As the President of the Edison Arts Society, I have tried to keep politics out of the removal of the “Edison Arts Gallery” but what’s been done to the Edison Arts Gallery is not just a disappointment—it’s a disgrace.
For 25 years, that gallery was the beating heart of Edison’s creative spirit. It was more than four walls. It was where local artists found a voice, where dreams were framed and celebrated, and where generations of children stood proudly beside their work, believing—if only for a moment—that they mattered.
We built that space from nothing. We filled it with color, with meaning, with hope. It was a gallery born from passion and purpose—nurtured by volunteers, educators, parents, and students who believed that art could change lives. And it did.
Now, that history has been wiped away. That space, which once lifted the voices of many, has been reduced to a shrine of one. A wall of giant photos, not of the community, not of our children, but of the mayor—posing, smiling, promoting himself where creativity once lived.
Because of this, our Youth Art Exhibition—an event that draws work from every grade, every school, every corner of Edison—was silenced. Imagine telling a child that there’s no room to hang their painting this year. That their vision, their effort, their pride… doesn’t matter. Not because of budget. Not because of logistics. But because the mayor wanted the spotlight. No room for the future. Only room for a politician’s photo op.
That is not just a logistical decision. It is a moral failure.
We were not consulted. We were not thanked. We were not even given the dignity of a conversation. After 25 years of unwavering service, we were erased—quietly and callously.
This isn’t just about art. It’s about identity. It’s about who we choose to uplift and who we choose to silence. The Edison Arts Society stood for community, for beauty, for the transformative power of expression. And now, in the very place we helped shape, we’ve been replaced by a photo op.
Elizabeth Hahn
President Edison Arts Society
