Becoming a member of ShenArts is a terrific way to instantly become connected to the local arts community. Through membership you will find opportunities to learn, instruct, exhibit, sell and much more! As a nonprofit, your membership fee will go directly into the programming and events that you enjoy the benefits of and help to keep us vital and growing. At ShenArts, we are always working to enhance and increase the benefits of membership, something that has been challenging throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. Our focus remains to support our members and the arts community of which we are all a part in any way we can, and we welcome suggestions on how we can better do so.
Some benefits of membership include:
- NEW! Get showcased in our Feature Friday series across all ShenArts social media and on our website.
- NEW! Submit news of your work for inclusion into our monthly e-newsletter (circulation over 1000).
- Up to date information on all of our offerings, as well as other local community opportunities and news, in our monthly newsletter, delivered straight to your email.
- Reduced entry fees to ShenArts’ in-person juried exhibitions.
- Opportunities to exhibit your work in the Art in the Halls program at the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley.
- Opportunity to be included in members only exhibitions at the MSV and the Barns of Rose Hill.
- Opportunity for inclusion in exhibitions hosted in the Hexagon House Gallery.
- Invitation to the ShenArts Annual Meeting to be an active participant in the future of the organization.
- Create your own artist profile on our website; enhance your online presence and self promotion.
- Utilize our website as a place to sell your work online. Simply add your items to the shop, ShenArts handles the online payment. (Standard commission terms apply.)
- Enjoy discounted fees for all ShenArts Workshops held at the MSV.
- Opportunities to develop and teach workshops through ShenArts, both at the MSV and other locations.
- Free Member Workshops designed to help you build your art business.
- Use the tools found on our website to make proposals for exhibitions and programming.
Some Ways We Help You Exhibit Your Work
One of the most exciting benefits of membership is the opportunity to submit your work for inclusion in the Art in the Halls (AitH) program hosted at the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley (MSV). ShenArts creates at least two juried shows a year at this location, with open calls for art. As a member, you will never miss the opportunity to submit to the AitH program as all calls for art are included in our newsletter and on our website. These exhibitions run an average of three months and can be seen by a vast and varied audience as the MSV boasts around 90,000 visitors annually. Members also enjoy reduced submission fees to all ShenArts in person exhibitions, including AitH.
Our offices are located on the second floor of the beautiful and historic Hexagon House in Winchester, Virginia. Prior to the pandemic, ShenArts transformed one of the large rooms there to a gallery space for hosting smaller, in house shows. The gallery offers tall ceilings, lots of natural light, neutral walls, a mantel for unique display, and a professional gallery hanging system. ShenArts also has several pedestals and easels available for member use when exhibiting in this space. This space is set to become an important part of our Emerging Artists program.
Virtual exhibitions are something new that ShenArts has to offer members. A virtual version of all in-person exhibitions, as well as several virtual only exhibitions annually, are becoming important tools for extending the reach of our shows and provide a way for artists to share their exhibitions with a much larger audience. These video exhibitions will be catalogued on our website and the ShenArts YouTube channel for easy access in the future, which will be especially helpful when creating your resume or CV as the “evidence” of exhibitions are often lost to time.
If you have questions about becoming a ShenArts member, please get in touch!
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 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.