PUBLIC PROGRAMS
AND EVENTS
Use the calendar to view upcoming as well as past events, or scroll down to see what’s coming soon!
Looking for CLASSES? Please visit our classes registration page.
UPCOMING EVENTS,
PROGRAMS, AND CLUBS
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Kids Craft Club
Get crafty with the kids! Aimed at younger children and their families, this craft club is free fun for everyone. There is no fee to participate, and all craft ideas are welcome. Each month, participants will work on a specific craft, guided by a Montessori-style mentality of letting children's interests guide their activities. Supplies are provided.
Free and open to all. No registration is required.
Revolutionary War Era Music with Alex Caton
Join local musician Alex Caton at the Arts Center in Orange for a live performance of Revolutionary War era music!
This program is part of a series of programs The Book as Art and Self Expression: Creating Your Story which is designed to bring in professional artists, writers and musicians as instructors to the public at our libraries. The series of programs, if attended in totality, will lead participants through creating and binding their own book and then writing and illustrating it. These programs are informed and inspired by the revolutionary voices of our founding fathers.
This event is FREE and open to the public.
This project was supported, in part, by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission (VA250) and is being held as a partnership between the Orange County Public Library and the Arts Center in Orange.
About the artist
Alex Caton made her home and spread her roots in Gordonsville, Virginia when she came to the University of Virginia to pursue a Doctorate in Anthropology. Her studies may have brought her to the Commonwealth, but it was the countryside and strong musical community that kept her here. Having lived, taught and performed in other centers for traditional music, including Upstate New York and Asheville, NC, Alex felt that the heartbeat of old time or Appalachian music (a direct descendent of Irish music which was an early passion of Alex’s) pulsed stronger in the foothills of Virginia than anywhere else. Within the first year of arriving in central Virginia, Alex was an integral member of the traditional music community and also an ambassador and liaison between the worlds of Irish and Old Time music.
A grandchild of master craftsmen, coal miners and strong women, and a daughter of adventurous parents, Alex was born in England and grew up living in the South of England, Scotland and America. Her family finally settled in the States when Alex was twelve. By then, Alex had been playing piano and violin for eight years, and music proved to be a constant in her life. At twenty, Alex was introduced to Appalachian old time and Irish fiddle music and felt like she had stumbled upon a secret. Since then she has dedicated her life to playing traditional music.
Alex studied Appalachian and Irish music the most traditional way possible. She has learned from some of the icons of the tradition including Ginny Hawker (famed mountain and gospel singer) and Tracy Swartz (fiddler, singer and band mate of Mike Seeger), but mainly she apprenticed the music by attending jam sessions, traveling to fiddle conventions and listening.
In addition to the fiddle, Alex has also studied clawhammer banjo, guitar and voice. She brought all these skills to numerous long-term bands, including The Ryegrass Rollers, Odd Legged Jenny and Las Gitanas. Today, Alex primarily performs solo or with Pat Egan and Dick Harrington. Her shows range from intimate house concerts to international traditional music festivals, such as Les Bordees de Cancale in Brittany. In 2009 she released her second solo album, the Sinners and the Saved (recorded at roots-rock legend Levon Helm’s studio in Woodstock, NY), which closely examined the links between Appalachian string band music, gospel and early country. She released another album in 2011 with guitarist and vocalist Pat Egan titled Fiddle Tunes and Ballads that showcased Alex’s intricate Irish fiddling. In 2013, Alex released her third solo album, Swimming to Lindsey, which highlights her deep understanding of Appalachian fiddle and banjo playing as well as her approach to songwriting within the genre.
Alex’s main passion has always been teaching, however, and she has had the pleasure of teaching traditional music since 1997. To Alex, playing traditional music is a way of life and provides an important link between generations. Since moving to Virginia she has privately taught over one hundred students (most of them for many consecutive years) as well as directly touched hundreds more through in-school demonstrations, workshops and summer camps. In 2005 Alex founded Mountain Road Fiddle Camp, which attracts scores of beginners and advanced players annually in West Virginia. In 2009, at only 34 years of age, Alex was nominated for a Virginia Heritage Award for her dedication to the preservation and continuation of traditional forms of music.
One of Alex’s proudest accomplishments is the creation and expansion of her and her husband’s homestead in Virginia. Nestled among the home, gardens, chicken coop and lake is a beautifully crafted music studio, which has become a center for traditional and folk music in rural Virginia. It continues to be a place where families, students and teachers gather to learn, dance, listen and participate in local culture.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Opening Reception
Each month we have new exhibits! Come to our Opening Reception to see what’s new at The Arts Center.
Free and Open to the Public
Books as Self Expression: Drawing (Main Library)
Join artist Stephen Haske at our local libraries for a free drawing workshop!
This program is part of a series The Book as Art and Self Expression: Creating Your Story which is designed to bring in professional artists, writers and musicians as instructors to the public at our libraries. The series of programs, if attended in totality, will lead participants through creating and binding their own book and then writing and illustrating it. These programs are informed and inspired by the revolutionary voices of our founding fathers.
This program is FREE and open to the public |Ages 16+
Registration is required and space is limited. To register for this program, click here.
If your plans change, please use the cancel feature to make your spot available for someone on the waiting list. These programs are being repeated on different dates/times at our other library locations so if this time no longer works for you, please check if one of the other sessions may meet your needs.
Participation in the prior programs is not required, but those who have done so should bring their book to each session.
This project was supported, in part, by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission (VA250)
About our Instructor
Stephen Haske grew up on the mean streets of Orange County, California, and then moved up the rough and tumble forests of Humboldt County, California to receive a degree from Cal Poly Humboldt. He also attended The University of New Orleans where he met his wife and decided to stay for a while: eating good food, listening to great music, and filling lots of sketchbooks with drawings. Instead of doing odd jobs for the rest of his life he moved to Savannah Georgia to get a Masters of Illustration from SCAD in 2005.
