Exhibition History

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17 Years and Counting….

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Juried Art Exhibition showcases the true bounty of our region - our artists! This annual prestigious, professional exhibition presents current work by visual artists from 19 counties in the galleries of the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art. Working in solitude, visual artists create works of art that are an amalgam of their experiences. Their work speaks eloquently of their lives - our lives. A thriving visual arts community is one of the most enjoyable and unifying building blocks of a sense of community with others.

The artists submit their work by slides or digital images for selection into the exhibition, following a long tradition since the Renaissance where art has been selected by a committee or juror for inclusion in public exhibitions or salons. These exhibitions have always been well attended, as has this exhibition through the years, because of the freshness and energy in the art of emerging artists and the dazzling presentations of established artists who are developing a new direction or facet of their art.

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Juried Art Exhibition was initiated in 1996 in response to the Greensburg Area Cultural Council’s mission to support visual artists in our area. Staff members of the Council met with community volunteers from government, business, education, healthcare and the arts to build a structure that would reflect the interest of the community. Following standards of quality exhibitions throughout the nation, the first exhibition was held at the Westmoreland Museum of American Art in Greensburg, PA; other sites have included Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art in Ligonier, the St. Vincent College Gallery of Art in Latrobe, Seton Hill University and Indiana University of Pennsylvania. The exhibition continues to grow in response to artists’ needs, becoming the prestigious exhibition it is today. This year the Council celebrates its 17th Anniversary of the Annual Regional Juried Exhibition.

The Council has expanded its juried competitions to present "History Through Art" Exhibitions focusing on historical aspects and sites in the Southwestern Region. Past History Through Art Exhibitions have been hosted by the West Overton Museums, Scottdale (2004), Seton Hill University, Greensburg (2005) and the Centennial Celebration in the halls of the Westmoreland County Court House (2007). Rowe Gallery, Greensburg Art Center (2011). The council hopes to continue the History Through Art Exhibitions well into the future.

Past & Present Partners and Supporters :The Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art at Ligonier Valley; West Overton Museums, Scottdale; Westmoreland Museum of American Art, Greensburg; St Vincent College, Latrobe; Seton Hill University, Greensburg; Westmoreland County Historical Society, Greensburg; Indian University of Pennsylvania, Indiana; Pennsylvania Partners for the Arts; Laurel Valley Tourism Association; Westmoreland County Community Foundation; Robertshaw Foundation, Don & Sylvia Robinson Family Foundation.