PARIS ALEXANDER
CITY MARKET ARTIST COLLECTIVE
A Five-Year Gallery Project by Paris Alexander
In 2019, Paris Alexander founded City Market Artist Collective
(CMAC) in Raleigh’s Historic City Market, beginning a five-year
gallery project that brought together his experience as a
professional artist, curator, and arts leader. As owner and
director, Paris shaped the gallery’s artistic direction, selected
artists and exhibitions, and developed a Guest Artist Program
that brought nationally and internationally recognized artists
to Raleigh.
Over its five-year run, CMAC grew into an award-winning
gallery and an important chapter in Paris’s more than 33-year
career in the arts.
RECOGNITION
During its five-year run, City Market Artist Collective earned recognition within Raleigh’s arts community, reflecting the vision Paris brought to the gallery as its founder, owner, and director.
Best Gallery in Raleigh — 2023
In 2023, City Market Artist Collective was voted Best Gallery in Raleigh, marking a significant achievement for the gallery and for Paris’s work developing and directing the project.
Beyond the gallery’s recognition, Paris’s leadership of CMAC became part of his broader contribution to Raleigh’s arts community. Through the gallery’s programming and Guest Artist Program, he expanded his role from exhibiting artist to gallery owner, curator, and director, creating a platform through which he could bring established artists and new exhibitions to downtown Raleigh.
FIVE YEARS OF CMAC
Conceived as a five-year project, City Market Artist Collective gave Paris the opportunity to take his experience beyond his own studio practice and apply it to directing and curating a gallery.
After five years, Paris concluded the project, leaving CMAC as a distinct period of achievement within his larger career as a sculptor, curator, educator, and arts professional.
