Piedmont Arts Association facts for kids
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| Established | 1961 |
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| Location | 215 Starling Avenue, Martinsville, Virginia |
| Type | Nonprofit |
Piedmont Arts is a special place in Martinsville, Virginia. It is an art museum and a learning center. It helps people of all ages enjoy and learn about art.
Piedmont Arts is a partner with the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. It is also approved by the American Alliance of Museums. This means it meets high standards for museums.
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Discovering Piedmont Arts: A Journey Through Time
Piedmont Arts started in 1961. A group of local artists created it. They were encouraged by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.
In 1976, the group got a building called Lynwood House. It was a company house. The artists then called themselves Lynwood Artists. They showed art by local artists there.
Later in 1976, the group became the Piedmont Arts Association. In 1978, they became an official partner of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.
In 1981, the Schottland family gave their estate to Piedmont Arts. This became the museum's permanent home. Money was raised to fix up the building. Extra money was used to create a fund for the organization.
In 1995, Piedmont Arts started a new project. They wanted to add a new part to the building. This new part would have more galleries, a classroom, and a performance hall. Work on the new wing began in 1997. It opened in April 1998.
In 2004, Piedmont Arts earned a special award. It was accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. This shows it is a great museum.
Exploring Visual Arts: See the World Through Art
Piedmont Arts shows many different art exhibits. They have up to six new shows each year. These shows feature art from artists all over the world.
Big exhibits are shown in the Hooker-Garrett, Pannill, and Box Mezzanine galleries. These are three of the museum's six galleries. Art by local artists is shown in the Lynwood Artists Gallery. This gallery is named after the artists who started Piedmont Arts.
Piedmont Arts also brings art to the community. They have a public art program. This program includes six murals in Uptown Martinsville. There are also 28 mobiles and four sculptures around the area.
The R.P. Gravely-A.J. Lester Art Garden: Art Outdoors
In 2017, Piedmont Arts opened a special outdoor space. It is called the R.P. Gravely-A.J. Lester Art Garden. This garden has art installations.
You can see three sculptures by Virginia artists here. Their names are Ed Dolinger, Jessie Ward, and Mark Wright. The Art Garden is also home to the Little Post Office. This small post office started in 1893. There is also a very old tree, over 100 years old. It is called a Remarkable Tree of Virginia.
Enjoying Performing Arts: Live Shows and Music
Piedmont Arts started its performing arts series in 1991. It is called the On Stage series. They now have up to five live shows each year. These shows include different types of performances.
Some famous artists have performed here. These include Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. Other performers include Step Afrika!, Sam Bush, Barrage, Cherish the Ladies, and Aquila Theatre.
Learning Through Art: Education Programs
Piedmont Arts offers many art education programs. These programs go to schools in Martinsville and Henry County. Students from elementary to high school can enjoy plays and music. They also get to work with artists.
The museum also offers fun activities. You can take guided tours of the galleries. There are also gallery Treasure Hunts. The Discovery Room has free crafts and games.
All art students in Martinsville and Henry County schools can show their work. They can display it in the museum's Foster Gallery. This gallery has changing exhibits of student art.
