June 9, 2023 3:20 a.m.

In the KQEN Cultural Spotlight:

Umpqua Valley Arts will unveil its “Artswork Northwest Biennial” exhibit during an open house reception Friday from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the UVA building on West Harvard Avenue in Roseburg.

The exhibit is described as “a critical show of the discourse, dialogue, and practices happening with contemporary artists in the region”.

UVA Executive Director Emily Brandt said “UVA is committed to bringing unique, thought-provoking arts and cultural experiences to Douglas County”. Brandt said, “These inclusive and accessible opportunities connect and engage our community at a pivotal moment in time in a way only the arts can”.

A UVA release said the show began in 2010 as a local exhibit to celebrate the Umpqua Valley. It remained an annual show at UVA with growing popularity and increasing submissions for the next decade. In response, the exhibition was scaled up, and now occurs biannually with works exhibited across all four of UVA’s main galleries. The call to artists for the biennial reaches across the Pacific Northwest, specifically to artists living in northern California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Alaska, British Columbia, western Montana, and western Wyoming.

Artwork for this exhibit are chosen by a curator who lives and works in the Pacific Northwest. This year’s guest curator is Portland based artist, Arvie Smith.

The reception will feature the brand-new exhibits in five gallery spaces, small bites and sips, live music and more. The new exhibits can be viewed free of charge through August 18th during regular gallery hours, which are Tuesdays through Fridays from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Go to www.uvarts.com for more information on the exhibit.