Our story began in 2005 when founder Josh Green and a collective of artists recognized the growing need for affordable creative spaces in Austin. Originally established as Shady Tree Studios and later known as Pump Project, the organization spent more than a decade operating from a 20,000-square-foot warehouse in East Austin, providing studios, exhibitions, and resources that supported more than 250 artists and nearly 200 exhibitions while helping cultivate Austin's thriving creative community.

As Austin experienced rapid growth and rising real estate costs increasingly displaced artists and cultural spaces, the organization evolved to meet the changing needs of the community. In 2019, a partnership with The Arboretum created a new opportunity to connect artists directly with the public through exhibitions and accessible retail opportunities. What began as a temporary pop-up gallery grew into a permanent home and a new chapter under the name ArtUs Co.

Since establishing its permanent home in 2022, ArtUs Co has expanded into a multidisciplinary creative hub featuring affordable artist studios, a contemporary gallery, a gift shop, workshops, educational programming, and community events. In 2023, leadership transitioned to artists, curators, and community leaders Juan and Rosemary Villegas, who continue to build upon the organization's legacy while expanding opportunities for artists and deepening public engagement through year-round programming.

Today, ArtUs Co serves an important role within Austin's cultural landscape. While the city is home to many outstanding galleries and arts organizations, ArtUs Co is one of the few nonprofit spaces dedicated to visionary contemporary art and the artistic exploration of symbolism, mythology, and humanity's relationship to the cosmos, consciousness, and the natural world. We provide a platform for artists whose work encourages reflection, curiosity, and meaningful dialogue while contributing to the diversity of Austin's cultural offerings. Visionary art seeks to make the invisible visible, exploring imagination, dreams, contemplation, and the interconnectedness of all things. Through this work, ArtUs Co invites audiences to engage with contemporary art as a catalyst for reflection, connection, and discovery.

Our programming extends beyond exhibitions. Through affordable studios, artist talks, workshops, community partnerships, and collaborative initiatives, we create opportunities for artists to develop their practice while offering the public free and accessible ways to experience contemporary art. Our resident artists contribute to gift shop/gallery operations, and community programming through a collective volunteer model rooted in collaboration, mutual support, and shared participation in sustaining the creative community.

More than a gallery or studio complex, ArtUs Co is a nonprofit creative hub where artists can create, exhibit, collaborate, and grow alongside one another. More than twenty years after our founding, we remain committed to preserving affordable opportunities for artists, expanding public access to the arts, and strengthening the cultural ecosystem that allows creativity and community to thrive in Austin.