Help Launch a Community Art Gallery in Ukiah!

During COVID-19, the Deep Valley Arts Collective successfully launched two online exhibitions of works by local artists. This brought artists and art appreciators together in a time when togetherness was problematic at best. In a stroke of fortune and generosity and just as business restrictions began to lift, DVAC was offered a physical location at the beginning of April. Work is already underway to transform this space into a long-planned gallery and workshop venue, called 'MEDIUM,' that will serve to showcase and support the community of artists that we hold so very dearly.  

Your generosity will allow us to finish the interior space and equip it with a few key features to support the display and sales of artworks such as gallery lighting, mounting hardware and free-standing walls. Our goal of $5,000 will allow us to open our doors and pay the bills for a while as we formulate our next steps in tandem with Mendocino County’s safe reopening guidelines. Any funds raised beyond our goal will be humbly saved to be put toward establishing a workshop and public event schedule, and toward equipping the space with installation tools as well as lighting and a backdrop for professional art photography. Names of donors (with your permission) will be displayed at the gallery. 

Resources and outlets for artists in rural communities can be few and far between, or mired in steep representation/gallery commission fees. MEDIUM Gallery will support artists by holding juried monthly exhibitions without submission fees and hosting First Friday opening events where artists and art lovers can connect, as well as by paying the artist the entire list value of an artwork upon sale. Additionally, artists will be represented on our website and featured via social media.  
As we grow, we will add workshops, film screenings and artist talks. Support for professionally photographing artworks will be provided free of charge to artists and dreams for the future include a matting/framing station, community darkroom and figure drawing sessions.  

Our long term goal is to secure a permanent location in which we can expand to provide artists with individual and shared work spaces equipped with tools and supplies to support a wide variety of mediums. We envision a place for all artists to network and learn from one another, and most importantly to be held up by an organization committed to artists’ personal and career enrichment and success. 

The Deep Valley Arts Collective was formed by three local artists; Lillian Rubie, Chris Pugh and Meredith Hudson, who have poured their hearts and spare time into making MEDIUM a reality. At this point, we need a little help to cross the finish line and open MEDIUM with a complete exhibition on July 2nd. Our first show will be titled “Prologue” and will be a juried exhibition of works following a call for entries.  

We are very grateful for your support of this project, whether it be in the form of a donation or of well-wishes. We hope you will also consider spreading the word about this fundraiser and about the opening of the gallery with your friends, family and local artists. Our hope is that MEDIUM is the first step toward a reinvigoration of art in the community, and that artists will find success and fulfillment while being supported via accessible representation and enrichment for all. Thank you from the bottoms of our hearts, we can’t wait to show you how talented this community is!  

Make a donation.

Your donation to the Deep Valley Arts Collective supports our mission to create a culture that nurtures artistic development while contributing to the well-being of our community.

The Deep Valley Arts Collective is a 501c3 Nonprofit Organization.