It all started in 1998 when Dorothy Garrett, who was the president of the board of the Oregon Symphony Association in Salem, gathered a number of other
non-profit arts board presidents together to talk about what was going on in their organizations. Over the years, the group has grown and its roll in Salem’s Arts World has changed and grown as well.
Throughout its history ArtSmart’s commitment has been to work cooperatively to promote and enhance the arts and cultural opportunities in Salem and its surrounding communities. As the first ArtSmart community arts calendar was published, the grassroots group incorporated. Continuing to work cooperatively to promote the arts, member groups introduced a guide for teachers in the 2006-2007 school year.
ArtSmart is funded through memberships and project grants. As the finishing touches are being put on the fifth annual community arts calendar (to be unveiled at Art Fair in July) the organization continues to work to raise awareness about the wonderful entertainment opportunities in Salem and the surrounding areas. For more information about how you can become a member of ArtSmart, email info@artsmartsalem.org or download the appropriate membership form from this page.