Art House was founded by Christine Goodman, current director for the Office of Cultural Affairs for the city of Jersey City, in 2001. Following the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center Twin Towers in New York City, Goodman reportedly wanted to create a community open mic night for Jersey City artists, living directly across the Hudson River from Lower Manhattan, to be able to reflect on the events of the attack. In the years following, Art House Productions began offering regular open mic nights and performance showcases, co-sponsoring arts and culture programming with the Jersey City municipal government, and hosting visual and performing arts exhibitions, festivals, theater productions, and drag bingo events.