Arts Council of the Valley

06/19/2026

Another Friday of arts-fueled cheer is on its way! Mark your calendar for July 3, 5-7pm, and plan to kick off your holiday weekend with exhibitions, showcases, live music, art-making activities, performances, and more by amazing artists throughout Harrisonburg! Learn more about this monthly program and meet the participating businesses and organizations at the link in our bio.✨

We appreciate Kathy Moran Wealth Group, 2026 First Fridays of the Valley Exclusive Sponsor.

06/15/2026

During First Fridays of the Valley June 5, venues throughout Harrisonburg and Bridgewater opened and celebrated many wonderful exhibitions of artwork - most of which you can visit during this entire month! ☀ Fill your summer days with creative magic as you explore:

> Asbury United Methodist Church (205 S Main St): “Asbury Youth Art” - mixed media by The Youth of Asbury.
> Being Financial (328 S Main St, Ste 101): “ICONS” - hand-drawn caricatures in pencil and marker by Jenny Pearl.
> Bridgewater Retirement Community (210 Virginia Ave - Bridgewater): “A Showcase of Local Artwork” - works in a variety of media by various area artists.
> Community Counseling Center (96 Campbell St): “Bird Photography by Terry A. Thiele” - photography by Terry A. Thiele.
> Dart Resale and Trade (205 S Liberty St, Ste E): “The Quiet Aviary” - new works by Margaret Beebe.
> The Frame Factory & Gallery (139 N Liberty St, Ste 101): “Hatful of Haints” - mixed media by Loring Gibson; and “Out of Bounds” - mixed media installation by Laura Thompson.
> Friendly City Food Co-op (150 E Wolfe St): “15 Years of Local Love” - mixed media works by various artists.
> The Gaines Group Architects at the Depot (141 W Bruce St, Ste 201): “In Blue and Bloom: Washes of Memory from Lithuania” - watercolor paintings by Cassidy Walker.
> Harrisonburg, VA - Government's Harrisonburg City Hall (409 S Main St): “Pollinator Friendly City” - photography by City Public Works and Parks & Recreation employees.
> Horizon Gifts (60 W Market St): mixed media works by Painter Jinx.
> Hotel Madison & Shenandoah Valley Conference Center (710 S Main St): “Tranquil Moments in the Valley” - photography by C. & J. Richmond Photography.
> Office of Creative Propulsion - JMU'sJMU Collabratory at The Harrisonburg Innovation Hub (25 N Liberty St, Room 102): “From These Bricks” - mixed media works by Traci Wile and Renée Calway.
> Larson Wealth Management (124 Newman Ave, Ste 101): “Virginia Views” - oil paintings by Debra Sheffer.
> Northwestern Mutual (83 S Main St): “Whimsical View”- mixed media and digital works by Dandy Knopf and Phoenix Flaxman.
> North Wing Gallery at Sage Bird (325 N Liberty St): “The Art of Teaching” - works in a variety of media by various artists.
> OASIS Fine Art & Craft, Harrisonburg VA (103 S Main St): “Winged Visitors: Butterflies & Moths” - fused glass and photography by Barbara Camph and Stewart Mason.
> Pale Fire Brewing Company (217 S Liberty St, Ste 105): “The Unedit” - photography by Rudy Cox.
> VMRC's Park Gables Gallery (1491 Virginia Ave): “Annual Juried Exhibition” - works in a variety of media by selected nationwide artists.
> Rootstock Wine Bar VA (86 W Gay St): “Enigmatic Faces” - paintings by Stephanie Corn & “Just Imagine” - paintings by Trisha Brown Leweke.
> Smith House Galleries (311 S Main St): “Selected Works” - photo-encaustic works by David A. Douglas.

06/09/2026

Mark your calendars - June 13 is Second Saturday! 🌼

Visit Smith House Galleries 10 am-2 pm for one more weekend opportunity to see "Selected Works" AND meet the artist, David A. Douglas!

Enjoy exploring the amazing photo-encaustic pieces installed inside the Smith House; outside, you may find several Arts Council of the Valley Artist Members painting - and you're invited to join them! Feel free to bring any materials you might need to draw or paint plein air-style, and come and go as you please. All are welcome to visit and see what these artists are working on.

Guest artist Will Stroud will also be set up in front of the Smith House, offering live, pay-what-you-wish seated portrait drawing sessions (about 20 minutes each)!

Hope to see you there!

06/05/2026

It’s our favorite Friday of the month - First Fridays of the Valley programming is underway!! We wish you a delight-filled evening experiencing and celebrating the immense creativity of this community; visit valleyarts.org/first-fridays-of-the-valley to find all the details you’ll need (including an interactive map and full events listing) for your arts excursion amongst the 24 participating venues in Harrisonburg and Bridgewater. 🎉 🎨 🎶 🎭

Big thanks to Kathy Moran Wealth Group, Exclusive Sponsor for 2026 First Fridays of the Valley!

06/04/2026

If you weren’t able to make it to Being Financial (328 S Main St, Ste 101) in May, you're in great luck: there’s still a chance for you to enjoy “ICONS” by Jenny Pearl during tomorrow night’s First Fridays of the Valley festivities! Make your visit June 5, anytime between 5 and 7pm, and spend some time with this showcase of incredible hand-drawn caricature art. facebook.com/reel/1282739923847243

06/04/2026

Throughout June, Hotel Madison & Shenandoah Valley Conference Center (710 S Main St) continues the fabulous “Tranquil Moments in the Valley,” an exhibition of photography in the mezzanine gallery by C. & J. Richmond Photography! In just 24 hours, you can enjoy the artwork will surrounded by First Fridays of the Valley merriment: meet the artists and admire the works June 5 from 5 to 7pm; then, from 6 to 8pm, spend some time in the hotel lobby with live music by guitarist and singer-songwriter Gina Bretz (playing songs of the ‘60s, ‘70s & ‘80s). Food and beverages are available for purchase at Quills lobby bar and Monty’s Restaurant.

Hotel Madison in Harrisonburg, VA offers full-service accommodations, top-notch amenities, spacious ballrooms & the Shenandoah Valley Conference Center.

06/04/2026

Highly detailed, immersive photo-encaustic works - each containing hundreds of layers of photographs and markmaking - await your discovery at Smith House Galleries (311 S Main St) this month! Opening with a special First Fridays of the Valley reception, “Selected Works” by David A. Douglas is an exhibition you do not want to miss.

See it for the first time June 5, 5-7pm (when you can also chat with the artist, enjoy refreshments, and visit the VMFA Artmobile)! Sponsored by GreeneHurlocker, the show will be open to in-person visits through June 26, with hours Mon-Fri 11am-4pm; June 6, 9am-1pm; and June 13, 10am-2pm.