Lille Aeske Arthouse: The Gallery and Listening Room on Highway 9
Boulder Creek has two rooms where you go to hear something. Joe's is the bar, where the band plays over the noise of a good night. Lille Aeske is a 350 square foot gallery with a stage in it, where the room exists for the music: the lights go down, the show is the whole evening, and the art on the walls listens with you.
The name is Danish for "little box," which is the joke and also the accurate description. The arthouse writes it lowercase with a ligature, lille æske, and sits at 13160 Highway 9.
The gallery
The gallery is open Saturday and Sunday, 11 to 3. It's a white-cube room with adjustable theater lighting, and it has shown paintings and prints alongside ceramics, sculpture, and installation work.
The rotating show hangs for the whole month rather than for one evening, so the weekend hours are a real chance to see it properly. Work is for sale during gallery hours and during events.
The music
Concerts are ticketed and they're the reason to plan ahead. The pattern is consistent: doors at 7, show at 8, $30 in advance or $35 at the door, with food and drinks at the show.
Two are booked for this autumn. Maya DeVitry and Mark Erelli play Thursday, October 8. Liz Longley plays Friday, October 23. Both are the kind of songwriter booking that suits a small room: alt-country, indie folk, Americana, the sort of set that a listening room serves better than a bar does.
The calendar is where anything new lands first, and the arthouse runs a newsletter for the same purpose. Upcoming Lille Aeske shows also appear on our events calendar alongside everything else happening in the valley.
First Friday, and hiring the room
Lille Aeske helped start Boulder Creek's First Friday art walk and it's still one of the anchors, opening with live music and refreshments alongside the month's art. First Friday falls on the first Friday of the month; check the calendar for the current evening's details.
The room is also available to rent by the hour. What you get is specific: a compact kitchen, a 22-piece dinner service, a redwood banquet table, seating and staging areas, the vaulted gallery, a custom redwood and steel bar, and a lounge. People use it for rehearsal dinners, off-site meetings, private parties, band practice, photo shoots, and pop-up dinners, and a host can be arranged.
Who runs it
Sarah and James Mackessy opened the arthouse in spring 2014 and built its reputation on a listening room, farm-to-table pop-up dinners with local chefs, and First Friday receptions. Their 2018 installation, Spektrum, drew people back repeatedly. They moved to Wisconsin in 2019.
It's since been run as a nonprofit. Lille Aeske Arthouse is a registered 501(c)(3), with Anil Prajapati as managing director, and it takes donations and volunteers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Lille Aeske Arthouse?
13160 Highway 9, Boulder Creek, CA 95006. Phone 408-309-0756, email arts@lilleaeske.com.
When is the gallery open?
Saturday and Sunday, 11am to 3pm. It's also open during performances and private events.
How much are concert tickets?
The shows currently listed are $30 in advance and $35 at the door, with doors at 7pm and the music at 8pm.
Is there food and drink at shows?
Yes, at events. There's no standing bar or kitchen service outside of them.
Can I rent it for a private event?
Yes, by the hour. The venue rental page lists what's included and how to ask.
Is it a business or a nonprofit?
A nonprofit. It's a registered 501(c)(3) and it accepts donations and volunteers.
How do I show my work there?
Through the submission form on its arts page. Work shown at First Friday hangs for the month.
Last reviewed August 6, 2026. Show dates and gallery hours come from the arthouse's own site and calendar. Its First Friday page carries dates that have already passed, so check the calendar for the current month.
For more downtown, see the downtown guide and fun things to do in Boulder Creek. Browse the business directory. Something out of date? Tell us.