Stephen worked for Nirve Sports in Southern California for seven years designing bikes - the kind you pedal to get around. They were mainly beach cruisers and city bikes, which he also enjoys pedaling around.
Since then he has been designing, illustrating, painting, and using other creative approaches to describe and contribute to the beautiful world that is around us all. He has created editorial and commercial illustrations for clients such as WNRN Radio, Nest Realty, Virginia National Bank, Rivanna Medical, Pink Magazine, Ant Farm, and more.
He has drawn and designed posters for such acts as Michael Kiwanuka, Steve Miller, Ben Harper, Lockn Music Festival, Lake Street Dive, Lotus, Bela Fleck, and more.
Stephen also teaches art at Renaissance School in Charlottesville, VA. He can attest that young artists really are fantastic sources of inspiration and hope. That old cliche about teaching and learning being the same thing is true.
Stephen Haske has exhibited artwork in various galleries, lobbies, side streets, and many personal collections.
Much of Haske’s work is focused on drawing images of architecture and mechanical structures and their complex interaction with nature. By contrasting and exploding expectations through drawing and collage, differences that can be at first jarring are made to be newly holistic.
Stephen Haske currently lives in Charlottesville, Virginia with his family. He has a studio at McGuffey Art Center.
Books as Self Expression: Drawing (Gordonsville)
Join artist Stephen Haske at our local libraries for a free drawing workshop!
This program is part of a series The Book as Art and Self Expression: Creating Your Story which is designed to bring in professional artists, writers and musicians as instructors to the public at our libraries. The series of programs, if attended in totality, will lead participants through creating and binding their own book and then writing and illustrating it. These programs are informed and inspired by the revolutionary voices of our founding fathers.
This program is FREE and open to the public |Ages 16+
Registration is required and space is limited. To register for this program, click here.
If your plans change, please use the cancel feature to make your spot available for someone on the waiting list. These programs are being repeated on different dates/times at our other library locations so if this time no longer works for you, please check if one of the other sessions may meet your needs.
Participation in the prior programs is not required, but those who have done so should bring their book to each session.
This project was supported, in part, by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission (VA250)
About our Instructor
Stephen Haske grew up on the mean streets of Orange County, California, and then moved up the rough and tumble forests of Humboldt County, California to receive a degree from Cal Poly Humboldt. He also attended The University of New Orleans where he met his wife and decided to stay for a while: eating good food, listening to great music, and filling lots of sketchbooks with drawings. Instead of doing odd jobs for the rest of his life he moved to Savannah Georgia to get a Masters of Illustration from SCAD in 2005.
Stephen worked for Nirve Sports in Southern California for seven years designing bikes - the kind you pedal to get around. They were mainly beach cruisers and city bikes, which he also enjoys pedaling around.
Since then he has been designing, illustrating, painting, and using other creative approaches to describe and contribute to the beautiful world that is around us all. He has created editorial and commercial illustrations for clients such as WNRN Radio, Nest Realty, Virginia National Bank, Rivanna Medical, Pink Magazine, Ant Farm, and more.
He has drawn and designed posters for such acts as Michael Kiwanuka, Steve Miller, Ben Harper, Lockn Music Festival, Lake Street Dive, Lotus, Bela Fleck, and more.
Stephen also teaches art at Renaissance School in Charlottesville, VA. He can attest that young artists really are fantastic sources of inspiration and hope. That old cliche about teaching and learning being the same thing is true.
Stephen Haske has exhibited artwork in various galleries, lobbies, side streets, and many personal collections.
Much of Haske’s work is focused on drawing images of architecture and mechanical structures and their complex interaction with nature. By contrasting and exploding expectations through drawing and collage, differences that can be at first jarring are made to be newly holistic.
Stephen Haske currently lives in Charlottesville, Virginia with his family. He has a studio at McGuffey Art Center.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Open Jam Session
Come jam with us! Every second Wednesday, drop in to jam with local musicians and meet your fellow artists from 6 to 8 pm, join local musicians at the Arts Center in Orange for an open jam session. Bring your banjo, fiddle, guitar, mandolin—whatever acoustic instrument you have—to enjoy some time playing along with fellow musicians of all skill levels and backgrounds. On nice evenings, we’ll play in the garden out back; on other evenings we’ll move inside to the studio.
Guests and visitors are welcome to observe and enjoy the music, but please be respectful of the musicians. We will start out slowly so that people can learn the tunes together and feel where the music takes us. All are welcome, especially those just getting started playing together with other musicians.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Books as Self Expression: Drawing (Wilderness)
Join artist Stephen Haske at our local libraries for a free drawing workshop!
This program is part of a series The Book as Art and Self Expression: Creating Your Story which is designed to bring in professional artists, writers and musicians as instructors to the public at our libraries. The series of programs, if attended in totality, will lead participants through creating and binding their own book and then writing and illustrating it. These programs are informed and inspired by the revolutionary voices of our founding fathers.
This program is FREE and open to the public |Ages 16+
Registration is required and space is limited. To register for this program, click here.
If your plans change, please use the cancel feature to make your spot available for someone on the waiting list. These programs are being repeated on different dates/times at our other library locations so if this time no longer works for you, please check if one of the other sessions may meet your needs.
Participation in the prior programs is not required, but those who have done so should bring their book to each session.
This project was supported, in part, by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission (VA250)
About our Instructor
Stephen Haske grew up on the mean streets of Orange County, California, and then moved up the rough and tumble forests of Humboldt County, California to receive a degree from Cal Poly Humboldt. He also attended The University of New Orleans where he met his wife and decided to stay for a while: eating good food, listening to great music, and filling lots of sketchbooks with drawings. Instead of doing odd jobs for the rest of his life he moved to Savannah Georgia to get a Masters of Illustration from SCAD in 2005.
