About UpCycle Creative Reuse Center
UpCycle is a community resource for materials, inspiration and ideas. We collect reusable items that are used for arts & crafts and learning purposes. We organize these items and make them available to the public at affordable prices. We have fabrics and sewing notions, various papers and boards, wood bits, office supplies, artist's supplies and much, much more. For a complete list of the items we may have in stock, please visit the Materials & Donations page. Our classes and workshops utilize our reuse collection for unique art and exploratory experiences for people of all ages and abilities.
Our Mission
To inspire all people to explore and create by engaging our community in art-making experiences with reuse materials.
Our Values
We value originality, inclusivity, and community connections. Our initiatives foster creative expression, resourcefulness, experiential learning, individuality and FUN!
The Board of UpCycle Creative Reuse Center stands in solidarity with the black community and all who fight for black lives. UpCycle inspires all people to explore and create by engaging our community in art-making experiences with reuse materials. We are committed to actively combatting racism through our work.
OUR INSPIRATION
After visiting ReMida in Reggio Emilia, Italy in 2010, Susan Miranda and Kelley Organek were inspired to bring a similar creative recycling center to the City of Alexandria. We incorporated in November 2011 and our non-profit status is retroactive since that date. We opened a reuse center in the Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria, Virginia in June 2013. In May 2016, UpCycle moved to the Durant Arts Center, a City of Alexandria recreation facility located at 1605 Cameron Street. In March of 2022, UpCycle moved to the current shop location at Building Momentum at 5380-D Eisenhower Ave, Alexandria, VA 22304.
OUR PHILOSOPHY
At UpCycle, we are inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach to learning. Our collaborative work is guided by a shared vision that everyone, including the youngest child, has perspectives and ideas that can be revealed through exploratory experiences with arts media and other open ended materials. We believe that children learn from relationships with other children and the adults in their lives. Our intentional observations of children, combined with our educational experience and aptitude to use arts materials with children, guide our teaching practice and result in class experiences that are unique and relevant to the development of our class participants.
Our Mission
To inspire all people to explore and create by engaging our community in art-making experiences with reuse materials.
Our Values
We value originality, inclusivity, and community connections. Our initiatives foster creative expression, resourcefulness, experiential learning, individuality and FUN!
The Board of UpCycle Creative Reuse Center stands in solidarity with the black community and all who fight for black lives. UpCycle inspires all people to explore and create by engaging our community in art-making experiences with reuse materials. We are committed to actively combatting racism through our work.
OUR INSPIRATION
After visiting ReMida in Reggio Emilia, Italy in 2010, Susan Miranda and Kelley Organek were inspired to bring a similar creative recycling center to the City of Alexandria. We incorporated in November 2011 and our non-profit status is retroactive since that date. We opened a reuse center in the Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria, Virginia in June 2013. In May 2016, UpCycle moved to the Durant Arts Center, a City of Alexandria recreation facility located at 1605 Cameron Street. In March of 2022, UpCycle moved to the current shop location at Building Momentum at 5380-D Eisenhower Ave, Alexandria, VA 22304.
OUR PHILOSOPHY
At UpCycle, we are inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach to learning. Our collaborative work is guided by a shared vision that everyone, including the youngest child, has perspectives and ideas that can be revealed through exploratory experiences with arts media and other open ended materials. We believe that children learn from relationships with other children and the adults in their lives. Our intentional observations of children, combined with our educational experience and aptitude to use arts materials with children, guide our teaching practice and result in class experiences that are unique and relevant to the development of our class participants.
UPCYCLE IN THE MEDIA
ARTICLES
4/21/23 - ACPS April Partner & Volunteer Highlight: UpCycle Creative Reuse Center
12/2017 - Parenting Today on iHeartRadio with SCAN of Northern Virginia - Managing Holiday Stress
6/2017 - UpCycle's Impact Report: 2016-17 Outreach in Alexandria City Public School Preschool and Kindergarten Classes
5/2017 - Delegate Ken Plum's Virginia Report
7/2016 - UpCycle's Blog - Kevin Bacon Makes a Special Delivery to UpCycle
6/2016 - Alexandria Times - Teale, Chris. UpCycle Relocates to the Durant Center.
8/2015 - Voice of America - Urdu
11/16/2013 - Trashmagination - UpCycle Creative Reuse Center
10/7/2013 - DIY Del Ray - Making Art on the Avenue
9/2/2013 - Del Ray, VA Patch - McLoone, Sharon. UpCycle Opens in Downtown Del Ray.
7/29/2013 - DIY Del Ray - Welcome to Del Ray, UpCycle Creative Reuse Center.
4/25/2013 - Alexandria Gazette Packet - Celebrating Earth Day - pg. 3
VIDEOS
Managing Holiday Stress-Parenting Today
December 21, 2017 • 13 min
Delegate Ken Plum's Virginia Report - May 2017
Reuse Alexandria - Making Alexandria a Better Place to Live - October 2016
UpCycle Opens in Downtown Del Ray - September 2013