Mission and Programs

Mission

Astoria Visual Arts creates opportunities for people of all ages and walks of life to engage with the arts.

About
Founded in 1989, Astoria Visual Arts is a cornerstone of creative expression and community connection providing dynamic exhibitions, youth-focused initiatives, and support for artists at every stage of their careers. As a member-based organization, we work together to support the arts and the artists in our community.

Join us and explore our programming in the Gallery, arts education for youth, in community events, and in artists’ and writers’ residencies, and in the annual Astoria Open Studios Tour.

The AVA Gallery brings diversity and innovation to the community through a dynamic schedule of monthly exhibitions that connect the arts with people, the economy, and the lower Columbia’s unique natural environment.

The Miss Bea Program provides learning opportunities for middle and high school students to build content knowledge and develop skills in the visual arts through weekly arts curriculum at Astoria Choice Academy, workshops with local artists, an annual field trip to Portland, and participation in an annual, county-wide student art exhibition.

Art Room After School provides weekly art workshops throughout the academic school year for Clatsop County youth ages 5 - 13. Every child deserves art as part of their early education.

AVA partners with Art Room to host three weeks of Art Camp in the summer to provide a variety of hands-on activities to encourage multi-sensory stimulation and enhanced arts learning for children ages 5-12.

The annual Astoria Open Studios Tour supports and promotes Astoria artists, encourages tourism, and enriches our community. Artists retain 100% of sales made during the summer weekend event. Participating artists are invited to submit work to be included in a group exhibit at the Gallery during the month of July.

Each year, AVA a-i-r offers two six-month artist residencies to encourage the creative, intellectual, and professional growth of local artists. Each selected artist is provided with a studio in the Astoria Studio Collective building free of charge for the six-month residency period, and an opportunity to exhibit their recent work.

AVA partners with Recology Western Oregon for the annual Coastal Oregon Artist Residency (COAR), providing two selected artists with access to discarded materials, a stipend of $1,000 per month for four months, studio space at Recology’s Warrenton-based facility and, at the close of the residency, a public exhibition in downtown Astoria.

Meet Our Leadership

Exhibition and Project Proposals:

We are always interested in ideas that could be pursued in partnership with AVA. We’re especially interested in projects that connect the arts with area youth and with our unique natural environment, and that help develop diversity, equity, and inclusion for all.

Proposals may be sent to astoriavisualarts@gmail.com.

Please include a short narrative about your proposal, including a statement about the benefit the proposed project would have for the community. If the proposal is for a gallery exhibition, include a brief bio of the artist(s), and 3-5 images of artwork.

Painting by Denise Monaghan.

The Pacific Northwest today is a community of many diverse Native peoples who continue to live and work here. We respectfully acknowledge and honor all indigenous communities - past, present, future - and are grateful for their ongoing and vibrant presence.