Stephen worked for Nirve Sports in Southern California for seven years designing bikes - the kind you pedal to get around. They were mainly beach cruisers and city bikes, which he also enjoys pedaling around.
Since then he has been designing, illustrating, painting, and using other creative approaches to describe and contribute to the beautiful world that is around us all. He has created editorial and commercial illustrations for clients such as WNRN Radio, Nest Realty, Virginia National Bank, Rivanna Medical, Pink Magazine, Ant Farm, and more.
He has drawn and designed posters for such acts as Michael Kiwanuka, Steve Miller, Ben Harper, Lockn Music Festival, Lake Street Dive, Lotus, Bela Fleck, and more.
Stephen also teaches art at Renaissance School in Charlottesville, VA. He can attest that young artists really are fantastic sources of inspiration and hope. That old cliche about teaching and learning being the same thing is true.
Stephen Haske has exhibited artwork in various galleries, lobbies, side streets, and many personal collections.
Much of Haske’s work is focused on drawing images of architecture and mechanical structures and their complex interaction with nature. By contrasting and exploding expectations through drawing and collage, differences that can be at first jarring are made to be newly holistic.
Stephen Haske currently lives in Charlottesville, Virginia with his family. He has a studio at McGuffey Art Center.
Books as Self Expression: Painting (Main Library)
Join artist Michael Meredith at our local libraries for a free painting workshop!
This program is part of a series The Book as Art and Self Expression: Creating Your Story which is designed to bring in professional artists, writers and musicians as instructors to the public at our libraries. The series of programs, if attended in totality, will lead participants through creating and binding their own book and then writing and illustrating it. These programs are informed and inspired by the revolutionary voices of our founding fathers.
This program is FREE and open to the public |Ages 16+
Registration is required and space is limited. To register for this program, click here.
If your plans change, please use the cancel feature to make your spot available for someone on the waiting list. These programs are being repeated on different dates/times at our other library locations so if this time no longer works for you, please check if one of the other sessions may meet your needs.
Participation in the prior programs is not required, but those who have done so should bring their book to each session.
This project was supported, in part, by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission (VA250)
About our Instructor
Michael Meredith is a painter, printmaker, and bookbinder who lives and works in Greene County, Virginia. He received his BFA in Painting from the Maryland Institute College of Art (2010). His artwork delves into the relationship between humans and the natural world. He draws inspiration from many years spent working in remote wilderness areas on conservation projects. His paintings employ a blend of realism and illustrative line and mark making and are influenced by his printmaking practice. His work has been included in numerous group shows in Virginia, North Carolina, and Arizona and has been featured in Western Art Collector and Nashville Arts Magazine. He moved to Virginia in 2023.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Kids Craft Club
Get crafty with the kids! Aimed at younger children and their families, this craft club is free fun for everyone. There is no fee to participate, and all craft ideas are welcome. Each month, participants will work on a specific craft, guided by a Montessori-style mentality of letting children's interests guide their activities. Supplies are provided.
Free and open to all. No registration is required.
Books as Self Expression: Painting (Wilderness)
Join artist Michael Meredith at our local libraries for a free painting workshop!
This program is part of a series The Book as Art and Self Expression: Creating Your Story which is designed to bring in professional artists, writers and musicians as instructors to the public at our libraries. The series of programs, if attended in totality, will lead participants through creating and binding their own book and then writing and illustrating it. These programs are informed and inspired by the revolutionary voices of our founding fathers.
This program is FREE and open to the public |Ages 16+
Registration is required and space is limited. To register for this program, click here.
If your plans change, please use the cancel feature to make your spot available for someone on the waiting list. These programs are being repeated on different dates/times at our other library locations so if this time no longer works for you, please check if one of the other sessions may meet your needs.
Participation in the prior programs is not required, but those who have done so should bring their book to each session.
This project was supported, in part, by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission (VA250)
About our Instructor
Michael Meredith is a painter, printmaker, and bookbinder who lives and works in Greene County, Virginia. He received his BFA in Painting from the Maryland Institute College of Art (2010). His artwork delves into the relationship between humans and the natural world. He draws inspiration from many years spent working in remote wilderness areas on conservation projects. His paintings employ a blend of realism and illustrative line and mark making and are influenced by his printmaking practice. His work has been included in numerous group shows in Virginia, North Carolina, and Arizona and has been featured in Western Art Collector and Nashville Arts Magazine. He moved to Virginia in 2023.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Opening Reception
Each month we have new exhibits! Come to our Opening Reception to see what’s new at The Arts Center.
Free and Open to the Public
Spring Fundraiser - Casino Night
Cash in for a good cause! Get ready to hold ‘em or fold ‘em on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
For one night only, we’re transforming the former Waugh Harley-Davidson dealership for a lively evening of casino-style games, raffles, food, and community spirit—all to support vital arts programming in Orange and surrounding rural communities.
With increasing uncertainty around arts funding, this event is more than just a fun night out—it’s a crucial effort to raise funds for programs that provide free gallery exhibitions, hands-on youth activities, community partnerships, and student internships.
Have questions? Please contact us at info@artscenterinorange.com.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Open Jam Session
Come jam with us! Every second Wednesday, drop in to jam with local musicians and meet your fellow artists from 6 to 8 pm, join local musicians at the Arts Center in Orange for an open jam session. Bring your banjo, fiddle, guitar, mandolin—whatever acoustic instrument you have—to enjoy some time playing along with fellow musicians of all skill levels and backgrounds. On nice evenings, we’ll play in the garden out back; on other evenings we’ll move inside to the studio.
