It is with great sadness that the West Shore Art Fair (WSAF) announces that the 2020 WSAF slated for July 4-5 has been cancelled.
The executive committee of the Ludington Area Center for the Arts (LACA), the local non-profit organization that organizes the WSAF, did not take this decision lightly. The WSAF is a major fundraiser for the art center which a volunteer organization that strives to engage, inspire and strengthen our community through arts advocacy.

The Ludington Area Center for the Arts (LACA) Regional High School Art Competition was created to show case the talent of high school students currently attending high school or home schooled in Mason, Oceana, Manistee and Lake counties. The exhibit will take place in LACA’s main gallery Nov. 3-26, 2020 with an artist reception slated for Friday evening, Nov. 6, 2020 from 5-8 p.m.; awards will be announced at 6:30 p.m. Area high school artists may submit three pieces of 2D or 3D artwork for consideration in this juried exhibit. Prizes will be awarded to the top three pieces in the exhibit. 

Join fellow artists during the first and third Thursday of each month for an open painting and drawing studio session at the Ludington Area Center for the Arts (LACA) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.  

Open studio is intended to foster creativity and encourage experimentation in an atmosphereof cultural exchange, conversation, encouragementand freedom of expression.

LACA members may attend open studio sessions free of charge while non-members must pay a $5 fee. Participants must check in at the LACA office. Artists must supply their own materials.

The Ludington Area Center for the Arts hosts a pair of weekly open studio sessions in it pottery studio.

The Tuesday session is hosted by Mary Case from 6:30-8:30 p.m. while Bekah Bramer hosts the Wednesday session from 6-8 p.m.

Open studio is not intended to be a class or workshop. "Hosts" are onsite to oversee the studio and give tips, pointers and encouragement.

Learn oil painting techniques from area artist Justin David Gustafson during his weekly painting class in the LACA craft room. 

This ongoing class is open to all skill levels and those interested in taking the class can join at any time. Classes are $30 per session or $100 for four.  All materials are supplied.

Contact LACA at 231-845-2787 or info@ludingtonartscenter.org to register.

Open Mic nights 

First and third Fridays of the month. Sign-up begins at 6:30 p.m. followed by performances at 7 p.m.

Free to perform or listen; show your support for local up-and-coming talent.

First Firday is 'Family Friendly' and third Fridays are 'Adult Themed.'

The Ludington Area Center for the Arts' new figure drawing group meets the second and fourth Thursday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the art center located at 107 S. Harrison St., in downtown Ludington. The group shares in the cost of the model fee. Models are both clothed and nude depending on availability. 

Anyone interested in modeling for the group is asked to contact John Marek at 231-239-0176. 

Wednesday's 

@ LACA

The Ludington Area Center for the Arts is hosting a weekly Youth Sewing Group led by Deb Borema. The group meets Wednesdays from 5-6:30 p.m. in the center's craft room.
Learn to use a sewing machine while creating numerous wearable items!
The Youth Sewing Group is FREE to children and grandchildren of LACA members ages 12 yrs. and up. $35 LACA membership can be purchased to join group.
Call 231-845-2787 or e-mail info@ludingtonartscenter.org to register. Class is limited to 10 people. 

LACA's Photography Group meets the second Tuesday of every month at 6 p.m. in LACA's main gallery Meetings are free and open to anyone who would like to discuss all things photography.
Each gathering of the group will include a brief highlighted topic followed by open discussions among attendees.
Occasional "field shoots" may be scheduled at various locations around the Ludington area on weekends.

Ukulele group 

to meet at 

LACA monthly

All Ukulele musicians are welcome and encouraged to attend. Sessions are divided into a beginner session from 1-1:30 p.m. followed by an "experienced" (can play 4 chords ) session from 1:30-2:30 p.m.

Upcoming Ludington Writers Events

The Ludington Area Center for the Arts (LACA) is hosting an online ‘Masters Challenge’ during the State of Michigan’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” executive order. 

During the ‘Masters Challenge’ the art center is challenging community members to play dress-up during the remaining weeks of the COVID-19 quarantine and challenges them to photograph themselves as they recreate their favorite classic painting. 

During this time of social distancing the Ludington Area Center for the Arts will be hosing a community Art BINGO challenge to assist community members to keep their creative juices flowing.   Simply print this BINGO card, complete five of the projects in a row (horizontal, vertical or diagonal), photograph each of your completed projects (please label the theme) and e-mail all project photos and photo of BINGO card to artbingo@ludingtonartscenter.org by Tuesday, June 2.

Artwork accepted June 16-27

The Ludington Area Center for the Arts (LACA) invites visual artists of all ages to submit artwork for a July 2020 exhibit entitled ‘Pandemic Ingenuity’ featuring artworks created begun during the COVID-19 shutdown.

Symbolic works are welcome as well as portraits, jewelry, prints, textiles, sculptures, ceramics, mobiles, collage, mixed media, photography, pastels, and paintings of watercolor, oil and watercolor will be accepted. 

An artistic fundraising project “Grab & Go” announced earlier this year by the Ludington Area Center for the Arts has been rescheduled for early . 

The completed canvases should be returned to the art center by Friday, Aug. 21 and will be displayed on a wall in time for a unique “Grab & Go” public reception Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020. The displayed canvases will be sold at a fixed price of $35 starting at that day and the purchasers may take immediate possession of their selections upon payment (“Grab & Go”). 

The Ludington Area Center for the Arts will host Helen Kleczynski's 'From Sketch to Studio' as the art center's March exhibit in the main gallery.
Kleczynski's 'From Sketch to Studio' will be on display March 5-28, 2020. 

A special artist reception celebrating Kleczynski's work will take place Friday, March 6 from 5-8 p.m. The artist reception is free and open to the public.

The Ludington Area Center for the Arts welcomes Full Cord to the center's performance hall stage Saturday, Nov. 7 at 7:30 p.m.Full Cord features seasoned bluegrass musicians Todd Kirchner, Eric Langejans, Brian Oberlin, Grant Flick and Matthew Davis. 

 The band has an extraordinary song base, with songs ranging from traditional country and bluegrass to modern pop hits, big band era tunes and everything in between (and we do mean everything!). With hundreds of songs in their repertoire, they never run out of songs to choose from. 

The Michigan Mandolin Orchestra begins its second season with a joyful concert at the Ludington Center for the Arts Saturday, Nov. 21. Directed by Michigan’s mandoliner, Brian Oberlin, the 16 piece Orchestra features mandolins, mandolas, octave mandolins, mandocellos, guitars and upright bass. Music selections include laureate composers; Tchaikovksy, Rachmaninoff, Vivaldi and Stamitz. As all good mandolin orchestras go, the Italian contingent of the program features a Tarantella by the great Rafale Calace.