AiA’s Events & Exhibitions


Paint & Write the Town

Paint & Write the Town is a hugely popular annual event. Over the summer, artists and writers create works en plein air that are interpretive of one or more scheduled, inspirational locations followed by a juried art exhibit in October.

Paint / Write the Town Info

Paint & Write the Town Schedule

Paint & Write the Town Location Agents


World Beat Festival

We are not having a Fund Raiser at the World Beat Festival this year, but are planning on working on something for 2025 that all members can participate in, whether you volunteer watching the booth or not. We may ask you to bring your 8×8 2-D artwork (painting or other medium) next year to donate for this display. It will be a good chance to get your work and your name in the public eye.

Look for more information in this space for 2025!


Something Red

Something Red is AiA’s crown-jewel annual event. The call to artists goes out in October and asks for artwork that uses red as a focal point or primary color in the composition. In December, a juried art exhibition is held at Elsinore Gallery, downtown Salem.

More About Something Red


Springtime Art Exhibition

Each spring presents a fresh artistic challenge and April exhibit. AiA’s inaugural springtime call and exhibit was titled “Spring Reign.” For our second annual event, we asked artists to create works inspired by the phrase, “Spring Eternal” and for 2022, the theme was “Spring Fling”. For 2023, the theme is “The Essence of Spring” and will be asking for art interpreting either Spring or the Essence of Spring (or both). The resulting art exhibition is held at Elsinore Gallery in downtown Salem, Oregon during April.

Springtime Call & Exhibition


Art Chat

Artists are welcome to join in the evening of the first Tuesday of the month at 6:00 to join in with other artists to share your artwork. This is done online via a Zoom call. Enroll in Art Chat to be put on the mailing list and notified about the events.

Learn more about Art Chat


Outside the Box

Artists are encouraged to think Outside the Box and create fantastically embellished, one-of-a-kind, quirky boxes for AiA’s annual fundraising auction which is held concurrently with the Salem Art Fair & Festival in July. Bidding on these unique works supports our artist community.

More on Outside the Box

Volunteers for Salem Art Fair/Outside the Box go here: Salem Art Fair/Outside the Box Booth Sitters



Salem Hospital – Cancer Survivor Showcase

The Cancer Survivors’ Celebration Showcase is an annual event held in the waiting area of Building C of the Salem Hospital during the months if May/June. If you are a cancer survivor or have cared for a cancer patient, you are cordially invited to show one big or two smaller artworks in the May/June showcase. The 2023 showcase season is already closed, but contact us for the 2024 showcase.

About Salem Hospital Cancer Survivor Showcase

Spinnaker Place

Spinnaker Place is a modern professional building in Salem. Its five floors are host to rotating artwork by members of Artists in Action.

About Spinnaker Place