History

Irvington has a unique heritage as a community in support of the arts. As early as 1928 to 1937, Irvington artists' work were promoted through a series of annual exhibits. Sponsored by a group of Irvington clubs, these exhibitions attracted the attention of patrons throughout the state. The seventeen resident professional artists who displayed their work during these exhibition included respected artists such as William Forsyth, Clifton Wheeler, Charles Yeager and Carolyn Bradley. Many examples of these artists' works are now the property of the Irvington Historial Society.

The Irvington Guild of Artists (IGA) was formed in 2000 to help continue this fine tradition of supporting Irvington artists and providing an opportunity to exhibit their works. The IGA's mission is to promote Irvington as a center for advancement of the arts by educating, sponsoring art exhibitions, and assisting the development of artists in their media. The founding members of the Irvington Guild of Artists established the IGA to promote Irvington artists at work while bringing new and exciting art from other communities into Irvington. Artists have many opportunities to exhibit their work in venues such as the new Irvington Branch Library and the Bona Thompson Center. In addition, the Irvington Guild of Artists sponsors an annual Summer Art Fair in conjunction with the Irvington Garden Club.