Guests and visitors are welcome to observe and enjoy the music, but please be respectful of the musicians. We will start out slowly so that people can learn the tunes together and feel where the music takes us. All are welcome, especially those just getting started playing together with other musicians.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Kids Craft Club
Get crafty with the kids! Aimed at younger children and their families, this craft club is free fun for everyone. There is no fee to participate, and all craft ideas are welcome. Each month, participants will work on a specific craft, guided by a Montessori-style mentality of letting children's interests guide their activities. Supplies are provided.
Free and open to all. No registration is required.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Opening Reception
Each month we have new exhibits! Come to our Opening Reception to see what’s new at The Arts Center.
Free and Open to the Public
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Open Jam Session
Come jam with us! Every second Wednesday, drop in to jam with local musicians and meet your fellow artists from 6 to 8 pm, join local musicians at the Arts Center in Orange for an open jam session. Bring your banjo, fiddle, guitar, mandolin—whatever acoustic instrument you have—to enjoy some time playing along with fellow musicians of all skill levels and backgrounds. On nice evenings, we’ll play in the garden out back; on other evenings we’ll move inside to the studio.
Guests and visitors are welcome to observe and enjoy the music, but please be respectful of the musicians. We will start out slowly so that people can learn the tunes together and feel where the music takes us. All are welcome, especially those just getting started playing together with other musicians.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Kids Craft Club
Get crafty with the kids! Aimed at younger children and their families, this craft club is free fun for everyone. There is no fee to participate, and all craft ideas are welcome. Each month, participants will work on a specific craft, guided by a Montessori-style mentality of letting children's interests guide their activities. Supplies are provided.
Free and open to all. No registration is required.
ARTS CENTER SUMMER CLOSURE
We are closed for the entire first week of July!
During this time, our crew works on vital projects that keep The Arts Center going all year round. We are not offering studio appointments, classes, or any other clubs or programs during this week.
Should you have any inquiries, please email us at info@artscenterinorange.com and a team member will get back to you following the closure. We reopen to the public on Wednesday, July 9th at noon.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Open Jam Session
Come jam with us! Every second Wednesday, drop in to jam with local musicians and meet your fellow artists from 6 to 8 pm, join local musicians at the Arts Center in Orange for an open jam session. Bring your banjo, fiddle, guitar, mandolin—whatever acoustic instrument you have—to enjoy some time playing along with fellow musicians of all skill levels and backgrounds. On nice evenings, we’ll play in the garden out back; on other evenings we’ll move inside to the studio.
Guests and visitors are welcome to observe and enjoy the music, but please be respectful of the musicians. We will start out slowly so that people can learn the tunes together and feel where the music takes us. All are welcome, especially those just getting started playing together with other musicians.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Kids Craft Club
Get crafty with the kids! Aimed at younger children and their families, this craft club is free fun for everyone. There is no fee to participate, and all craft ideas are welcome. Each month, participants will work on a specific craft, guided by a Montessori-style mentality of letting children's interests guide their activities. Supplies are provided.
Free and open to all. No registration is required.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Opening Reception
Each month we have new exhibits! Come to our Opening Reception to see what’s new at The Arts Center.
Free and Open to the Public
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Open Jam Session
Come jam with us! Every second Wednesday, drop in to jam with local musicians and meet your fellow artists from 6 to 8 pm, join local musicians at the Arts Center in Orange for an open jam session. Bring your banjo, fiddle, guitar, mandolin—whatever acoustic instrument you have—to enjoy some time playing along with fellow musicians of all skill levels and backgrounds. On nice evenings, we’ll play in the garden out back; on other evenings we’ll move inside to the studio.
Guests and visitors are welcome to observe and enjoy the music, but please be respectful of the musicians. We will start out slowly so that people can learn the tunes together and feel where the music takes us. All are welcome, especially those just getting started playing together with other musicians.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Kids Craft Club
Get crafty with the kids! Aimed at younger children and their families, this craft club is free fun for everyone. There is no fee to participate, and all craft ideas are welcome. Each month, participants will work on a specific craft, guided by a Montessori-style mentality of letting children's interests guide their activities. Supplies are provided.
Free and open to all. No registration is required.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Opening Reception
Each month we have new exhibits! Come to our Opening Reception to see what’s new at The Arts Center.
Free and Open to the Public
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Open Jam Session
Come jam with us! Every second Wednesday, drop in to jam with local musicians and meet your fellow artists from 6 to 8 pm, join local musicians at the Arts Center in Orange for an open jam session. Bring your banjo, fiddle, guitar, mandolin—whatever acoustic instrument you have—to enjoy some time playing along with fellow musicians of all skill levels and backgrounds. On nice evenings, we’ll play in the garden out back; on other evenings we’ll move inside to the studio.
Guests and visitors are welcome to observe and enjoy the music, but please be respectful of the musicians. We will start out slowly so that people can learn the tunes together and feel where the music takes us. All are welcome, especially those just getting started playing together with other musicians.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Kids Craft Club
Get crafty with the kids! Aimed at younger children and their families, this craft club is free fun for everyone. There is no fee to participate, and all craft ideas are welcome. Each month, participants will work on a specific craft, guided by a Montessori-style mentality of letting children's interests guide their activities. Supplies are provided.
Free and open to all. No registration is required.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Opening Reception
Each month we have new exhibits! Come to our Opening Reception to see what’s new at The Arts Center.
Free and Open to the Public
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Open Jam Session
Come jam with us! Every second Wednesday, drop in to jam with local musicians and meet your fellow artists from 6 to 8 pm, join local musicians at the Arts Center in Orange for an open jam session. Bring your banjo, fiddle, guitar, mandolin—whatever acoustic instrument you have—to enjoy some time playing along with fellow musicians of all skill levels and backgrounds. On nice evenings, we’ll play in the garden out back; on other evenings we’ll move inside to the studio.
