In 1954, an art teacher and a small group of students joined together to create opportunities for artists like themselves to exhibit, learn, & grow.
In 2014, The Art League celebrated 60 years of bringing the arts to the community through our school, gallery, store, and outreach programs. Through several moves, leading the establishment of the Torpedo Factory Art Center, and expanding our programs to fill more than 10,000 class seats annually, The Art League remains dedicated to nurturing the artist and enriching the community by engaging over 1,000 artist members, attracting 72,300+ visitors to its gallery, and achieving national recognition for its outreach.
60th anniversary events in 2014:
- Thursday, January 9: 60th Anniversary Kickoff Event: Our Community Canvas Project
- Sunday, February 16: 47th Annual Patrons’ Show
- March 6–9: The Biennial Ikebana Show
- April 30: Art on the Rocks
- August 7–September 21: “Influence & Inspiration: The Art League Faculty Celebrates 60 Years.” Special exhibit at the Athenaeum.
- October 23–25: Portrait & Figure Festival
- December 5: Artfête
Six Decades of Making Art
In celebration of its 60th Anniversary year, The Art League revisited and reflected upon the major art movements from the last six decades. In 2014, the following exhibits honored those movements:
- January: Abstract Expressionism Revisited
- March: ColorField
- April: Pop Art
- May: The Feminist Movement in Art
- June: Neo-Expressionism
- September: Contemporary Realism
- October: Art NOW
Art League History
Visit the Torpedo Factory and find our timeline on the second floor celebrating 60 years of Art League history. You can also view the timeline online by clicking here.
Promotional support for our 60th Anniversary has been generously provided by the Alexandria Marketing Fund.