AiA’s Events & Exhibitions
Join Salem Artists in Action for Salem art events (such as the annual Salem favorites Paint & Write the Town, Springtime Exhibition, and Something Red), classes, and community engagement in the Willamette Valley. Explore our diverse range of art events that celebrate creativity and community in Salem, Oregon and the Willamette Valley area. From exhibitions to interactive workshops, discover how we bring artists and the community together.
Also join us in support of a planned auction event to support the Elsinore Framing and Art Gallery. We are in the planning stages and are getting ready for the event to happen in November.
Paint & Write the Town
Salem Art Events: Paint & Write the Town is not just an event; it’s a celebration of community creativity. 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 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.
Get involved in Paint & Write the Town – register today and unleash your creativity!
Check out the Paint & Write the Town Schedule and join this exciting event!
Paint & Write the Town Location Agents
2025 Judge for Paint & Write the Town
The judge for Paint & Write the Town this year is Nancy Eng, a prominent artist in Salem! We are proud to have her judging this year’s entries into Paint & Write the Town.
You can learn more about Nancy on her judges page here: Nancy Eng – 2025 P&WTT Judge
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 now held in September. Bidding on these unique works supports our artist community.
Volunteers for Salem Art Fair/Outside the Box go here: Salem Art Fair/Outside the Box Booth Sitters
Something Red
Art events Salem: Something Red is AiA’s crown-jewel annual event that invites artists to explore the passionate color red through their creations in an art exhibition in December of each year serving the Salem, Oregon and the Willamette Area artists and art lovers.
Previous exhibitions have showcased remarkable talent, and we invite you to be part of this vibrant tradition. It is our most popular event of the year with many Salem residents and visitors finding jewels for holiday gift giving and adding to beautiful and inspiring artwork to their homes and offices.
The call to artists for this Salem art event 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.
Discover more about Something Red!
AiA’s Creatures Great & Small
This spring, Artists in Action invites you to express your love for pets and animals in our fresh artistic challenge. This Salem art exhibition not only showcases talent but also supports local animal shelters, fostering a sense of community and care through the community donations of money, pet-related toys, food, and other essential products.
The theme for our first pet support event is “Creatures Great & Small” which presents a fresh artistic challenge to Salem-area artists that results in an June exhibition. This year we are calling for engaging works of art that conceptualize the theme “Creatures Great & Small” which includes pets and animals in general. The resulting art will be on display during June 2025 at Elsinore Framing and Art Gallery in downtown Salem. Opening night coincides with Salem’s First Friday events.
Click here to see more information about the event and call to artists.
AiA’s Parasol Event for the Salem Cherry Blossom Day
Thanks for all of you artists that participated in the parasol painting event for the Salem Cherry Blossom Day festival again this year. We have been participating in this Salem community Japanese cultural event for over five years with parasols being purchased by locals and visitors alike.
For more information, visit the Cherry Blossom Day page here: https://artistsinaction.org/events2/cherry-blossom-day/
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 2026 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.
- For more information on the World Beat Festival: Learn how you can participate in the World Beat Festival – join us and showcase your art!
- Here is the Members Extras page for all of the Signups: Member Extras Signups
- For Paint & Write the Town go here: Paint & Write the Town Agents
- For World Beat Booth sitters go here: World Beat Agents
Springtime Art Exhibition
Art events Salem: Join us each spring as Artists in Action presents a fresh artistic challenge for the Springtime Art Exhibition in April that encourages creativity and community engagement in the Salem, Oregon and Willamette Valley area. Past themes have inspired local artists to explore the essence of spring, and we look forward to seeing how this year’s theme inspires new works.
Previous exhibitions have showcased remarkable talent, and we invite you to be part of this vibrant tradition. 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.” For our third event, in 2022, the theme was “Spring Fling” and for the fourth event, in 2023, the theme was “Essence of Spring” and the fifth year was “Spring Renewal” for 2024. This last year, 2025, we called for art interpreting either Spring or The Colors of Spring (or both). The resulting art exhibition is held at Elsinore Gallery in downtown Salem, Oregon during April. Who know what the show will be called this year for inspiration! Send in your ideas!
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.
Join the Art Chat community to connect with fellow artists and showcase your work!
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