Guests and visitors are welcome to observe and enjoy the music, but please be respectful of the musicians. We will start out slowly so that people can learn the tunes together and feel where the music takes us. All are welcome, especially those just getting started playing together with other musicians.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Kids Craft Club
Get crafty with the kids! Aimed at younger children and their families, this craft club is free fun for everyone. There is no fee to participate, and all craft ideas are welcome. Each month, participants will work on a specific craft, guided by a Montessori-style mentality of letting children's interests guide their activities. Supplies are provided.
Free and open to all. No registration is required.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Opening Reception
Each month we have new exhibits! Come to our Opening Reception to see what’s new at The Arts Center.
Free and Open to the Public
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Open Jam Session
Come jam with us! Every second Wednesday, drop in to jam with local musicians and meet your fellow artists from 6 to 8 pm, join local musicians at the Arts Center in Orange for an open jam session. Bring your banjo, fiddle, guitar, mandolin—whatever acoustic instrument you have—to enjoy some time playing along with fellow musicians of all skill levels and backgrounds. On nice evenings, we’ll play in the garden out back; on other evenings we’ll move inside to the studio.
Guests and visitors are welcome to observe and enjoy the music, but please be respectful of the musicians. We will start out slowly so that people can learn the tunes together and feel where the music takes us. All are welcome, especially those just getting started playing together with other musicians.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Kids Craft Club
Get crafty with the kids! Aimed at younger children and their families, this craft club is free fun for everyone. There is no fee to participate, and all craft ideas are welcome. Each month, participants will work on a specific craft, guided by a Montessori-style mentality of letting children's interests guide their activities. Supplies are provided.
Free and open to all. No registration is required.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Opening Reception
Each month we have new exhibits! Come to our Opening Reception to see what’s new at The Arts Center.
Free and Open to the Public
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Open Jam Session
Come jam with us! Every second Wednesday, drop in to jam with local musicians and meet your fellow artists from 6 to 8 pm, join local musicians at the Arts Center in Orange for an open jam session. Bring your banjo, fiddle, guitar, mandolin—whatever acoustic instrument you have—to enjoy some time playing along with fellow musicians of all skill levels and backgrounds. On nice evenings, we’ll play in the garden out back; on other evenings we’ll move inside to the studio.
Guests and visitors are welcome to observe and enjoy the music, but please be respectful of the musicians. We will start out slowly so that people can learn the tunes together and feel where the music takes us. All are welcome, especially those just getting started playing together with other musicians.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Closed for the Holidays
Please note that The Arts Center in Orange will be closed for the Winter Holidays in order to give our team time with their families from December 24 through January 1.
We will reopen for our regular hours on Friday, January 2, 2026 | 12 - 8pm.
Books as Self Expression (Wilderness Branch Library)
Join local author Cary Holladay in this history-inspired creative writing workshop!
This program is part of a series The Book as Art and Self Expression: Creating Your Story which is designed to bring in professional artists, writers and musicians as instructors to the public at our libraries. The series of programs, if attended in totality, will lead participants through creating and binding their own book and then writing and illustrating it. These programs are informed and inspired by the revolutionary voices of our founding fathers.
This program is FREE and open to the public |Ages 16+
Registration is required and space is limited. To register for this program, click here.
If your plans change, please use the cancel feature to make your spot available for someone on the waiting list. These programs are being repeated on different dates/times at our other library locations so if this time no longer works for you, please check if one of the other sessions may meet your needs.
Participation in the prior programs is not required, but those who have done so should bring their book to each session.
This project was supported, in part, by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission (VA250)
About our Instructor
Cary Holladay grew up in Virginia and Pennsylvania. She earned an A.B. at The College of William and Mary and an M.A. at the Pennsylvania State University, where she studied fiction writing with the novelists Robert C. S. Downs, Thomas Rogers, and Paul West, and poetry with John Balaban and John Haag.
She has published eight volumes of fiction as well as a pictorial history of Glen Allen, Va. Over 100 of her stories and essays have appeared in journals and anthologies, including Alaska Quarterly Review, Arkansas Review, Black Warrior Review, Blackbird, Chattahoochee Review, Cimarron Review, Cincinnati Review, Ecotone, Epoch, Five Points, Florida Review, Georgia Review, Glimmer Train, Gulf Coast, The Hudson Review, Idaho Review, Kenyon Review, Kestrel, Los Angeles Review, Missouri Review, New Letters, New Stories from the South: The Year's Best, Oxford American, Prairie Schooner, The Sewanee Review, Shenandoah, Southern Humanities Review, The Southern Review, Tin House, Virginia Quarterly Review, and West Branch.
Her awards include an O. Henry Prize and fellowships from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, the Tennessee Arts Commission, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Her work is represented by Liz Darhansoff of Darhansoff & Verrill.
Cary Holladay is a Professor of English, Emeritus, at the University of Memphis, where she was named a First Tennessee Professor and served as director of the creative writing program. She is on the faculty of the low-residency MFA program at Converse University. She and her husband, the poet and fiction writer John Bensko, live in Rapidan, Virginia.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
WOMEN'S DIVERSITY FORUM: Food Insecurity in Orange County
Food Insecurity in Orange County
Who are our food-insecure neighbors?
How is our community helping?
Join the Women’s Diversity Forum for an engaging discussion with four dedicated community leaders working on the front lines. You'll gain insight into the current state of food insecurity in Orange County and learn how these local organizations address this critical need.
The panelists will share real stories of impact and hope, while also discussing practical ways to support our community's food assistance programs. This is also an opportunity to learn how to connect those in need with available resources.
We encourage you to share this information. We know there are other church and civic groups providing assistance to our neighbors in need. We would love them to be part of this conversation.
Free and open to the all. Light refreshments will be served.
PANELISTS
Valencia Bailey, Good Samaritan, Inc.
