BURL GALLERY

A BIT OF HISTORY & OUR MISSION

The roots of Burl Gallery go back to 1997, when it was first established in Lowertown, Saint Paul as an
artist co-op under the name of Argyle Zebra Gallery (AZ Gallery).

Like so many others, the pandemic hit our local arts community especially hard.  The co-op dissolved in 2021 — but within that challenge, we saw an opportunity.  And opportunity to reimagine how we could better serve, support and uplift the artists around us.

That vision became a community-centered space — an art gallery rooted in the values of equity, accessibility and inclusion — where all are welcome;
promoting the principle that “art if for everyone" — all brought to life through the collective passion and
dedication of volunteers and the generosity of our community & donors. 

At its core, OUR MISSION is to provide artists free and open access to exhibition opportunities by removing the traditional barriers that often limit artistic participation.  This means the elimination of submission fees, commissions and restrictive guidelines around content, medium, materials or themes.   

In August of 2024, we rebranded to BURL GALLERY.  We are forever grateful for the 27 years we operated under the name AZ Gallery
and while it served us well — the name no longer represented who we are.  

Why BURL, you ask?  

 A BURL is a cool-looking extraneous growth on a tree.  It forms as a protective response when a tree experiences stress from
 an injury, virus or disease.  The callous tissue that grows into a BURL has several purposes, all related to tree growth and tree preservation.  
BURLS are strong, gnarly and quite magnificent — especially on the inside. 

Our COMMUNITY is our BURL.  We came together during an enormous time of stress.  We folded into one another, providing STRENGTH and PROTECTION for each other, which then created unique opportunities for GROWTH.  We literally helped one another survive through CREATIVITY and KINDNESS.  

We are BUILDING a COMMUNITY.
Since our journey began, we've connected with and supported nearly 800 incredible artists — and we’re just getting started.

ALL ARE WELCOME HERE.
Whether you’re an artist, a supporter, or simply curious, come be a part of something bigger.  Join us on the journey.