Celebrating 40 Years of Service to the Maui Community

Updated June 22, 2008

A LITTLE HISTORY OF LAHAINA ARTS SOCIETY

          Lahaina Arts Society was born from a group of artists who, back in the sixties, created informal art exhibits along the sea wall and in the park next to the Pioneer Inn.  In 1965, ten couples donated $50 each to start up this present institution.  Among those who formed the new non-profit were Alexandra Morrow, Tim Morrow and Joyce Clark.  In 1967, after the post office moved out of the old courthouse. LAS petitioned the government for the use of the space.  Fifty Maui residents helped paint and renovate the old post office into gallery space.  After this facelift, the grand opening for LAS’s first gallery was held on March 19, 1969.

            Within a few years, LAS was “bursting at the seams.”  In the mid-seventies George Allan, recently arrived in Lahaina aboard the “Carthaginian”, led a group of artists to reclaim the former town jail in the basement of the courthouse.  They cleaned out the abandoned jail cells, creating additional gallery and classroom spaces.

            For decades, Lahaina Arts Society has promoted the visual arts through special exhibits, children’s arts classes and the awarding of scholarships.  Macario Pascual was the first recipient of an LAS scholarship.  He, along with many other successful Maui artists, began their careers in the old courthouse; among them are Betty Hay Freeland, Renaldo Macedo, Andrea Smith, Bruce Turnbull and the much-missed James Warren.

            In 1997 the county government closed the courthouse for renovations.  Lahaina Arts Society faced the challenge of moving thirty years of accumulated art and archives to a temporary location in Lahaina center.  For over a year the art society’s gallery and office were separated from the weekend artists’ market under the Banyan tree.  With the reopening of the courthouse, in 1999, LAS renegotiated the privilege of occupying their former gallery spaces on the first floor and in the basement of the courthouse.

            Today, Lahaina Arts Society remains the gatekeeper for new artists arriving or launching on Maui .  LAS members keep two galleries filled with work.  Outdoor artists’ markets continue on a bi-monthly basis.  There are weekly children’s art classes given at twelve sites around Maui, and three scholarships are awarded to high school students each year.  Lahaina Arts Society also hosts and co-sponsors the annual Lahaina Town Poster Contest.