Willow Drinkwater, Feed My Sheep
Perry Marshman, Love Outreach Food Pantry
Hank Micks, St. Thomas Episcopal Church
WOMEN’S DIVERSITY FORUM
Women’s Diversity Forum was launched in 2012 by Rebecca Gilmore Coleman and Gail Starling Marshall. The WDF offers free programs, randomly scheduled, on intriguing topics with interesting people. If you would like to subscribe to the WDF mailing list please click here: WDF Email List
Books as Self Expression (Gordonsville Branch Library)
Join local author Cary Holladay in this history-inspired creative writing workshop!
This program is part of a series The Book as Art and Self Expression: Creating Your Story which is designed to bring in professional artists, writers and musicians as instructors to the public at our libraries. The series of programs, if attended in totality, will lead participants through creating and binding their own book and then writing and illustrating it. These programs are informed and inspired by the revolutionary voices of our founding fathers.
This program is FREE and open to the public |Ages 16+
Registration is required and space is limited. To register for this program, click here.
If your plans change, please use the cancel feature to make your spot available for someone on the waiting list. These programs are being repeated on different dates/times at our other library locations so if this time no longer works for you, please check if one of the other sessions may meet your needs.
Participation in the prior programs is not required, but those who have done so should bring their book to each session.
This project was supported, in part, by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission (VA250) and is being held as a partnership between the Orange County Public Library and the Arts Center in Orange.
About our Instructor
Cary Holladay grew up in Virginia and Pennsylvania. She earned an A.B. at The College of William and Mary and an M.A. at the Pennsylvania State University, where she studied fiction writing with the novelists Robert C. S. Downs, Thomas Rogers, and Paul West, and poetry with John Balaban and John Haag.
She has published eight volumes of fiction as well as a pictorial history of Glen Allen, Va. Over 100 of her stories and essays have appeared in journals and anthologies, including Alaska Quarterly Review, Arkansas Review, Black Warrior Review, Blackbird, Chattahoochee Review, Cimarron Review, Cincinnati Review, Ecotone, Epoch, Five Points, Florida Review, Georgia Review, Glimmer Train, Gulf Coast, The Hudson Review, Idaho Review, Kenyon Review, Kestrel, Los Angeles Review, Missouri Review, New Letters, New Stories from the South: The Year's Best, Oxford American, Prairie Schooner, The Sewanee Review, Shenandoah, Southern Humanities Review, The Southern Review, Tin House, Virginia Quarterly Review, and West Branch.
Her awards include an O. Henry Prize and fellowships from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, the Tennessee Arts Commission, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Her work is represented by Liz Darhansoff of Darhansoff & Verrill.
Cary Holladay is a Professor of English, Emeritus, at the University of Memphis, where she was named a First Tennessee Professor and served as director of the creative writing program. She is on the faculty of the low-residency MFA program at Converse University. She and her husband, the poet and fiction writer John Bensko, live in Rapidan, Virginia.
Books as Self Expression (Main Library)
Join local author Cary Holladay in this history-inspired creative writing workshop!
This program is part of a series The Book as Art and Self Expression: Creating Your Story which is designed to bring in professional artists, writers and musicians as instructors to the public at our libraries. The series of programs, if attended in totality, will lead participants through creating and binding their own book and then writing and illustrating it. These programs are informed and inspired by the revolutionary voices of our founding fathers.
This program is FREE and open to the public |Ages 16+
Registration is required and space is limited. To register for this program, click here.
If your plans change, please use the cancel feature to make your spot available for someone on the waiting list. These programs are being repeated on different dates/times at our other library locations so if this time no longer works for you, please check if one of the other sessions may meet your needs.
Participation in the prior programs is not required, but those who have done so should bring their book to each session.
This project was supported, in part, by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission (VA250)
About our Instructor
Cary Holladay grew up in Virginia and Pennsylvania. She earned an A.B. at The College of William and Mary and an M.A. at the Pennsylvania State University, where she studied fiction writing with the novelists Robert C. S. Downs, Thomas Rogers, and Paul West, and poetry with John Balaban and John Haag.
She has published eight volumes of fiction as well as a pictorial history of Glen Allen, Va. Over 100 of her stories and essays have appeared in journals and anthologies, including Alaska Quarterly Review, Arkansas Review, Black Warrior Review, Blackbird, Chattahoochee Review, Cimarron Review, Cincinnati Review, Ecotone, Epoch, Five Points, Florida Review, Georgia Review, Glimmer Train, Gulf Coast, The Hudson Review, Idaho Review, Kenyon Review, Kestrel, Los Angeles Review, Missouri Review, New Letters, New Stories from the South: The Year's Best, Oxford American, Prairie Schooner, The Sewanee Review, Shenandoah, Southern Humanities Review, The Southern Review, Tin House, Virginia Quarterly Review, and West Branch.
Her awards include an O. Henry Prize and fellowships from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, the Tennessee Arts Commission, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Her work is represented by Liz Darhansoff of Darhansoff & Verrill.
Cary Holladay is a Professor of English, Emeritus, at the University of Memphis, where she was named a First Tennessee Professor and served as director of the creative writing program. She is on the faculty of the low-residency MFA program at Converse University. She and her husband, the poet and fiction writer John Bensko, live in Rapidan, Virginia.
Open Jam Session
Come jam with us! Every second Wednesday, drop in to jam with local musicians and meet your fellow artists from 6 to 8 pm, join local musicians at the Arts Center in Orange for an open jam session. Bring your banjo, fiddle, guitar, mandolin—whatever acoustic instrument you have—to enjoy some time playing along with fellow musicians of all skill levels and backgrounds. On nice evenings, we’ll play in the garden out back; on other evenings we’ll move inside to the studio.
Guests and visitors are welcome to observe and enjoy the music, but please be respectful of the musicians. We will start out slowly so that people can learn the tunes together and feel where the music takes us. All are welcome, especially those just getting started playing together with other musicians.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Books as Self Expression (Wilderness Branch Library)
Join a professional artist and bookbinder to create your own blank book, which you will fill with words and image at later programs in this series!
