







| About the Isle of Wight Arts League The home of the Isle of Wight Arts League, the Smithfield Cultural Arts Center (formerly, The Collage) first opened to the public June 15, 1991 as a commercial art gallery. The Center for many years was situated in a Victorian, turn-of-the-20th century house within the Smithfield Historic District. In early 2009, it moved to a renovated hardware store in the Historic District where it shares space with the Smithfield / Isle of Wight Visitor Center and was renamed The Arts Center @ 319. Shortly after its opening in the early 1990s, the operation of The Collage was assumed by the Isle of Wight Arts League, a non-profit organization dedicated to the development and recognition of the arts as an important, multi-cultural contributor to the well being and growth of the community. The Isle of Wight Arts League has historically been active in arts education through rotating art exhibits in the Arts Center's three galleries and through adult and youth classes in its dedicated arts classroom. Access to working artist studios brings unique direct exposure of the arts to visitors and students. More recently, the Isle of Wight Arts League has expanded its contributions to the community with two music programs. In March 2005, the Isle of Wight Arts League joined The Smithfield Times as co-sponsors for the Summer Concert Series. The Series, hosted for 22 seasons by the John and Anne Edwards, owners and publishers of the Smithfield Times, on its front lawn in the Historic District, offers free concerts for the community on Friday evenings from May through August. In 2005, the Isle of Wight Arts League also entered into a partnership with Smithfield Music, a venture created by Jim and Elaine Abicht, to present performances by top tier professional musicians in a family-friendly venue, the Smithfield Little Theater. Net proceeds from Smithfield Music events are be donated to the school music programs in Isle of Wight County. |
| Meet the Isle of Wight Arts League team The Arts Center @ 319 Staff and Volunteers Sheila Gwaltney , Director Priscilla Barbour Katie Bartlett Rhonda Carlson Patti Garver JoAnn Hall Brenda Joyner Candace Lewis Peggy Walsh The Isle of Wight Arts League Board of Directors |
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