Program areas at SAA
For nearly seven decades, Salem Art Association has been presenting the annual Salem Art fair & festival as an integral part of the region's cultural calendar, that draws over 36,000 people each year. The Salem Art fair & festival was started in 1949 and is now the largest Art fair in Oregon and the second largest in the pacific northwest. Over the course of three days, it features more than 210 artists, live music, theatre and dance on two entertainment stages, two craft beer and wine gardens, more than 20 food booths, a kid's court with Art activities, a cultural community with a demonstration stage, a plant sale and much more. The Salem Art fair & festival is committed to upholding the importance of the fine arts and crafts by providing access to a range of artistic mediums appealing to both Art appreciators and Art collectors alike.
The Salem Art Association's community arts education program aims to support a broad range of dynamic local arts projects. Most notably, cae engages thousands of students, administrators, teachers and parents each year through our artists in the schools initiative and the high school mentorship program. With the 2016 renovations of the annex and at the bush barn Art center cae programming has expanded. The newly renovated bush barn annex now serves as the headquarters for saa's cae program and features a dedicated studio space for a year-round artist-in-residence program, and a main space for Art workshops, exhibitions, classes and other programming.
Located in historic bush's pasture park, the bush barn Art center features three galleries, a gift gallery, and a permanent collection. The a.n. Bush gallery presents major interpretive exhibitions of regional, national, and international artists. The focus gallery offers a more intimate setting showcasing small one-person exhibitions as well as exhibitions highlighting community partnerships with other cultural organizations. The camas gallery provides regional artists seeking gallery representation and professional development support with the venue and services they need to thrive professionally. Our exhibitions feature fine Art and crafts by artists living or working in the pacific northwest and beyond. The bush barn Art center provides enriching artistic experiences for viewers of all ages, fostering a life-long appreciation for visual Art. Exhibitions are always free and open to the public.
The historic bush house museum is preserved and interpreted to explore the lives and legacy of Salem's bush family, the early development of Salem, and the history and diversity of early Oregon. The rooms are furnished with a significant number of the bush family's original furnishings to show what the house looked like around 1913. The house was modern when it was built, with gas lighting, indoor plumbing, and a central heating system; as the home of a wealthy family, it doesn't reflect the lifestyle of most oregonians living in that era. Salem Art Association has started the process of re-examining the life and contributions of asahel bush whose racist rhetoric and support of exclusionary government structures still impacts native americans and communities of color today and finding ways to de-emphasize his individual story while creating space for the stories of Salem's diverse early communities.