This program is part of a series The Book as Art and Self Expression: Creating Your Story which is designed to bring in professional artists, writers and musicians as instructors to the public at our libraries. The series of programs, if attended in totality, will lead participants through creating and binding their own book and then writing and illustrating it. These programs are informed and inspired by the revolutionary voices of our founding fathers.
This program is FREE and open to the public |Ages 16+
Registration is required and space is limited. To register for this program, click here.
If your plans change, please use the cancel feature to make your spot available for someone on the waiting list. These programs are being repeated on different dates/times at our other library locations so if this time no longer works for you, please check if one of the other sessions may meet your needs.
Participation in the prior programs is not required, but those who have done so should bring their book to each session.
This project was supported, in part, by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission (VA250) and is being held as a partnership between the Orange County Public Library and the Arts Center in Orange.
About our Instructor
Laura Chalfant has worked in publication layout & design for several colleges and universities. Her commissioned artworks have been printed in brochures and are displayed by prominent members of the City of Petersburg and UVA. She has been an art teacher for more than 20 years. She has taught in private and public schools as well as co-op organizations. After working and teaching for the Petersburg Area Art League (PAAL), Laura became Vice-President of the Board of Directors where she led the charge in art education and the Virginia Standards of Learning for PAAL.
She has taught and worked with different media, but her love of photography and watercolor are where her voice is clear, and her stories are most impactful. Having traveled to many countries and experienced many cultures, her artistic viewpoint is focused on nature journaling and environmental preservation.
Books as Self Expression (Gordonsville Branch Library)
Join a professional artist and bookbinder to create your own blank book, which you will fill with words and image at later programs in this series!
This program is part of a series The Book as Art and Self Expression: Creating Your Story which is designed to bring in professional artists, writers and musicians as instructors to the public at our libraries. The series of programs, if attended in totality, will lead participants through creating and binding their own book and then writing and illustrating it. These programs are informed and inspired by the revolutionary voices of our founding fathers.
This program is FREE and open to the public |Ages 16+
Registration is required and space is limited. To register for this program, click here.
If your plans change, please use the cancel feature to make your spot available for someone on the waiting list. These programs are being repeated on different dates/times at our other library locations so if this time no longer works for you, please check if one of the other sessions may meet your needs.
Participation in the prior programs is not required, but those who have done so should bring their book to each session.
This project was supported, in part, by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission (VA250) and is being held as a partnership between the Orange County Public Library and the Arts Center in Orange.
About our Instructor
Laura Chalfant has worked in publication layout & design for several colleges and universities. Her commissioned artworks have been printed in brochures and are displayed by prominent members of the City of Petersburg and UVA. She has been an art teacher for more than 20 years. She has taught in private and public schools as well as co-op organizations. After working and teaching for the Petersburg Area Art League (PAAL), Laura became Vice-President of the Board of Directors where she led the charge in art education and the Virginia Standards of Learning for PAAL.
She has taught and worked with different media, but her love of photography and watercolor are where her voice is clear, and her stories are most impactful. Having traveled to many countries and experienced many cultures, her artistic viewpoint is focused on nature journaling and environmental preservation.
Opening Reception: Potpourri of Imagination
Potpourri of Imagination features artwork of animals in unconventional scenarios and whimsical scenes. Join us in celebrating the work of local artist Elena Pratt!
This event is FREE and open to all. Light refreshments will be served.
ELENA PRATT
Elena is originally from Worcester, MA and now resides in Locust Grove Virginia with her husband and two cats. After performing on stage in musicals for over thirty years, Elena has turned her attention to the art world. She finds inspiration from some artists such as Romero Britto, Peter Max, and Tom Everhart. She is attracted to all things colorful and hopes to spread joy to the world with her version of Pop Art. Elena started with painting decorative rocks and hiding them all over the place for people to find during the height of the Covid pandemic. She then began taking requests from neighbors and then selling them on Etsy.
Elena then began painting on canvases and dabbling a bit on glass. Her first solo art exhibit, “Nostalgia and Nature” was hosted last year at Vision Health Center, O.D. in Locust Grove. Since then, she has been accepted into juried exhibits and shows at Liberty Town Arts, Fredericksburg Center for the Creative Arts, Art Works in Richmond, VA, and the Capital Arts and Crafts Show.
Elena enjoys selling locally, at various arts and crafts shows as well as through her own website PopArtByElena and continues to maintain an Etsy shop as well.
Opening Reception: From Her Hands
Join us for the opening reception of From Her Hands, a Women’s History Month exhibition celebrating the work of local artists Jessie Meehan, Chee Kludt Ricketts, May Shorten Townley and Denise Van Balen.
This event is FREE and open to all. Light refreshments will be served.
JESSIE MEEHAN
Jessie Meehan is a self-taught artist from Chicago, now living in rural Virginia just outside of Charlottesville. She work primarily in acrylics, but loves experimenting with oil, oil stick, marker and pen. Her art is inspired by nature and the subconscious. Jessie is always chasing the energy, light and mood of whatever stirs something in her, fueled by curiosity. She has learned primarily through trial, error, and play, which has led her to diverse range of subjects and compositions.
CHEE KLUDT RICKETTS
Chee Kludt Ricketts is a Signature artist and award-winning member of the Virginia Watercolor Society, Chee enjoys exhibiting her watercolors and acrylics whenever possible. Her work has been featured in solo exhibitions at This Century Gallery in Williamsburg, Blue Skies Gallery in Hampton, The Louisa Arts Center and The Shenandoah Valley Arts Center in Waynesboro. She has given demonstration talks about her work at the Annie Gould Gallery in Gordonsville and the Beverly Street Studio School in Staunton. Locally, she is a member of the Firnew Farm Artists’ Circle in Hood and the Art Guild of Greene.
