Founded in 1978 under the leadership of Marion Park Lewis (“mother of the Arts” in Winchester) as the Shenandoah Arts Council, ShenArts provides regional artists of all ages and skill levels with opportunities to exhibit their artworks in various partnership programs, including the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley (MSV), the City of Winchester, the Barns of Rose Hill, Navy Federal Credit Union and sponsorships for youth initiatives. These programs include exhibitions such as Art in the Halls, the ArtScape banners in Old Town Winchester, the Veterans Art Exhibit and Youth Art Month exhibits.

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The Shenandoah Arts Council was officially founded on September 11, 1978, by a group of arts patrons and visual artists.  The organization covered the geographic region of Winchester, and Frederick, Clarke, Warren and Shenandoah counties and sought to increase access to the arts for people of the region.