Twenty-two interested citizens met on March 5, 1931 at the apartment of Miss Mary Walsh, to discuss “what might be done in Wayne for persons either out of work or with surplus leisure time at their disposal, by providing a suitable place for them to go, with opportunities to engage in avocational pursuits, or, more specifically, opportunities for self-expression.” After two more meetings it was resolved “that an Arts and Crafts Centre be started to encourage the appreciation of the arts by instruction and by providing workshops and a place in which exhibitions may be held.”[4] On May 14, 1931, organizers chose the name "The Wayne Art Center".

[4] On May 28, 1931, a rental agreement was signed for large carriage house or garage on the Humbert B. Powell property on Windermere Avenue.

The Center immediately began to offer classes under volunteer teachers and held its first exhibition of student artwork in September, 1931.

[2] In December the Center hosts the annual CraftForms exhibition, a juried show of national and international craft artists.

The 2021 show was juried by Carol Sauvion, executive director of the non-profit Craft in America, which produces the television series of the same name.

[6] In December 2021, the gallery showcased 100 carefully selected pieces in the exhibition The Process of Becoming: The Jewelry Collection of Carolyn L.E.

The exhibition is intended to increase public awareness of contemporary art quilts, and includes both established and emerging artists.