MAY SHORTEN TOWNLEY
May Shorten Townley is a mixed-medium and ceramic artist from Spotsylvania Virginia. A self-taught artist for the bulk of her career, Townley entered college after raising a family and received her Bachelor of Liberal Studies Degree in Studio Art from the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia in 2017.
DENISE VAN BALEN
Denise Van Balen is an ceramicist and painter living in Orange, Va. A life long teacher and artist, she also works with The Arts Center in Orange through the Community Outreach Program serving our community in Orange County and neighboring counties.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Books as Self Expression (Main Library)
Join a professional artist and bookbinder to create your own blank book, which you will fill with words and image at later programs in this series!
This program is part of a series The Book as Art and Self Expression: Creating Your Story which is designed to bring in professional artists, writers and musicians as instructors to the public at our libraries. The series of programs, if attended in totality, will lead participants through creating and binding their own book and then writing and illustrating it. These programs are informed and inspired by the revolutionary voices of our founding fathers.
This program is FREE and open to the public |Ages 16+
Registration is required and space is limited. To register for this program, click here.
If your plans change, please use the cancel feature to make your spot available for someone on the waiting list. These programs are being repeated on different dates/times at our other library locations so if this time no longer works for you, please check if one of the other sessions may meet your needs.
Participation in the prior programs is not required, but those who have done so should bring their book to each session.
This project was supported, in part, by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission (VA250) and is being held as a partnership between the Orange County Public Library and the Arts Center in Orange.
About our Instructor
Laura Chalfant has worked in publication layout & design for several colleges and universities. Her commissioned artworks have been printed in brochures and are displayed by prominent members of the City of Petersburg and UVA. She has been an art teacher for more than 20 years. She has taught in private and public schools as well as co-op organizations. After working and teaching for the Petersburg Area Art League (PAAL), Laura became Vice-President of the Board of Directors where she led the charge in art education and the Virginia Standards of Learning for PAAL.
She has taught and worked with different media, but her love of photography and watercolor are where her voice is clear, and her stories are most impactful. Having traveled to many countries and experienced many cultures, her artistic viewpoint is focused on nature journaling and environmental preservation.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Kids Craft Club
Get crafty with the kids! Aimed at younger children and their families, this craft club is free fun for everyone. There is no fee to participate, and all craft ideas are welcome. Each month, participants will work on a specific craft, guided by a Montessori-style mentality of letting children's interests guide their activities. Supplies are provided.
Free and open to all. No registration is required.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
OCAAHS: 2025 Annual Membership Meeting
Join the Orange County African American Historical Society for an illuminating afternoon featuring two groundbreaking research projects exploring African American history in our region: Mapping and Uncovering African American Heritage in Central Virginia. The program will begin after a brief business meeting.
No RSVP required. Light refreshments will be served.
Part 1: African and African-Descended Histories at Germanna
Kelly Arford-Horne, Archaeology Site Director, and Jennifer Hurst-Wender, Executive Director of Historic Germanna, will share discoveries about the Gordon family's remarkable journey from enslavement to freedom and their migration to Liberia. Learn about recent archaeological findings that reveal the daily lives of enslaved people at the Gordon Plantation site, and how this research expands our understanding of 19th-century African American experiences in Orange County.
Part 2: Roots to Routes - Black Heritage Across Nine Counties
George Monroe Jr., Executive Director of the Montpelier Descendants Committee, together with Dr. Andrea Roberts and her team from the UVA Center for Cultural Landscapes, will present their innovative digital mapping project. Discover how they're documenting historic Black spaces and connecting with descendant families around James Madison's Montpelier. Learn how you can contribute your own family stories to this growing digital archive of Black history.
Lunar New Year: Lion and Dragon Dance
Following our Arts of Asia opening on Thursday join us for more Lunar New Year festivities in Taylor Park. Laughing Dragon Kung Fu will be joining us for a Lion and Dragon Dance performance in the park.
This event is free and open to all!
Volunteer Potluck
On February 14, from 5 PM to 8 PM, The Arts Center will be having a potluck to celebrate our volunteers. All year you’ve shown your love of The Arts Center by volunteering your time and energy. Now we want to thank you and show our appreciation. Bring your favorite dish, a friend or two, and get ready to have a good time!
Please email info@artscenterinorange.com to RSVP
Opening Reception: Arts of Asia
As a part of our Annual Lunar New Year festivities we will be showcasing cultural objects from the private collections of Jing Shui, Robert Bricker, Charles Laughlin, Ma Lan, Pat McAloon, Monica Xia, and Joanie and Ray Palmer.
This event is FREE and open to all. Light refreshments will be served.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Open Jam Session
Come jam with us! Every second Wednesday, drop in to jam with local musicians and meet your fellow artists from 6 to 8 pm, join local musicians at the Arts Center in Orange for an open jam session. Bring your banjo, fiddle, guitar, mandolin—whatever acoustic instrument you have—to enjoy some time playing along with fellow musicians of all skill levels and backgrounds. On nice evenings, we’ll play in the garden out back; on other evenings we’ll move inside to the studio.
Guests and visitors are welcome to observe and enjoy the music, but please be respectful of the musicians. We will start out slowly so that people can learn the tunes together and feel where the music takes us. All are welcome, especially those just getting started playing together with other musicians.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Fiber Club
All fiber arts welcome! The club meets every Wednesday. Whether you knit, crochet, sew, weave, or embroider, bring in what you are working on or start a new project while meeting new people.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.
Orange Painting Club
The Orange Painting Club meets every Wednesday at 11am. Whether you’re a beginner or have painted for years, this art club is for anyone who wants to explore watercolor painting with other community members.
Drop in and join the club! No formal membership or registration is required.