ArtRage History
Dik Cool, then president of Syracuse Cultural Workers (SCW), and Rose Viviano, staff member of ArtRage for 17 years, co-founded ArtRage Gallery.
The gallery, with its unique mission to exhibit art for social change, continues a long tradition of progressive social activism in Central New York. Since 1982, the Syracuse Cultural Workers has published the work of artists creating work on social justice and environmental themes. From this work, Dik Cool realized there was a need to show this type of art, and more of it, to a local audience. And thus, a new organization, The CORA Foundation was formed. The first project of The CORA Foundation was to establish ArtRage Gallery.
With a generous donation from our founding donor, Ruth Putter, renovations to the building at 505 Hawley Avenue began in 2007. In gratitude of Ruth Putter’s gift, the gallery was named in honor of her late husband, Norton Putter. The gallery opened with its first exhibition, Combat Paper in October 2008.
Gallery renovations
The first year ArtRage mounted seven exhibitions! We now organize five exhibitions a season, with the occasional guest exhibition organized by others in the community. Visit “Past Exhibitions” to learn more about our exhibitions over the years.
From its start, ArtRage has continuously partnered with community organizations in both exhibitions and exhibition–related- programming. The goal is always to bring attention to the meaningful work of local activists and organizations. To that end, all of our exhibitions are paired with exhibition-related programs such as films, lectures, workshops, or theatrical productions that help to expand the dialogue created by each exhibition.
Ruth Putter visiting the gallery during renovations
Mrs. Putter continued to support ArtRage until her death on April 8, 2014. Her son, Walter Putter, and his wife, Marilyn Smith, have continued supporting Ruth and Norton’s legacy.
In 2021 The CORA Foundation purchased the building from our founder and former landlord, Dik Cool. A Capital Campaign was then launched to raise funds to repair the building and implement many energy efficiency improvements. We are still working towards our goal of having a carbon-neutral building.
Now in its 19th exhibition season, ArtRage is a thriving social justice arts organization with two staff members, a dedicated Board of Directors, and many volunteers and community supporters.
ArtRage Mission
The ArtRage mission is to exhibit progressive art that inspires resistance and promotes social awareness; supports social justice, challenges preconceptions and encourages cultural change. Our goal is to provide ArtRage visitors with an experience that encourages the breakdown of boundaries so that people can see themselves in the work and then in one another. And that, we believe, is the seed of a movement for cultural and social change.
Co-Founders
Rose Viviano, Co-Founder
Rose has a background in art and community work that began in the early 1970’s in Boston, Massachusetts. A native of Syracuse, New York, she received a Fine Arts diploma from the Art Institute of Boston with post-graduate courses in glass painting and structural stained glass from the Boston Museum School of Fine Arts. During that time she also worked in various political and community organizations in Boston.
Rose has a background in art and community work that began in the early 1970’s in Boston, Massachusetts. A native of Syracuse, New York, she received a Fine Arts diploma from the Art Institute of Boston with post-graduate courses in glass painting and structural stained glass from the Boston Museum School of Fine Arts. During that time, she also worked in various political and community organizations in Boston.
In 1987, Rose returned to Syracuse as a glass studio manager, where she developed her restoration skills. In 1994, Rose opened her own studio, ROSE COLORED GLASS, specializing in painted restorations of damaged and aging church windows, creating original designs for clients, architectural firms, and gallery exhibitions. In 1998 she was commissioned to create work for the Syracuse Stage theater season brochure. In 2001, Rose began volunteer work with the Syracuse Peace Council. Rose is a recipient of the 1999 Cultural Resources Council’s Individual Artists’ grant; was invited to show her work at the 1999 Contemporary Crafts Exhibit at the New York State Museum in Albany and received the Harley J. McKee Award in 2004 from the Preservation Society of Central New York. In 2010, Rose was honored by Peace Action of Central New York with their Peacemaker Award.
Rose became the Director of ArtRage Gallery in 2008. Her work with ArtRage for 17 years, until her retirement in 2025, was the culmination of years of passion for art and social change.
Dik Cool, Co-Founder
Dik grew up in Central NY and had an anti-authoritarian attitude early on. He actively opposed the Viet Nam war starting in 1964 and was imprisoned for two years in 1967-68 for his refusal to be drafted. While still on probation, Dik began working for the Syracuse Peace Council and played a key role in its development into a vibrant, powerful, multi-issue grassroots organization. In 1982, he was part of a group that organized and founded the Syracuse Cultural Workers, which, to this day, is an internationally known publisher of peace and justice products, including the Peace Calendar. In 2007, Dik co-founded ArtRage Gallery and was very proud of the community space that it became. A lifelong resistor to authority, he firmly believed that every action helped, from bumper stickers and lawn signs to buttons, letters to the editor, protests, and the need for radical art. He was also an optimist; never giving in or giving up, always believing in the power of people showing up for each other and for a cause. Dik Cool passed away in 2023 after a 17-year fight against prostate cancer.