Located east of Ravenwood Castle, The Dairy Barn Arts Center in Athens is sure to fill in any gaps you have in your getaway itinerary! Their mission is simple: providing a way to promote local artists, developing art appreciation among all ages, and giving the community opportunities to do so. They have a twelve-month program calendar that has a great deal of programs, exhibitions, festivals, and other activities.

The staff at the Dairy Barn Arts Center have worked diligently to ensure the center is safe for all visitors and have their own set of COVID-19 protocols. We highly encourage you to visit their website to see their guidelines for the facility if you’re planning to visit. This week of Quoth the Raven, our Activity Spotlight calls attention to some of the highlights of this unique location.

The history of the barn is lengthier than you’d imagine and dates all the way back to the early 1900s – click here to read the full background! The turning point for the Dairy Barn Arts Center and what it is today occurred in 1977 when the Hocking Valley Arts Council rallied residents to create a committee to save the barn from being demolished. They succeeded in saving the then 100-year-old barn with its first full-scale arts exhibition organized in the summer of 1979.

When visiting, don’t miss out on the Ora Anderson Trail. The Dairy Barn is located on 32 acres and over the last 40 years, the pasture has turned into a wooded area. Back in 2018, the trail, dubbed the Ora Anderson Trail, was opened to the public so guests would be able to enjoy nature, wildlife, and discover some historic infrastructures from the dairy barn’s early days.

The exhibitions that are available to the public rotate every few months. Their exhibition programming “aims to nurture and promote contemporary artists from our region as well as artists from across the United States and beyond.” The Sauber Gallery that is on the main floor features four main exhibitions that draws over 8,000 gallery patrons from all over the world each year.

Currently the center is showcasing the Women of Appalachia Project™ Fine Art Exhibition that features artwork of all media by 41 artists from 8 states. The exhibition will be open to the public Friday, January 29 – Sunday, March 21. Gallery hours are Wednesday-Sunday, 12-5pm. Admission is $5 and free for Dairy Barn members.

If you’re interested in seeing the current exhibit, reservations, social distancing, and masks are required, so plan accordingly. Whether you’re attending an art workshop in the future, hiking the Ora Anderson trail, or perusing the galleries, you are guaranteed to have a fantastic visit to the Dairy Barn Arts Center – a perfect day trip from Ravenwood Castle!

Molly Smith

Molly Smith is a member of the Ravenwood Detective Agency, and loves to hunt zombies. Her passion for guest satisfaction and love for event planning led her to Ravenwood Castle.