The Manatee River Artists Guild, Inc. is a 501(C)(3) with a mission to Keep Art Alive in our community and foster artistic expression among local school age students. The Guild has served our artists, art lovers, crafters, and the area since 2006.

The Guild was originally formed by several artists in the Waterlefe community who wanted to showcase their art and expand interest in art within the community. Originally called the Waterlefe Artists Guild, this group functioned and grew for 15 plus years with an expanded goal of helping the neighborhood schools develop their visual arts programs. This was done by donating a portion of the proceeds from the annual Art Show to two local schools. Initially the donations were a few hundred dollars per school, but grew to $10,000 over time.

The Guild’s success in raising money and subsequent philanthropy has grown considerably from the early years of its initial establishment. Thus, in 2022, an advisory committee representative of its membership made the decision to incorporate, and successfully gained 501(C)(3) status. Through our philanthropy, we have supported local students in expanding their artistic growth.

Fundraising efforts have grown significantly, and in 2023 the Guild was able to donate a total of $10,000 in keeping with our goal. Each of the local schools, Haile Middle and Freedom Elementary received $2500 for the purchase of supplies. We also provided a $2500 donation to ArtCenter Mantee for their summer camp scholarship program which provides art classes to disadvantaged children in the county. An additional $2500 is earmarked for the schools for one or more of the following: equipment, field trip(s) or a special event for the students.

In addition to our support of local students, the Guild provides community artists an opportunity to showcase their work at the Annual Art & Craft Show, with over 29 artists exhibiting and more than 600 attendees in 2023. Also in 2023, the Guild invited students from our two local schools to display their art, which added a new dimension to the show and was enthusiastically received by Guild members, parents, students and attendees. 

To support our member artists and art lovers, the Guild offers Art Tripping, a program of the Manatee River Artists Guild designed to entice members and guests to explore a wide variety of artistic venues and media throughout the local community.

With members’ input, the Guild provides fun and educational workshops Artists in Motion throughout the year that provide hands-on opportunities to explore a variety of art mediums.

With an ever-expanding membership and interest in the Artists Guild, we continue to seek new partners that can join us on the journey to Keep Art Alive!