CELEBRATING 52 YEARS!
UPCOMING EVENTS: 2025
Happening Now: Annual Membership Drive.
Your annual membership ensures that your Arts Council can offer important cultural programs and events, art classes for youths, adults, and the elderly & disabled at local nursing homes, and more!
Join now to receive special discounts (on art classes, events such as the Annual Oyster Roast Fundraiser, and more),
and other special perks like coupons for the Arts Council Gallery, and early registration for our Annual Jingle Bell Bazaar!
(see Membership tab for more details)
March 29: 15th Annual Oyster Roast and Auction Fundraiser
April 11 - 14: Mini Online Auction!
April 17: Adult Painting Class: Pet Portrait. 5:30 - 7:30 pm
The Arts Council of Chester County will host a painting class for adults with local artist Penelope Winslow on Thurs. April 17 at the Arts Council Building located in downtown Chester at 123 Main St.
Participants will learn how to paint their own pet using acrylics on canvas.
When registering for the class, students will submit a photo of their pet for the artist to sketch. The students will then paint this sketch during class night.
*Please note: this class is for one pet per painting due to time constraints.
$40 per person. All supplies are provided.
Refreshments are welcome, but optional.
Registration deadline is April 13 (including photo submissions).
To register, email artschester@gmail.com with a picture of your pet.
April 18: Judging for Superintendent's Annual Art Show
April 29: Superintendent's Annual Art Show at Chester Middle School
May 13 - 21: Exhibition of winning artwork from Superintendent's Annual Art Show at Arts Council's Ann D. Marion Gallery
May 14: Community Drop-In to honor winners of the Superintendent's
Annual Art Show. 4-6 pm at Arts Council.
May 15: Vendor applications for the 11th Annual Jingle Bell Bazaar open.
June 11-13: Exploratory Youth Art Camp. More details below.
June 25-27: Exploratory Youth Art Camp. More details below.
𝗔𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀:
𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗿𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵𝘀
Calling all youths! Join the Arts Council as we host two different Youth Art Camps this summer with artist Penelope Winslow.
These sessions are for the serious young art enthusiast. Learn from a professional artist in a fun environment.
Each camp is designed for young artists to encourage artistic growth by building skills and confidence in their creative abilities.
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DRAWING: JUNE 11 - 13
Three-day camp exploring drawing.
Campers will learn about a variety of drawing mediums and drawing techniques while building skills and confidence. Each day, they will explore a new subject with drawing mediums such as pencils, colored pencils, charcoal, and pastels.
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PAINTING: JUNE 25 - 27
Three-day camp exploring painting mediums and techniques, such as watercolors, acrylics, and mixed media.
Each day, campers will experiment with a new technique and create a painting to take home, along with their technique sheets for the day.
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All classes will be held 11:00 am to 1:15 pm at the Arts Council Building, located in downtown Chester at 123 Main St.
For ages 7 to 15 years old.
Parents are welcome to stay, but not required.
**Have an older teen who'd like to participate? Contact us!**
Cost per 3-day camp: $135 per person. Cash or check only, please. All supplies included.
Registration Deadline is June 4 for Drawing, and June 18 for Painting.
To register, email artschester@gmail.com with your contact info and child's name.
November 8: 11th Annual Jingle Bell Bazaar: Indoor Holiday Art Market.
Vendor applications will open MAY 15, 2025.
(see Facebook.com/artschester for all class descriptions and updates)
LUTZ FOUNDATION -- GRANT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:
The Arts Council of Chester County recently received a grant for $8,000 from The C. Herbert and Anna E. Lutz Foundation.
This grant allowed for a new HVAC system to be installed in the Arts Council Building, according to Director Lauren Medlin. The new HVAC ensures that the Arts Council can provide art classes, cultural programs, and artist exhibition space in a comfortable environment year-round.
“We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Lutz Foundation for generously funding our many projects over the past 15+ years,” says Medlin. “Their positive impact on this community is astounding.”
The Arts Council of Chester County was founded in 1973 to encourage an appreciation of the arts, as well as participation in the arts through Arts in Education and Community Arts.
Today, the Arts Council of Chester County offers many different events and art classes for the community, along with exhibiting 60+ artists in the Ann D. Marion Gallery, located at 123 Main St. in downtown Chester.
Medlin says, “The arts are an important cultural aspect in Chester County. The Arts Council provides Youth and Adult Art Classes, individual art lessons, artistic & cultural events for the community such as the Oyster Roast Fundraiser and Jingle Bell Bazaar, free year-round exhibiting space for artists in our Ann D. Marion Gallery, support for local and regional artists, and much more! We offer many low-cost programs, along with community-focused events such as the Annual Superintendent’s Art Show with the Chester County School District. The Arts Council strives to provide different art programs & education to all demographics.”
Upcoming events include the Superintendent’s Annual Art Show to be exhibited in the Ann D. Marion Gallery from May 13 to 21. A special Community Drop-In will take place on May 14 from 4-6 pm. Youth Art Camps will begin in June, and Adult Art Classes are ongoing.
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PAST EVENTS:
2024:
April 30: Adult Painting Class: Pet Portrait. In partnership with the Chester County Animal Control.
May 1: Judging for the Annual Supt Art Show
May 2: 29th Annual Superintendent's Art Show, co-hosted with the Chester County School District
May 7 - 17: Superintendent's Art Show winning pieces are exhibited at the Arts Council's Ann D. Marion Gallery
(See slideshow below to view winning artwork)
June 11: "BEACH CHAIR" Paint Night - adult painting class
using acrylics on canvas.
June 20: "Moonlit Palmetto Beach Scene" Painting Class for adults
June 25: "Sunset Palmetto" Art Class for Youths
August 15: "Sunset Palmetto" Adult Art Class
August 21: "Sunflowers" Watercolor Workshop all ages
September 26: "Happy Fall Y'all" Pumpkin Painting Class
October 3: Autumn Tree Painting Class for Adults
November: 10th Annual Jingle Bell Bazaar at Gateway Conference Center.
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Youth and Adult Art Classes are held year-round and will be advertised as they are scheduled.
See our upcoming events on Arts Daily:
https://bit.ly/ADChester
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30th Annual Superintendent's Art Show, in conjunction with the Chester County School District:
View the slideshow below to see the winning artwork!
(Video plays automatically)
The 30th Annual Superintendent's Art Show was hosted at Chester Middle School by the Arts Council of Chester County and the Chester County School District in April 2025.
The Arts Council selected local artist and class instructor Penelope Winslow to judge all the artwork that was submitted. Penelope has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in General Studio Art, and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Winthrop University. Over the years, she has taught students in all grade levels in public schools and community locations. Mrs. Winslow also teaches classes at the Arts Council for both youths and adults.
Mrs. Winslow judged each entry and chose 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners, along with Honorable Mentions, for each grade category. School Superintendent Dr. Sutton chose 4 Superint. Choice winners.
The Superintendent’s Art Show winning pieces will be exhibited at the Arts Council, located at 123 Main St in downtown Chester, from May 13-21. A special Community Drop-In will be held on May 14 from 4-6 pm to showcase the students’ artwork. The entire community is invited.
Thank you to the Chester County art teachers and students who worked diligently to create these masterpieces to be shared with our community! Special thanks also goes to Leslie Jacobs, Dana Williams for compiling the slideshow presentation, and other school staff for producing this show.