Valley Art Center

What Valley Art Center does

Valley Art Center is a private nonprofit community art gallery and education center headquartered at 842 6th St, Clarkston, Washington, founded in 1965 (with 1968 also cited). It serves the Lewis-Clark Valley region by promoting, encouraging, and sponsoring art education and related activities for people of all ages through a unified, single-location offering that combines monthly juried gallery exhibitions, multi-week art classes, intensive workshops led by nationally and internationally known instructors, and a member-driven Back Gallery II display program. Core products include the Art Gallery & Exhibits rotation, Art Classes, Workshops, Art Sales, the Membership Program, and recurring themed events such as the Annual Open Judged Show, Heart for Art miniature fundraiser, Fiber Arts Show, Pastel Artists Show, Miniature & 3-D Show, and the Creative Confluence Show. Technology is essentially non-proprietary; the center operates a physical retail/showroom gallery open Tuesday through Saturday, supplemented by a WordPress website and Facebook presence for community outreach.

The business model blends recurring subscription revenue, transactional fees, and grant funding. Memberships are sold at four tiers—Student ($20/yr), Individual ($40/yr), Corporate ($150/yr), and Benefactor ($500+/yr)—and provide exhibition access, website listings, and Back Gallery II display privileges. Art sales generate commissions of 20% on items priced $25 and below and 30% above that threshold, with a separate 75/25 split for Heart for Art miniature pieces. Classes and workshops are priced per session ($120 for a six-week class; $345 for a three-day workshop), and gallery display space rents for $10/month (or $5/month with volunteer front desk service). Event entry fees ($8–$30) and juried show participation provide additional transactional revenue, while grants from ArtsFund, the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Washington State Arts Commission contribute external funding. Go-to-market is community-led, relying on local event participation, word-of-mouth, monthly newsletters, and social media to drive membership, class enrollment, and walk-in traffic. The organization is governed by a volunteer board of directors and operates with a minimal paid staff (1–10 employees), serving two primary customer segments: local artists and creatives seeking exhibition space and education, and art collectors and community members purchasing original work and attending events.

Name

Valley Art Center

Legal name

Valley Art Center

Website

https://lcvalleyartcenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Valley Art Center is a nonprofit community art gallery and education center in Clarkston, Washington, founded in 1965. It serves LC Valley artists and community members through monthly juried exhibits, classes, workshops, art sales, and a tiered membership program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Arts Center

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural Centers & Community Cultural Organizations (BPAGAHAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit) (THAJADAH), Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC)

Keywords

• Community art center
• Art gallery exhibitions
• Art education classes
• Juried art shows
• Visual arts workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

Clarkston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership dues providing artists access to display work in the Back Gallery II, website listing, and member benefits
2. Art Sales Commission: Commission on art sales at the gallery - 20% for items $25 and below, 30% for items above $25
3. Class and Workshop Fees: Fees for art classes and workshops taught by experienced instructors - classes typically run $120 for a multi-week course, workshops range from $345 for multi-day intensive workshops
4. Event Entry Fees: Entry fees for juried shows and miniature art sales where artists pay to enter work
5. Gallery Space Rental: Monthly rent for Back Gallery II display space - $10/month or $5/month with volunteer front desk service

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Valley Art Center is a community art gallery and education center that operates monthly juried art exhibits, offers multi-week art classes and intensive workshops in various media (watercolor, pastel, oil, acrylic, colored pencil), sells exhibited artwork on consignment with commission splits, and runs a tiered membership program providing Back Gallery II display space and website presence to local artists.

