In downtown Cumberland, the Allegany Arts Council’s Saville Gallery is a shining example of the growing Arts community in Western Maryland. The non-profit gallery was re-opened in its current location at 52 Baltimore Street in August of 2001. According to Gallery Directors Beth Piver and Andy Vick, the mission of the Saville Gallery is “...to provide members of the community and visitors to Allegany County with a unique opportunity to experience top-quality artwork in a professional gallery setting.” With track lighting suspending from high ceilings, clean whitewalls for hanging artwork and beautiful wooden floors, the Saville Gallery is every bit as impressive as any art space you’re likely to find in Baltimore, Philadelphia or New York City.

The Saville Gallery has a distinctively contemporary artistic slant, exhibits include a wide range of art forms and include everything from ceramics and photography to metal sculpture and oil painting. In addition to featuring the artwork of talented local and regional artists, the gallery draws professional artists from across the country to exhibit in Allegany County.

Approximately nine exhibits, each lasting five to six weeks, are presented in the Main Gallery throughout the course of the year. Currently, three of these exhibits are annual events: the Tri-State Photography Exhibition (February), the Will’s Creek Survey Juried Art Exhibition (late August) and the Annual Member’s Exhibition (late November). The remaining six exhibits typically feature a single artist or two artists with complimentary work (often a two-dimensional artist and a three-dimensional artist are paired together). Occasionally, a special exhibit will be presented that may feature a larger group of artists and/or may be based around a specific theme (i.e., student artwork, artwork by artist couples, etc.). Most artwork on display in the Main Gallery is for sale.

The Saville Gallery and Artshop are handicap accessible and open to the public Tuesday through Friday from 10am to 4pm and Saturday from 11am to 4pm. For more information about upcoming exhibitions at the Saville Gallery, visit www.alleganyartscouncil.org or call 301-777-ARTS (2787).