We provide art for the community by...
We provide support to artists in the community by...
History of Rockingham Fine Arts AssociationThe non-profit organization, Rockingham Fine Arts Association, traces its roots back many years. Carnegie and Rockefeller Foundation award winner Crystal Theodore moved to Harrisonburg, Virginia in the late 1950s to lead the Madison College (now JMU) Art Department. On the college grounds she found creative activity, however in the city she found no art on exhibit - and no art groups. Around 1960, she and organizer Jimmy Terrell, who was connected to the Virginia Museum, started the Harrisonburg Art Association. This Virginia Museum-affiliated program later changed its name to Rockingham Fine Arts Association. During our time in the Spitzer house, the organization was known as Spitzer Art Center, and we currently operate as Rocktown Arts.
History of Spitzer Art CenterIn 2002, Mary Spitzer Etter, a retired educator, left her family’s historic residence and her birthplace, Spitzer House, to Rockingham Fine Arts Association to establish a community art center and gallery. Spitzer House is a two-story Victorian house in downtown Harrisonburg, a few blocks west of Court Square on the corner of West Market and Willow Streets. Rockingham Fine Arts Association occupied the house from then until 2019 when the decision was made to convey her historic family home to Bridgewater College, as specified by Mary in her will. We had an amazing journey offering artist studio space, classes and exhibitions in the house over the years and we are truly grateful to Mary for her gift to us.
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