Founded in 1978 as the Shenandoah Arts Council, ShenArts provides regional artists with opportunities to exhibit their artworks in various partnership programs, including with the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley (MSV), the City of Winchester, the Barns of Rose Hill and Navy Federal Credit Union. These programs include exhibitions such as Art in the Halls, the Artscape banners in Old Town Winchester and the Veterans Art Exhibit.
The Shenandoah Arts Council was officially founded on September 11, 1978, by a group of arts patrons and visual artists. The organization covered the geographic region of Winchester, and Frederick, Clarke, Warren and Shenandoah Counties and sought to increase access to the arts for people of the region.
Early activities included bus trips to cultural events, such as art exhibitions in Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia and performances in New York.
The organization was located in the Kurtz building in downtown Winchester for many years, and while there started “Art in the Stairwell” for small exhibitions.
In the 1990s, the Arts Council started “First Fridays,” a celebration of the arts on the first Friday of each month (except January and May) in Old Town Winchester. For many years, the Arts Council also housed the Marion Park Lewis Foundation, dedicated to arts education in our region.
Dr. Jeffrey Harris and Dr. Vicken Kalbian donated a two-story building at 811 – 813 S. Loudoun Street in Winchester to the Shenandoah Arts Council in late 2000. At the time, there were limited funds to convert the building from doctor’s office to arts space. With an extremely dedicated board of directors, artists and community members, a renovated gallery and performing space opened in the Fall of 2003.
In 2018, the Shenandoah Arts Council announced an affinity partnership with the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley to promote the work of regional artists. As part of this collaboration, ShenArts relocated to the historic Hexagon House on Amherst Street and sold the Loudoun Street building.
Mission
The Shenandoah Arts Council (ShenArts) works to make the arts accessible and enrich the community of the Northern Shenandoah Valley with diverse and immersive arts experience for people of all ages — bringing art to the people and people to the art.
Non-Discrimination Policy
The Shenandoah Arts Council does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff, selection of volunteers and vendors, and provision of services. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, clients, volunteers, subcontractors, vendors, and clients.
Find more information about ShenArts’ commitment to inclusion here.