Our Mission
The Dairy Barn Arts Center’s mission is to offer exhibitions, events, and educational programs that nurture and promote area artists and artisans, develop art appreciation among all ages, provide the community access to fine arts and crafts from outside the region and draw attention and visitors to Southeast Ohio. The twelve-month program calendar includes international juried exhibitions, festivals, touring exhibits, programs of regional interest, live performances, and activities for all ages. Some events are produced entirely by The Dairy Barn Arts Center while others are the result of cooperation with regional education, arts, or community organizations. Exhibits such as OH+5: A Biennial Ohio Border Exhibition and Athens Voices, A Biennial Exhibition featuring artists that live or work within 30 miles of Athens and feature outstanding regionally produced artwork in a variety of media. The Dairy Barn Arts Center has also developed an international reputation for excellence with Quilt National, a biennial exhibition that has attracted more than 100,000 visitors to Athens from around the world since its premiere in 1979.
Dairy Barn Directors
Harriet Anderson Founding President, 1977-1978
Karen Adams 1978-1979
Pamela Parker 1979-1989
Lynn Buckingham 1990-1991
Emilie Ezell 1991-1992
Susan Urano 1993-2000
Krista Campbell 2001-2003
Andrea Lewis 2004-2012
Jane Forrest Redfern 2012-2019
Leah Magyary 2019-Current