Membership
Join the Des Plaines Art Guild and enjoy the many benefits offered.
Member Benefits
The Des Plaines Art Guild (DPAG) is a member-driven organization. We are an all-volunteer organization who relies on our members for the continuing operation of the Guild. To learn more please view our Volunteer Opportunities. We strive to provide services that are of value to our member artists and our community.
The Des Plaines Art Guild (DPAG) offers its members a number of benefits supporting their development as an artist:
Discounted Fees for Workshops, Exhibits & Special Events
DPAG provides opportunities for artistic development through a variety of workshops ranging from beginner to advanced levels. Our instructors range from local to national award-winning artists. offering something from a variety of mediums. Full registration must be paid to guarantee your seat in a class. DPAG members enjoy a discounted workshop fee along with an early bird rate to encourage early enrollment. Artists traveling from out of state need several weeks of notice of adequate enrollment. Workshops are held at various locations throughout Des Plaines and may be viewed on our Workshops page.
Exhibit Opportunities
DPAG offers exhibit opportunities for artists of all skill levels. We host one member exhibit a year at the Des Plaines History Center. All exhibits are non-juried, (all artwork submitted will be exhibited); but all entries must meet the DPAG Exhibit Requirements. We sometimes have exhibits in other locations around the community. We invite members to contribute ideas and lead additional exhibits.
Photographs of member artwork (Picture Day)
DPAG offers free photography services for members' artwork. Members may bring up to three pieces of artwork to be photographed. You may wait for your work to be photographed or you may leave the artwork and pick it up. The artwork is photographed on a “first come, first served” basis. NOTE: Occasionally Picture Day will be changed to a different Sunday due to a conflict. Picture Day days are usually scheduled a year in advance and are posted on the Calendar page in addition to reminders via member emails.
Individual members online artist gallery
DPAG maintains individual artist’s galleries on the DPAG website for members in good standing. A gallery of your work will be created in your name on the guild website, giving you a place to refer family and friends to view your artwork or other artists at their convenience. Setup fees may apply.
Member Emails
Upon joining, you will begin receiving official DPAG emails announcing upcoming DPAG exhibits/events and reminders. We pride ourselves in not bombarding your email box with a continuous stream of emails. If you do not begin receiving emails by the time your name is added to the Members list on the website, please let us know via the Contact form. Make sure that DPAG is in your contact list so that your member emails are not sent to your “Junk Mail” box; that has been a common issue.
Networking with other artists
There are several avenues for members to network with other artists: participating in workshops, talking to artists, and taking part in member meetings. Volunteering to coordinate workshops or participate in hanging an exhibit are also great ways to support the Guild and network with other artists.
Volunteer Opportunities
Multiple studies have documented the physical and emotional benefits derived from volunteering. DPAG provides excellent (and flexible) volunteer opportunities. Volunteering for DPAG is volunteering for more than just “us”, it is being actively involved in supporting artists in our community on a grassroots level. Volunteering on one of the DPAG committees or activities is an easy and gratifying way to “give back” to our/your community. The DPAG has been an integral part of the grassroots art community in Des Plaines since 1953 thanks to the members who have volunteered over the years. Your volunteer hours are important to the ongoing operations of our history-laden organization. Most of our Volunteer Opportunities take only a few hours every couple of months.