Events and Programs

Events and Programs for Calendar Year 2009 was updated on August 21, 2009

The LABOR DAY SHOW, RAL’s signature event, began in the 1960s and kept growing. It runs six days, ending on Labor Day each year.  The show involves hundreds of community volunteers. Its fame has spread far beyond the Northern Neck.  The 2009 Show is scheduled from Wednesday, September 2 through Monday September 8, and will be held in the auditorium of Rappahannock Westminster Canterbury.  The show is open without jurying to the first 200 or so pieces of art entered.  Prospectus and entry forms for entering works into the show are available in the Spring and can be downloaded by clicking on their name above or obtained at the Gallery or May Artline.  Directions to Rappahannock Westminster Canterbury from Kilmarnock are south 3.2 miles on Route 200 (Irvington Road) turn left on Route 646 (Old Salem Road)and go 0.9 miles to Lancaster Drive and RWC.  From White Stone, go 1.0 miles north on Route 3 (Mary Ball Road) and turn left on Route 646 (Old Salem Road) and go 1.0 miles to Lancaster Drive and RWC.  From Irvington, go 1.0 miles north on Route 200 (Irvington Road) and turn right on Route 646 (Old Salem Road) and go 0.9 miles to Lancaster Drive and RWC.

EDUCATION AND SCHOLARSHIP - Each year the RAL sponsors, with support from Rappahannock Foundation for the Arts, the Children’s Spring Art Festival for Lancaster County Schools and furnishes judges from among the professional artists at RAL. $600 grants are given to art departments of the nine public schools in the three counties and to Chesapeake Academy and Christ Church School.  Scholarships of $300 to $500 to purchase art materials are awarded to local students studying art at the college level.  Scholarships are also granted to children participating in the summer art programs.  In 2008, $9944 in grants and scholarships were awarded.  To apply for a College supplies scholarship call  Mary Grafton Yagel at 435-1492 or see high school art teachers or click here to download an application.  To apply for a children’s workshop scholarship call the registration desk at 436-9309 or see your elementary or middle school art teacher.

FIRST FRIDAY RECEPTIONS  are held at the Studio Gallery on the first Friday of each month unless there is a holiday conflict.  The Exhibit Room schedule is arranged so that there is a new show at each reception.  Open to the public and frequented by artists and other RAL members, receptions are an excellent opportunity to share the art experience.

MONTHLY ART FORUMS for members and the public are held the 4th Monday of each month September through May, except for December, when a Holiday luncheon is enjoyed in lieu of a meeting.  An annual picnic is scheduled every June.   After a brief business meeting, an informative and entertaining lecture, demonstration, film or slide show is presented by a guest speaker, usually a curator or artist from out of town.  Click Here for a summary of 2010 programs.  These programs are of great interest to both artists and those who appreciate art but are not themselves makers of art.

THE EXHIBIT ROOM  The Gallery’s 18’ x 36’ Exhibit Room is home to a variety of month-long exhibits. In October, for the second year, the league will sponsor a juried invitational art show there, inviting other arts groups to join them. Twice a year an exhibit honors one or two of our highly accomplished artists.   Several open membership shows encourage artists not regularly exhibiting in the gallery to show their work.  Spring brings several exhibits of Children’s Art from local schools and in November we usually show the work of our adult classes.  Occasionally we collaborate with the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the Virginia Federation of Garden Clubs, the Lancaster Historical Society and the Virginia Pen Women to bring in special exhibits.  The 2010 schedule is below.

STUDIO GALLERY WINDOWS The work of artists exhibiting in the Gallery is displayed in the windows on a rotating basis.  Ann Vliet (804-435-9808) coordinates the scheduling.   The 2009 schedule for the windows from June through Dec is as follows:

July	Hank Roden and Mel Neal
August	Jim Hazel and Judy Penry
September	Linda Byrum and Marge Alderson
October	Ed Ramsey and Mary Lou Hann
November	Bonnie Cook and Anne Wilcox
December	Rose Nygaard and Sybil Bayne