of the overall project, served as the fundraising arm for the Colligan Theater, and constructed the theater.
After acquiring the property, the Redevelopment Agency leased a portion of it to Artspace for the construction of the Tannery Lofts. The Redevelopment Agency also renovated historic buildings to create Working Studios. This building was master leased to Artspace, which subsequently leased the individual studio spaces to artists, and continues to manage the property.
Since the state dissolved Redevelopment Agencies in 2011, the City’s Economic Development Department has continued to coordinate the project and work with Artspace, Arts Council Santa Cruz County, and the community of artists to develop the property and provide new opportunities for the arts to flourish.
Development Timeline
Click on the image below to view a large version of the timeline.