HALLIE FORD MUSEUM OF ART

Featuring works by Pacific Northwest and Native American artists, and a diverse collection of traditional European, American, and Asian art, and antique artifacts. The galleries are closed on Sunday and Monday. Admission is $8 for adults and $5 for seniors (55+). Children and students (0-17) and students (18+ with ID) are admitted for free, and Tuesday is a free day. 

Through March 21, 2026

D.E. May: Postcards from Islandsalem is a forty-plus-year retrospective exhibition of this Salem mixed-media artist, who passed away in 2019 from pancreatic cancer, just as he was emerging onto the national art scene. Organized by independent curator Linda Tesner, the exhibition features a range of objects created over the past four decades, including collages, drawings, paintings, sculptures, templates, testbeds, and mail art.

Free Related Events

• Gallery talk/walk-through tour led by curator Linda Tesner, 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Mar 10 at the Hallie Ford Museum of Art.
• The museum will offer free admission on Saturday, March 21—the final day of the exhibition—and host a free open house of Dan’s studio/workspace in downtown Salem from 12 to 4 p.m. Space and times are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. To make a reservation, call 503-370-6855 by March 20.  

Through June 20, 2026

Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts Biennial highlights a selection of contemporary prints created over the past two years at the renowned printmaking atelier on the Umatilla Reservation. Founded in 1992 by artist James Lavadour, Crow’s Shadow has grown into one of the nation’s premier print studios, fostering artistic opportunity and cultural exchange for Native and non-Native artists alike. 

SALEM ART ASSOCIATION

The Salem Art Association (SAA) aims to actively engage the community in the appreciation of the arts through contemporary art exhibits and events, and arts education for youth and adults. Bush Barn Art Center & Annex, 600 Mission St SE | 503-581‑2228, salemart.org

March 2 to 30, 2026

Artist-in-Residence: Naomi Halpern brings a background in immigration justice and place-based craft to SAA, where their residency explores personal responsibility, balance, and collective care within unjust systems. Working in fiber, ink, and light, their slow, process-driven practice will center on hands as a metaphor for action, responsibility, care, and personhood. 

March 6 to April 26, 2026

Art Teachers Showcase | After Hours highlights the creative work of regional art teachers and educators, celebrating their dedication to nurturing young artists in our community and fostering creativity. These teachers exemplify how art remains a powerful tool for expression throughout a lifetime. Curated by Katie Gilmour and featuring artists Morgan Amerson, Autumn Breitwieser, Lacey Curlin, Michelle Dickson, Thomas Douglas, Katie Gilmour, Melissa Hawes, Alycia Helbling, Jennifer Joy Loop, Bryn Pettigrew, Jesús Santillanes, Shoki Tanabe, and Chelsea Tradewell. Reception: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 6

SAA Represented Artists — Discover work by the artists represented by the Salem Art Association, each bringing a distinct perspective and creative voice to the space. The Gift Gallery features even more original pieces, making it easy to find something meaningful for any art lover…or for yourself. Reception: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 6

March 6 to 29, 2026

A Division of Vision: Can You See How I Feel? | H. Eliz Snowcarp — Vision is not just what we see—it is how we understand, how we feel, and how we are invited into meaning. This exhibition explores what happens when sight is no longer the primary gatekeeper to art, and when touch and curiosity take the lead.

Snowcarp’s practice is grounded in the belief that when we design for those with the least access, we create richer, more playful, and more meaningful experiences for all. Art can become a shared visual language—and if we take a deeper look at how we use that language, think more broadly about how to teach, share, and explore it, we expand the richness of ideas and the complexity of the world. Art does not require permission, training, or a single way of seeing—it asks only for engagement. Reception: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 6

March 7 to April 26, 2026

2026 Young Artists’ Showcase features artwork by hundreds of students in K to 12. Opening and Award Ceremony: 12 p.m. Saturday, March 7

SALEM ON THE EDGE

From fine art by established and up-and-coming artists to graffiti artists, Salem on the Edge features work by PNW artists in a variety of media for purchase. Shows change each month. 156 Liberty St NE | salemontheedge.com

March, 2026

Digital Daydreams: A Retrospective is a survey of digital artmaking by Salem artist Jim Hockenhull.

