Join the VECCA Community
Become an Exhibitor
Plein Air Meetups
April. 25 in Mt. Jackson.
Capturing the outdoors at a different valley location each month. All skill levels are welcome. Just bring yourself and your art materials to create whatever inspires you.
Thea Akobia - Artist of the Month
This exhibition explores a sense of place through scenes inspired by small towns, architecture, and everyday moments. Working with watercolor and digitally refined mixed media.
Call for Art
Deadline April 26.
VECCA Writers
Next meeting April 26, 3pm.
2026 Community Themes Announced!
Our Mission
VECCA (Valley Educational Center for the Creative Arts) is dedicated to bringing the arts and the community together through educational and cultural programs. By utilizing the skills of professional instructors and talented area residents, VECCA creates opportunities for persons of all ages to pursue the arts and develop their creative skills to whatever degree they desire, as well as to exhibit or perform those skills.
By creating an awareness of the arts, VECCA hopes to inspire and encourage creativity and develop an active cultural environment throughout The Shenandoah Valley. VECCA, an educational non-profit organization in Shenandoah County, Virginia, was founded in 1984 and continues to thrive. It benefits the community through annual student scholarships, workshops, exhibitions, community art projects, and more.
VECCA is open to the community during special events and on Saturdays, 10 am – 4 pm / Sundays, 12-3 pm. Or any time you see an artist in the gallery working on their artwork, Tuesday through Friday 10am – 2pm. Closures due to inclement weather are posted on this website, on our Facebook page, or our Instagram page,
Private viewings are available. Please contact us at veccarrts@gmail.com to set up a visit to the gallery outside of our posted or studio hours.
Below find current VECCA shows and upcoming Calls-for-Arts and other events. On our Art Calls page we also list external opportunities sent to us by members who wish to show off more offerings in the valley and beyond.
Artist of the Month - Thea Akobia
Open Reception – April 11, 1-3pm. Free wine, refreshments, and snacks provided.
This exhibition explores a sense of place through scenes inspired by small towns, architecture, and everyday moments. Working with watercolor and digitally refined mixed media,
Current Community Themed Show
Now on display.
All work submitted adhere to the theme of fantasy or fiction. Mythology, literature, illustration, dreams, sci-fi . . . imagine it and make it! We encourage work from visual artists, as well as writers, musicians, or any of the creative arts.
Next Community Theme
Our next community show: “Touch Grass: Scavenged Materials & Found Art”
Go outside, touch grass! Rummage through the attic and garage! This show will feature art that has some sort of scavenged element: art that incorporates found or nontraditional materials as a part of the overall piece.
New work exhibited at Theatre Shenandoah
Plein Air Meetups
Next: April 25, 8am - Noon - Mount Jackson
All skill levels are welcome. And all kinds of artists welcome, Painters, Illustrators, Sculptors, Writers, Photographers… just bring yourself and your art materials to create whatever inspires you.
2026 Community Themes Announced!
Get ahead with ideas for this years community show themes. Sign up and more details to come, but go to the art shows page to see a preview.
Help with the Arts in Your Community
Call for Volunteers & Instructors
Call or email if interested. Learn More about volunteering and being a part of arts in the valley.
Classes & Groups
The events listed below have all concluded their run. The instructors and organizers pulled off some amazing creative events that got folks together to create. While these events have passed and you may have missed out for now, all we need to start them up again is you! VECCA members are encouraged to submit class, workshop, and/or meetup ideas to the board. We also encourage you to reach out with feedback about what you would participate in. If there’s enough interest, we will do our best to bring those events to fruition! Or you can run the meetup yourself! (With help from VECCA’s volunteer board of directors of course)
Hosted by Terry A. Thiele
If you are a VECCA member and interested in hosting a backyard bird photography meetup at your place, email us at veccarts@gmail.com
OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Dedicated to Excellence in the Creative Arts
Scholarships
Each year, graduating high schoolers are invited to apply for visual arts, music, & writing scholarships, which provide financial aid to recipients.
Call to Artists
VECCA holds several art shows throughout the year. Each call for artists has its own guidelines, entry fees, and deadlines.
Education
Projects, workshops, and more provide the community with opportunities to unleash their creative sides through art.
Support the Arts
BECOME A MEMBER TODAY
Whether you are an artist, a musician, a writer, or simply a lover of the arts, VECCA is for you.
VECCA members enjoy two free entries to all art shows, opportunity to share their creative skills & sell their work during Saturday Demo Days, an invitation to our annual Holiday Market during November and December, a chance to exhibit their work year-round, and a unique position to share their love of the creative arts with The Shenandoah Valley. Free for students 18 and under.