Product overview

Valley Art Center is a community art gallery and education center established in 1965 in Clarkston, Washington. The organization operates as a single unified offering rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. Its core products and services include: (1) Art Gallery & Exhibits featuring monthly juried shows with opening receptions, (2) Art Classes as multiple-week courses in various media, (3) Workshops taught by nationally/internationally known instructors, (4) Art Sales enabling collectors to purchase exhibited works, (5) Membership Program with tiered pricing and benefits, and (6) numerous annual themed shows including the Annual Open Judged Show, Heart for Art miniature fundraiser, Fiber Arts Show, Pastel Artists Show, and Miniature & 3-D Show. The center also hosts specialty events like the Creative Confluence Show featuring contemporary artists, Plein Air Painting sessions, and provides Back Gallery II space for member display. The organization enhances arts in the LC Valley through exhibits, display space, and education since 1968.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Art Gallery & Exhibits Monthly juried art exhibits featuring area artists with new displays each month and opening receptions, offered to walk-in visitors and community members.
• Art Classes Multiple-week courses covering various media (pastel, watercolor, colored pencil, and others) for all skill levels, taught by experienced instructors with individual attention.
• Workshops Shorter intensive multi-day sessions taught by nationally and internationally known instructors, offered at least annually for skill development.
• Art Sales Sale of exhibited artwork allowing collectors to purchase original art, with the center earning commission on each sale (20% for items $25 and below, 30% above $25).
• Membership Program Annual memberships with tiered pricing (Student $20, Individual $40, Corporate $150, Benefactor $500+) providing Back Gallery II display space, website listing, and member privileges.
• Annual Open Judged Show Annual open competition in all mediums with prizes for Best of Show, People's Choice, and First place in categories including watercolor, oil & acrylic, scratchboard, pastel, graphic, mixed media, fiber art, and 3-D.
• Fiber Arts Show Annual themed show featuring fiber art pieces, scheduled for September 2026.
• Annual Miniature & 3-D Show Annual show featuring miniature artworks and 3-D pieces, scheduled for November 2026.
• Judy Fairley's Pastel Artists Show Annual show featuring pastel artworks, scheduled for October 2026.
• Heart for Art Annual fundraiser featuring 5x7 miniature pieces available for $40 each, with artists receiving 75% commission on sales.
• Creative Confluence Show Contemporary art show featuring multiple artists working in photography, landscape painting, illustration, and papercuts.
• Back Gallery II Display Rotating gallery space for members to display their artwork, requiring membership and jury approval, with monthly rental of $10 or $5 with volunteer service commitment.

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Salmon River Art GuildcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 August 2026Collaborative art organization whose work is displayed at Valley Art Center. The guild's show runs August 7-26, 2026 at the center with a reception on August 7. The partnership provides exhibition space for guild members and enriches programming for VAC visitors.
• National Endowment for the ArtsminorOthersFederal arts funding agency that has provided grant support to Valley Art Center, as evidenced by the NEA logo on their website and grant acknowledgments.
• Palouse Watercolor SociuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWatercolor artist collective whose work is displayed in Gallery I. Opening reception March 6, 2026 with exhibit running throughout March.
• Lewis-Clark State CollegeminorOthersLocal educational institution with arts programming. Kelsey Grafton, former Exhibit & Programming Coordinator at LC State College, now serves as Professor of Art and has exhibited work at Valley Art Center.
• Washington State Arts CommissionminorOthersWashington State arts funding organization supporting arts education and programming.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Lowe Mill ARTS & Entertainment: One of the largest community art centers in the U.S., located in Huntsville, AL, combining artist studios, galleries, classes, and events. Operates the same gallery-plus-classes model as Valley Art Center but at a substantially larger scale, serving as an aspirational comparison point.
• Bellevue Arts Museum: A regional Washington State art institution combining curated exhibitions with arts education programming. Operates the same gallery-plus-education model as Valley Art Center but at a much larger institutional scale and urban-suburban footprint.
• Torpedo Factory Art Center: A large, well-known community art center in Alexandria, VA with working artist studios, galleries, and art classes. Shares the multi-function community-arts-center model but operates at significantly greater scale and visitor volume than Valley Art Center.

Direct peers

• Manhattan Arts Center: A small community arts center in Manhattan, KS offering gallery exhibits, classes, and community arts events. Comparable in scale, mission, and the combination of education, exhibition, and membership-driven programming.
• Pendleton Center for the Arts: A rural Oregon community arts center offering rotating gallery exhibits, art classes, and community cultural programming. Nearly identical operating model to Valley Art Center: single storefront, member-based, community-focused nonprofit.
• Columbia Center for the Arts: A small community arts center in Hood River, OR that operates a gallery, offers classes and workshops, and hosts community events. Closely comparable to Valley Art Center in scale, mission, and Pacific Northwest small-town operating model.
• Josephy Center for Arts and Culture: A regional community arts center in Joseph, OR combining gallery exhibits, art education classes, and cultural programming for a small rural market — directly comparable to Valley Art Center's mission and operating structure.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ValleyArtCenter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Valley Art Center