Hockenhull has never stopped pushing against the edge of what machines can dream. Moving across decades from Apple II to Midjourney, Hockenhull blends the analog and the algorithmic into work that is surreal, conceptual, and always a little bit humorous. A contemporary of AI art pioneers like Harold Cohen and composer David Behrman, Hockenhull’s curiosity spans nearly 50 years of practice and asks a simple question: what happens when a human spends half a century teaching computers to play?

Free Related Events

• Opening Reception: 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, March 6
• Artist Talk: 11 a.m. March 28

STEFANI ART GALLERY

Showcasing modern, contemporary, and abstract art from local and internationally recognized artists. We offer original artworks, fine art photographs, and limited-edition prints for collectors at every level. Art should be accessible to all, and we’re here to help you find the perfect pieces for your space. 305 Court St NE | stefaniartgallery.com

March, 2026

Bianca Youngers: So Long, The Garden is an immersive exhibition exploring imagined botanical worlds shaped by memory, sensation, and transformation. A poetic and evocative evening to kick off the season.

Free Related Event

• Reception: 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, March 6

Gallery 444

Framing shop and art gallery featuring a variety of art, including work by members of Artists in Action. 444 Ferry St SE | elsinoregallery.com

March 6 to 27, 2026

The Art of Pastels a passel of pastelists including Vick Brink, Jane Castelan Buccola, Lorraine Dye, Dee Hendrix, Carol Murphy, Natasha Ramras, Heather Taylor and Diane Trevett. 

Free Related Event

• Reception: 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, March 6

Cultural Exhibits

OREGON STATE CAPITOL

View curated exhibits, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at 900 Court St NE. https://oregoncapitol.com/

Through March 12, 2026

Oregon Blue Book Exhibit — The Oregon Blue Book is the official, comprehensive almanac and fact book for the State of Oregon, published biennially in odd-numbered years by the Secretary of State’s Office since 1911. It serves as a guide to state, local, and federal government, education, and includes comprehensive information on Oregon history, demographics, arts, and tourism. It is available both online and in print. Curated by the State Archives staff.

WILLAMETTE HERITAGE CENTER

14 historic structures house permanent and changing exhibits, a research library and archive, a textile learning center, and rentable event spaces over a five-acre campus, which also has retail shops, art galleries, artist studios, and offices. 1313 Mill St SE | 503-585-7012, willametteheritage.org

Through August 1, 2026

Echoes of ‘76: An Exhibit — In 2026, the United States marks its 250th birthday with the drafting and signing of the Declaration of Independence. What did the events of 1776 mean to the people living in the Mid-Willamette Valley? This multi-part, multidisciplinary exhibit will explore how echoes from 1776 continue to be heard in our community.

Explore how we can understand more about who was living in the Mid-Willamette Valley in 1776 through the languages spoken in this area at the time and the place names we continue to use today. Although the revolutionary events of 1776 didn’t happen here, explore the way they have been observed in this community the past 200 years. Make your voice heard and participate in the Wish Wall – sharing your hopes for how words written in the Declaration of Independence in 1776 might ring forward into the future.

WORLD BEAT GALLERY

The World Beat Gallery gives local cultural communities a space to share their heritage. 390 Liberty St SE | 503-581-2004, salemmulticultural.org

Through March 31, 2026

Joy & Sovereignty: Black Food & Agriculture explores Black foodways and farming in the U.S., highlighting a family’s journey from forced labor on land in North Carolina to continued stewardship generations later. Learn about descendant Juli Ray Joy, now farming locally in Keizer at Black Joy Farms, and the ongoing story of resilience, sovereignty, and connection to the land. This exhibit celebrates history, community, and the future of Black agriculture.

We run on coffee, curiosity, and community. Fuel our next story (and our next cup) by supporting Press Play Salem.  buymeacoffee.com/pressplaysalem

Author: Carlee Wright

Carlee Wright is a community instigator with a grand love for Salem and notably fashionable shoes (Hello, John Fluevog!) who turns waste into wearable art in her "spare" time.