About
The Local Hand is a gift shop and art gallery, offering a curated selection of handmade goods by local artists and makers. Our mission is to make art more accessible to our neighborhood in a warm and inviting community space, while financially supporting local artists and artisans.Not just a store.
In addition to our retail store, we hope to offer the following arts programming to the local neighborhood and greater community:
Rotating Art Shows - we will host an art show on our walls, featuring a different local artist every 8 weeks. These shows will include an opening reception, artist talk, and/or closing reception.
Workshops - We offer arts-related workshops for both adults and kids in our community. These classes are beginner-friendly and are taught by local artists. Topics include watercolor painting, sewing, pottery, wreath-making, needle felting, crochet, candle-making, and more. See the full schedule here.
Free Craft Activities - Whenever possible, we host free events where neighbors of any age are welcome to come and participate in a craft. This includes things like pumpkin painting in the Fall, holiday ornament painting in December, and more. We provide all supplies, work areas, and light refreshments. We also partner with other local organizations like Dot Art to host free kids' arts programming.
Pop-Ups - In an effort to encourage our community to support other local businesses as well, we host pop-ups in our space from time to time. Recent pop-ups have included Merry Go Rounds (kids' consignment clothing), Jahzara Fashion House, Lupine Flower Co., and Top Shelf Cookies.
Private Parties - We are also excited to offer our space for private events, such as birthday parties, book clubs, or community meetings. Contact us here if you'd like to learn more!
Our Commitments to the Community
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Representation
The artists represented in our space will reflect and celebrate the diversity of Dorchester. At least 50% of the artists and makers that we work with will be black, indigenous, or people of color.
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Local Artists
An important part of our mission is to give Boston area artists a place to show their work. At least 90% of the artists and makers that we work with will be local, meaning they live and/or work in Massachusetts.
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Accessibility
Our goal is to make art accessible to everyone, meaning we want everyone in our community to be comfortable walking into our shop. Accessibility also means affordable prices, which we strive for by using creative alternate sources of revenue, such as workshops and event rentals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are you located?
Our brick-and-mortar retail store is located at 1912-B Dorchester Ave, Boston, MA 02124. This is right off the Ashmont T station, between Tavolo and Back to Life.
What are your hours?
Our hours are Wednesday-Sunday from 10 AM - 6 PM (closed Mondays and Tuesdays).
You can shop online 24/7, and we'll ship your order to you.
If you live within 3 miles of our shop, we will even hand-deliver your order (for free) within two business days.
What kind of workshops do you have?
We host a wide variety of creative workshops -- everything from watercolor to basket weaving, ceramics, and everything in between. Check here for our upcoming workshops.
Do you rent your space out for private parties?
Yes! We love hosting your parties. We can set up a private creative workshop for you and your friends - such as pottery painting, candle making, or more. These are really fun and a great way to connect with others. Please contact us to inquire about pricing and availability.
We also host kids birthday parties! We will work with you to decide on a fun craft activity for your child and their friends. Pricing varies; includes all supplies. Can accommodate up to 12 children.
We typically do not provide food for our events, but we can recommend many local restaurants that will cater or provide take-out options. We can provide soft drinks and/or coffee and tea.
What about kids' birthday parties?
Yes! We also love to host kids birthday parties in our space.
We will work with you to decide on a fun craft activity for your child and their friends.
Pricing varies; includes all supplies. We can accommodate up to 12 children.
We typically do not provide food for our events, but we can recommend many local restaurants that will cater or provide take-out options. We can provide soft drinks and/or coffee and tea.
When did you open?
We opened our brick and mortar store on May 7, 2023.
Are you hiring?
We are no longer hiring staff at this time, but we may be expanding our team soon! If you're interested, please send your resume and cover letter to info@thelocalhand.shop.
Are you looking for artists/vendors?
We are always looking for talented artists and makers in the Boston area. If you are interested in submitting your work, please fill out our Maker Application here. We review submissions quarterly and will respond as soon as possible.
About the Owner
Michaela Flatley is a professional artist, designer, and entrepreneur living and working in Dorchester. Since 2017, she has run a graphic design and digital marketing business, Barley Creative, where she works with nonprofits and start-ups. Michaela received her Masters in Fine Arts from MICA in 2019, and she exhibits her paintings throughout the country. She currently paints out of her home studio whenever possible, and she frequents local open studios events and gallery openings throughout the Boston area. In her spare time, Michaela likes to cook, listen to podcasts, read interior design blogs, and take her two children to the playground.
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