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Waterbury’s arts and music scene is vibrant and energized, and that’s just how we like it. We even have a weekend-long event celebrating the arts, Waterbury Arts Fest, July 10 & 11, 2026, an annual summer event showcasing artisans and musicians from across the region. It draws visitors from near and far for a day filled with food, music, fun, and art.
Waterbury embraces the arts year-round, with a variety of galleries, shops, and performance spaces to suit all art lovers. Many places also offer classes and workshops, or carry arts and craft materials to keep your hands busy and minds creating even after you leave town.
Looking to add a few more stops onto the art tour? Pair it with these other great self-guided tours!
TOUR HISTORIC WATERBURYTake a step back in time and explore Waterbury’s history. We invite you to meander down our back roads and side streets for beautiful vistas and interesting buildings, old and new.
TAKE THE WINDSHIELD TOUROne of the best ways to discover more of Waterbury is by winding along the waters and through the trees on a scenic drive. Stop and stretch your legs along the way, or just stick to the windshield tour. You can’t go wrong no matter how you decide to explore these vistas!
Axel's Art & Custom Framing
Axel's Art & Custom Framing has been serving the Waterbury and surrounding areas since 1983 with professional custom picture framing. Now under new ownership, we look forward to continuing this tradition of quality craftsmanship along with a new curated selection of fine art materials for artists in the studio and on the go! Whether you are looking to create a new work of art or preserve one, Axel's has what you need to make and display your artwork. Open Tuesday-Friday 10-6 & Saturday 10-4
Grange Hall Cultural Center
Browse their rotating gallery shows, and stick around for a performance - music, comedy, theater, and dance are just a few of the genres featured here.
Jeremy Ayers Pottery
A working pottery artist and studio for handmade functional and decorative pottery, ranging from vases and cake stands to teapots and bowls.
The Phoenix
An art gallery and music venue located in heart of downtown, featuring rotating exhibits, event rentals, and ping pong.
Eleva Chamber Players
Central Vermont's only professional string chamber orchestra with innovative and immersive events around the area.
Grange Hall Cultural Center
Browse their rotating gallery shows, and stick around for a performance - music, comedy, theater, and dance are just a few of the genres featured here.
The Phoenix
An art gallery and music venue located in heart of downtown, featuring rotating exhibits, event rentals, and ping pong.
Waterbury Rotary Club
The Waterbury Rotary Club hosts a variety of free activities and events each year, including the Not Quite Independence Day Parade and Thursday evening Concerts in the Park during the summer.
Axel's Art & Custom Framing
Axel's Art & Custom Framing has been serving the Waterbury and surrounding areas since 1983 with professional custom picture framing. Now under new ownership, we look forward to continuing this tradition of quality craftsmanship along with a new curated selection of fine art materials for artists in the studio and on the go! Whether you are looking to create a new work of art or preserve one, Axel's has what you need to make and display your artwork. Open Tuesday-Friday 10-6 & Saturday 10-4
Grange Hall Cultural Center
Browse their rotating gallery shows, and stick around for a performance - music, comedy, theater, and dance are just a few of the genres featured here.
MakerSphere
MakerSphere offers classes for adults and kids in a wide variety of art, handicrafts, woodworking, stained-glass, ceramics, cooking, and more, plus organizing the River of Light parade and community lantern workshops.
Yarn
Destination boutique for yarn and fiber lovers with notions, inspiration, knowledgeable staff and, of course, yarn.
The artworks listed below are just a small sampling of the public art around Waterbury, so keep an eye out as you explore for more pieces ranging from miniatures to murals!
As you enter town from the roundabout, look up at the pièce de résistance, "The Waterbury Special” Rail Art project on the train trestle. Created by artist Phil Godenschwager, this sculpture depicts historic Waterbury buildings and industries as train cars.
Created for the ten-year anniversary of Tropical Storm Irene, this multi-story art installation by Jessi Zawicki represents how the town of Waterbury rebounded from the storm and subsequent flood, which damaged much of the town. Like the mythical creature, the artwork represents the strength and resiliency of Waterbury.
Born from a vision by local business owner Jack Carter and completed in his memory, Jack's Alley is a vibrant community space. It features permanent artworks and streetscape elements, many with themes that nod back to the old shops of Stowe Street, such as the mural of Jack's General Store and Lee Jeans advertisement restored by Sarah-Lee Terrat. It regularly hosts r concerts, performances, and rotating art exhibitions.
As the saying goes, “birds of a feather flock together” and nothing is more fitting for Waterbury as we welcome residents and visitors to share our values of community, town involvement, and a bit of good, old fun! These bright, multi-colored birds were created by Vermont artist Tyler Vendituoli and welcome folks to explore downtown Waterbury's parks and public spaces.
In addition to brightening up the Pomerleau Plaza, this beautiful and colorful low-relief mural serves as a memorial to Jessica Anne Pomerleau-Halnon. After losing his daughter Jessica to cancer at age 36 in 2020, property owner Ernie Pomerleau connected with Waterbury Arts and Jericho artist Mary Lacy to create this artwork. It represents a fond childhood memory of Jessica, represented by the blue butterfly, running through a field of flowers, and reminds all to admire beauty and stop to smell the flowers.
Commissioned by the Waterbury Area Anti-Racism Coalition (WAARC) and crowdfunding, Raphaella Brice's mural depicts the Black Madonna providing shelter to people of all walks of life, who are peacefully standing or playing under her dress. The aim of WAARC and this artwork is connected to their vision of a community where every person can fully experience freedom, belonging, and love on a daily basis.
Off the beaten path behind 40 Foundry Street, this nearly 40-foot mural depicts the Worcester Mountain Range along with water and wildflowers. Depicting a favorite local view of Paprika co-owner Jen McCabe, the artwork by Waterbury artist Jillian Marie now adds beauty to an area that was previously forgotten and overrun with graffiti.
Painted by local artist Torrey Carroll Smith, this colorful triptych brings smiles to all who pass. Keep an eye out for more pieces by the artist at pop-up exhibits around town, which include portraits and everyday scenes of Waterbury.
This sculpture installation features rocks from around the region and state, including glacial boulders. It was designed by Sarah Sherman and fabricated by Dominic Ranieri and Gregory Wright.
This colorful and abstract installation by Dan Gottsegen is inspired by DNA strands, blood cells, fingerprints, and more, reflecting the work happening inside the adjacent Public Safety & Forensics Lab building. The surrounding area features rocks with carved symbols, done in collaboration with landscape designer Terry Boyle.
This beloved mural by Sarah-Lee Terrat once occupied the walls of Arvad's Grill & Pub. Painted in 2007, it captured some of Vermont's famous characters, historical and contemporary, including politicians, musicians, writers, athletes, and more. The mural was painted over when Arvad's closed and was later salvaged, removed, and restored by the artist in 2019. It now resides at the Vermont History Center in Barre. Learn more about this mural's storied past here.
