Williamsburg Art & Historical Center

The non-profit Williamsburg Art & Historical Center (WAH Center) in Williamsburg was founded by artist Yuko Nii in late 1996. She wanted to preserve the WAH Centers building, The Kings County Savings Bank Building, which is in the National Register of Historic Places and a New York City landmark, and make it a functional part of the cultural community.

The Williamsburg Art & Historical Center

During the first 7 1/2 years the WAH Center pursued what Chris Gray of the New York Times called a furious schedule, producing over 150 fine art shows incorporating over 2500 artists, and countless performances.

Besides local and national exhibitons, the WAH Center produced international shows twice a year. The Center has exhibited art from Cuba, Holland, Italy, Japan , Palestine , Russia, Slovenia, Turkmenistan, and Vietnam. .

Additionally the Center had created an artist membership group, the “Williamsburg Salon”. Every year the members had a group show. There was also a dance festival, a film festival, and the Williamsburg Arts & Culture Festival (WAC Festival, which features galleries, businesses, open studios and an historical tour), an ongoing music series, theatrical productions by the WAH Theater(under the direction of Peter Dizozza, poetry and staged readings, fashion shows , symposia and lectures.

The collections include furntiture by Pierre-Antoine Bellange.

In 2005 the Center closed for two years for renovation. It is expected to reopen sometime in 2007.