Over the past 25+ years, the mission of the Arts Center in Orange has remained the same: to increase the quality of life in our community by promoting an appreciation for fine contemporary art in diverse styles and ideologies.

Originally founded by local artists and art lovers, we have alwaysbeen your arts center–no matter who you are! We are here for the from-heres and the come-heres, the painters and the potters, the doers and the dreamers. With so many diverse folks in our community, sometimes a program won’t appeal to everyone. Let us know how you feel directly, so that we can work together to plan something that does. Many of our programs and events are based on community input.

You may have heard about the Orange County Board of Supervisors’ recent decision to return $4,500 in grant funds budgeted for The Arts Center in Orange back to the Commonwealth. This move followed complaints about a workshop formerly scheduled for Feb. 22 that was entitled “Build-A-Babe.” Based on the art of drag (a performance art form with a long history), this program was going to be modeled on popular reality TV shows like RuPaul’s “Drag Race” and “Project Runway,” but as a collaborative eff ort rather than a competitive one. This workshop would have offered an opportunity for a local performer who traditionally has been excluded from sharing their art in Orange, and to use concrete, skill-based learning (wig application, garment alteration, and nail art designs) to build bridges between people who inhabit different worlds within our community.

When we heard from community members that they had concerns about the structure of the program, we took a step back and postponed it. We did that before the board of supervisors met, and despite having 35 participants already registered for the workshop. There were lively discussions on social media about the program, but few people reached out to the Arts Center directly to ask questions or express concerns. We listened and understood, and explained the premise of the workshop to them.

Many people have supported and celebrated our work during these events, and The Arts Center in Orange thanks everyone who has pitched in since learning of the board of supervisors’ action. Together, by spreading the word and making donations big and small, you have collectively contributed more than $7,000 in a matter of days. Clearly, there is support for diversity in programming and your generosity helps ensure that, just as it has for more than 25 years, art happens here in Central Virginia.

We will continue to serve our community, and we hope to see you soon in the gallery, studio, or shop. And to everyone who creates in Orange: we are here for you. For all of us.

The Arts Center in Orange is located at 129 East Main Street in Orange, VA. Our regular hours are 10am-5pm Monday-Saturday, with extended hours on Wednesday nights (open until 8:00pm). Stop by, call us at (540) 672-7311, or write to us at info@artscenterinorange.com.