MCA’s Galleria Valéncia grand opening is Jan. 6

WINONA, Minn. – The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts announces the opening of Galleria Valéncia, Thursday, Jan. 6, at the Valéncia Arts Center, 1164 West 10th St.

Galleria Valéncia will host visual art works from Winona area schools beginning in January 2011. Each month, different schools will display works of their student artists. A variety of schools from the Winona Area Catholic Schools and Winona Area Public School system have reserved space this winter and spring at Galleria Valéncia.

Keeping true to our founder’s original vision of encompassing both performing and visual arts in one’s overall arts education, MCA is in the creation stage of developing a visual art division. “MCA is thrilled to bring the talents of local youth artists to Valéncia and start the first steps in launching our visual art division,” said Christine Martin, managing director. In addition to hosting the works in Galleria Valéncia, MCA hopes to be offering visual art class by January 2012.

Galleria Valencia’s grand opening will be during the MCA registration open house, Thursday, Jan. 6, from 4 to 7 p.m. The gallery will be open throughout the MCA Semester II and Spring session (January – May 2011), Mondays through Thursdays noon to 6:30 p.m., Fridays noon to 5:30 p.m., and Saturdays 9 a.m. to noon.

Development of the MCA visual art division and the opening of Galleria Valéncia is made possible in part by a grant provided by the Minnesota State Arts Board, through an appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature from the Minnesota arts and cultural heritage fund with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on Nov. 4, 2008.

For more information about Galleria Valéncia or other programming at the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts’ Valencia Arts Center, visit www.mnconservatoryforthearts.org.