Popular 20-Dollar Art Show returns to Bend’s High Desert Museum, features record 6,000-plus works

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — It’s almost time for the return of Bend’s biggest little art event, The 20-Dollar Art Show! Presented by Bright Place Gallery, this year’s exhibition will feature a record 6,041 original works by 272 artists.

Sizing a maximum 36 square inches, each piece will be priced at just $20, allowing art lovers to bring home unique creations from both established and emerging artists. 

This year’s featured works will be on view at the High Desert Museum starting Monday, October 14, and sales will begin with an exciting opening night extravaganza on Friday, October 18.

During the extravaganza, attendees are invited to take the art they wish to purchase off of the Museum walls and home with them.

Tickets for this popular event will go on sale on Wednesday, September 25 at 12:00 pm at highdesertmuseum.org/20-art-show-info. Admission is $5 per adult, with ages 16 and under entering for free. Space is limited and tickets sell quickly, so early purchase is recommended.

Bright Place Gallery, led by Stuart Breidenstein and Abby Dubief, first launched The 20-Dollar Art Show as a platform for artists to showcase their work and engage with the community in a supportive environment.

Since its inception in 2013, The 20-Dollar Art Show has grown significantly. In 2019, the show featured over 2,100 pieces and sold 900 artworks on opening night alone. Five years later, the show is back stronger than ever, with significantly more featured artists and artwork than in previous years.

“Events like The 20-Dollar Art Show play an important role in supporting our mission to inspire curiosity and foster connections within the community,” said Dana Whitelaw, Ph.D., executive director of the Museum. “The opening extravaganza is a vibrant celebration that encourages conversation and connection while giving emerging artists a valuable platform to reach a broader audience.”

“We’re delighted to continue our partnership with the High Desert Museum,” said Bright Place Gallery owner Stuart Breidenstein. “This year’s show has seen an incredible response from artists, and we’re excited to present such a large and diverse collection of artwork to the community.”

The opening night event on October 18 will be held from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Guests are invited to purchase mini masterpieces for the low price of $20, enjoy live music, food, drink and more. 

After the opening night extravaganza, a second wave of artwork will refill the walls and be open for purchases through Monday, October 21, at 5:00 pm.

Those who would like first pick of the artwork added on Saturday, October 19 can purchase $5 tickets to browse from 9:00 am – 11:00 am before the show opens to all Museum visitors—from Saturday after 11:00 am through Monday people coming to the Museum exclusively for The 20-Dollar Art Show but not visiting the rest of the Museum are welcome without paying admission.

On Saturday morning, multiple participating artists will be on hand creating 20-dollar art live. Tickets for the Saturday morning show are $5 and will also go on sale on Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 12:00 pm at highdesertmuseum.org/20-art-show-info. 

One-hundred percent of the proceeds from each $20 piece directly supports the artist, making every purchase a meaningful contribution to the local art community. The 20-Dollar Art Show is made possible by the James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation, The Clabough Foundation and the Visit Central Oregon Future Fund with support from The Source Weekly.

ABOUT THE HIGH DESERT MUSEUM: 

The High Desert Museum opened in Bend, Oregon in 1982. It brings together wildlife, cultures, art, history and the natural world to convey the wonder of North America’s High Desert. The Museum is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, is a Smithsonian Affiliate, was the 2019 recipient of the Western Museums Association’s Charles Redd Award for Exhibition Excellence and was a 2021 recipient of the National Medal for Museum and Library Service. To learn more, visit highdesertmuseum.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

ABOUT THE BRIGHT PLACE GALLERY: 

Bright Place Gallery started as an intimate art and music space in a little loft in Bend’s Old Ironworks Arts District. In 2016, founders Stuart Breidenstein and Abby Dubief, with trusty sidekick and mayoral candidate Leonard of Bend (a cat) moved Bright Place into a larger retail/studio space. Then in 2019, the trio pulled up stakes again to live on the road in a converted bus, while still maintaining a virtual gallery presence and continuing to grow relationships with Bend artists. The 20-Dollar Art Show has become the driving force of Bright Place in recent years as the show has grown from 60 pieces in 2013 to over 6,000 pieces today. Abby and Stuart have always had a passion for creating space and opportunities for artists, and teaming up with the High Desert Museum has allowed Bright Place to expand their reach exponentially.