What is VAE Raleigh?: 45 Years Later

07/28/2025 - Essi Sings

Have you been craving an inclusive circle of supportive artists who offer opportunities and resources to help you have a sustainable art career?

Us too!

On July 16th, 2025, we heard from the new co-directors for the 45 year-old communuity cultural arts non-profit organization, VAE (Visual Art Exchange) Raleigh. VAE was founded in 1980 by a group of artists in Raleigh who aspired to provide resources for emerging artists.

Together, co-directors Pete Sack and Jean Gray lead the artist and art-lover community in a discussion about new ways we can use the VAE platform to benefit more artists. Ideas such as; partnering with other local arts organizations, expanding gallery themes, and offering studio space are just a few ideas that came to the collective mind during the hour-long discussions.

Each guest had a colored name tag that set groups to respond to prompts that were at each table. Each table had a notebook that lived there, people wrote their ideas, and agreeing participants put a star next to ideas they supported. This was a necessary icebreaker after VAE’s few months of public silence, participants got the chance to see faces and meet everyone involved - the excitement was palpable. We are looking forward to contributing and supporting VAE’s new strategies to connect to more artists, gifting North Carolina with a flourishing variety of art.

If you, or someone you know, are interested in VAE’s mission to provide space and oppourtunities in the North Carolina artist community, contact them at www.VAERaleigh.org and follow them on Instagram at @VAERaleigh.

VAE’s Official Mission: VAE produces, funds, and exhibits socially-engaged art through community collaboration.