Membership Benefits

Annual Members' Juried Exhibition
Annual National Open Juried Exhibition
Active Membership Directory
Promotion of Featured Artists
Annual Members' Gallery Online Exhibit
ArtChat, Live-stream Programming

Annual Meeting and Dinner, Networking
Monthly Membership News
Exclusive Special Events Opportunities
Promotion of Members' Exhibitions, News, and Workshops
Volunteer Opportunities
Exclusive Council Member Exhibition

Become a Member

Come and join us in our ventures to beautify the world we live in, express your talents, and meet new friends. Be part of a premier organization of respected and highly accomplished women artists. All women artists residing in Connecticut are eligible to become members. All CWA membership is called "elected membership" because it grants membership when an artist is accepted into two of CWA's annual National Open Juried Exhibitions or through a membership application process which occurs once a year in the late summer.

What Members Say About CWA

"I believe that being accepted as a member and then invited to be on the Council of Connecticut Women Artists proved to be an important opportunity. I have worked with outstanding, accomplished women, forged lasting friendships, and made valuable connections while working in the cause of supporting and promoting women in the arts.
I would encourage all women artists to pursue membership in CWA and know that membership means actively accepting responsibility for seeing that the organization's aims are carried out through involvement in this wonderful organization."
Dian Kingsbury, Member of CWA

"CWA has definitely helped me become more active in creating new experimental pieces and participating in group art shows. The group appreciates a variety of styles and challenges us to push our limits. There are always surprises and inspirations at the shows, and the members are serious about their art, as well as encouraging each other to keep at it and to grow into new subjects, media, and perspectives."
Anne Sheffield, Member of CWA

Read More About the Benefits of Membership

Annual Members' Juried Exhibition

All members in good standing may submit work to the Members' Juried Show. The Art League of New Britain has hosted this members' exhibit for many years. We select prominent and highly qualified women from the field of visual arts to be jurors.

Annual National Open Juried Exhibition

CWA members who enter this juried exhibition are entitled to a reduced entry fee. CWA's Annual National Open Juried Exhibition is known for presenting works in various styles and media from artists throughout the United States. CWA presents the exhibition at prestigious venues such as the Slater Memorial Museum and other well-known and respected galleries.

Annual Members' Gallery Online Exhibit

The Members' Gallery Online Exhibit is a space on CWA's website where members' works are presented. The collection is curated, and not juried. Each year in mid-winter, a new gallery is published. Included with each image are the artist's name, the work's title, and the medium. Galleries, the press, collectors, and curators may see and recognize your name and artwork.

Active Membership Directory

The Membership Directory is a listing of all members in good standing. For those who have websites, the website URL is next to the name of the artist.

Featured Artists Promotion
The Featured Artists pages provide a chance for artists to get more exposure to their work. These pages on CWA's website feature three of the artists' works, their names, mediums, an artist's statement, and a link to the artist's website. The ability to enlarge the images in these dedicated galleries allows them to appear in their original proportions, full-screen. There is a one-time minimal fee for this service and updates.

ArtChat Live-stream Events

ArtChat is a live stream forum for CWA members to share their work and creative processes with other members in an informal and interactive space. ArtChat includes videos about celebrated women artists and expert panel discussions featuring some of Connecticut’s most influential women in the arts.

Annual Meeting, Dinner, and Networking

All members are invited to come together for the annual meeting and enjoy the camaraderie of other members. The organization's officers bring the group up-to-date on future exhibitions and projects, and the election of Officers is held every two years at this meeting. Recent annual meetings were held at the Florence Griswold Museum and gardens along the banks of the Connecticut River in Old Lyme and the Hill-Stead Museum in Connecticut.

Monthly Membership News in the Newsletter

Members are kept up-to-date about all that is going on in the organization and upcoming events in the newsletter. Information includes gallery events, show openings, awards given to members, media kudos, field trips, art residency locations, among other topics of interest.

Exclusive Special Events Opportunities

Member-exclusive special events occur at various times throughout the year, offering a chance to network and experience art at exceptional venues. Recent events have included an exclusive private viewing of the University of Saint Joseph's Art Museum's exhibit, "Where Are the Women?"; tours of the historical Hill-Stead Museum in Connecticut and New York's Brooklyn Museum; and CWA's Spring Fling networking and lunch event.

Promotion of Members' Workshops and Art-related Services

CWA promotes members' workshops, and art-related enterprises on the website.

Volunteer Opportunities

Many opportunities exist to participate in this uniquely talented, long-established organization of women artists. Volunteering with CWA allows members to gain valuable experience, network with other accomplished members, and utilize their professional skills in service of Connecticut's art community.

For Council Members

Exclusive Council Member Exhibition