About Us
About Bell Arts
Established in 2006 in part by a gift from the Addison Family, Bell Arts Factory is a non-profit, community-based organization that utilizes the arts as a means to deliver messages and encourage acts of greater good within our community.
The mural on our building commemorates a quote from Mahatma Gandhi, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”
Contact Us
Please contact us to find out more about studio rentals, community events, classes and any other general questions.
- 805-641-3132
- Office hours: by appointment.
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432 N. Ventura Ave
Ventura, CA 93001
Our Mission
To introduce, promote and benefit the arts as a vital element of community life. To accomplish this mission, the following goals will be pursued:
- To provide opportunities and facilities for the creation and presentation of works of art;
- To support multicultural arts education programs in collaboration with schools and other private agencies and individuals;
- To strengthen the arts as an essential part of the economy of Ventura, California;
- To create arts and education programs that will heighten artistic awareness within the community and enrich the quality of life for all citizens of Ventura, California.
Our Staff
Fueled by a love of art and a desire to encourage artists within our community, Bell Arts Factory supports partnerships and programs that promote a vibrant and expansive art scene in Ventura, California.
Maribel Hernández
Executive Director
Maribel Hernandez has been a tenant at Bell Arts since day one. First renting a small studio in the building and eventually moving up to her current home in Studio 97, Maribel works in a variety of mediums: painting, ceramics, drawing, mosaics, and jewelry, just to name a few. Her studio is always a draw First Fridays, exhibiting both her work and the work of other local artists.
Maribel is also “la Maestra” for our Arte en Español Youth Art Program and Summer Art Camp taught entirely in Spanish. Maribel draws on her own experiences to instruct these programs. In 2017 Maribel Hernández was honored as the ArtWalk Ventura 2017 Artist of Distinction.
Michele Foster
Art Teacher
Michele Foster is an artist, activist, and teacher living in Ventura, California.
Centered at the Bell Arts Factory since the organization’s inception in 2006, she has served there as the lead teacher and coordinator of the youth program. She also has more than 20 years experience offering services and guidance to foster care and emancipation programs where she focuses on art as a key factor in the process of healing and helping women and children find their voices through creativity.
