Mulberry Art Studios

When we bought our home, not fifty yards from what is called the Mulberry Arts Studio, we were excited that the one business on our block was an art studio. Sadly, all too quickly we were to learn that Mulberry Arts, the «Arts» part is just a cover. It’s a front. What really happens is that the owner, April Koppenhaver, uses MAS as an event venue. She rents it out for weddings, when she can get them, parties, concerts, post-​proms, anything loud with lots of people and usually, unlicensed alcohol.
Living so close to MAS for the last twelve years means, like last night, we’re frequently awake at 2:00 a.m. because of the pounding music from MAS. No, it’s not a reception for a new artist. It’s a private party. It means April’s staff parks in front of your house, ever day, rather than use up her private parking lots. It means most of the people who attend these events park up on your street leaving you nowehere to go (because I’m not allowed to park in her parking lots). It means drunk people vomiting and urinating on my property, my steps, my home. It means trash and garbage from the night before left on the sidewalk, in the street, one my porch. It’s meant, more than a few times, drunk people fighting in the street, yelling loudly in the early morning, even having sex in the alley between my home and my neighbor’s home.
If all this tells you that MAS is poorly run, you’re drawing the right conclusion from this. If you want to have a balls out party, with your guests getting wasted and the music booming all night long, well, sadly for me, Mulberry Arts Studio is a great location. I see MAS differently. I see it as a sad dump that claims to be one thing, an arts venue, so it can sell itself as something else completely different. Yes, there’s «art» hanging all over the place and on First Friday’s there’s always a token show but it’s not an art venue. Don’t kid yourself.
There are a lot of places in Lancaster with charm and beauty. Whatever you see in Mulberry Art Studios, you can find it somewhere else, in a better run, more organized venue.

We just had our wedding at Mulberry Art Studios. I cannot possibly say enough great things about them.
April and her team made us feel like family and as if our little wedding was the most important one they’ve ever done. Of course, with as many events as they do, it wasn’t– but it certainly felt that way.
They worked with our budget, were amazingly flexible, kind, generous, and our guests couldn’t get over what a cool place it was!
MAS will always hold a very special place in our hearts and we are so happy with every aspect of the experience.