Events and Programs

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 2010 Show is scheduled from Wednesday, September 1 through Monday September 6, and will be held in the auditorium and hall gallery of Rappahannock Westminster-Canterbury. The show is open without jurying to the first 200 or so pieces of art entered.  When available, the Prospectus and Entry Forms will be available here or at the Studio Gallery.  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 804-435-1492 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.  Click 2010 for the current schedule.

STUDIO GALLERY WINDOWS The work of artists exhibiting in the Gallery is displayed in the windows on a rotating basis.  Anne Wilcox (804-776-7888) coordinates the scheduling.   The 2010 schedule for the windows is:

April	Barbara Touchette and Elise Ritter
May	Mary Jo Beswick and Johnny Hayes
June	Marge Van Etten and Lella Lee Edwards
July	Anne Hayes and Sarah Soderlund
August	Nancy Reath and Ann Vliet
September	June Higgins and Pat Ramey
October	Barbara Dolney and Starke Jett
November	Anita Baker and Ernie Memmo
December	Andy Pitts and Charles VanDenburgh