About us
The San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts (SAMFA) is an artistic and cultural hub for the Concho Valley, connecting people with art, artists, and creative experiences. Located along of the Concho River in downtown San Angelo, the museum serves as a welcoming space where the community can explore visual art, discover new ideas, and engage with creative expression.
SAMFA presents a dynamic schedule of exhibitions featuring regional, national, and international artists, offering visitors opportunities to experience a wide range of artistic styles and mediums. The museum is also home to several signature programs that bring artists and audiences together in meaningful ways. These include En Plein Air Texas, one of the premier outdoor painting competitions in the country, and the San Angelo National Ceramic Competition, a respected biennial exhibition highlighting innovative work in contemporary ceramics.
Education and community engagement are central to the museum’s mission. Each year, SAMFA welcomes thousands of students, families, and visitors through hands-on programs, workshops, lectures, and special events. Weekly Art Thursdays offer free creative activities for the community, while Family Days provide monthly opportunities for families to explore art together through interactive projects and gallery experiences.
The San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts is also home to the Concho Clay Studio, a working ceramics studio that offers classes, workshops, and artist opportunities in clay.
With free admission and a commitment to accessibility, the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts strives to make sure that art is for everyone!
San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts (SAMFA) was founded in 1981 and was located in the historic 1868 Quartermaster Building at Fort Concho National Historic Landmark. It opened in 1985 with exhibits from the National Portrait Gallery and the Library of Congress. SAMFA has since held over 350 exhibits. Over 150 have featured Texas artists, half of which have been women and a third minority. The overall exhibit program encompasses all mediums, cultures and time periods. Ceramics Monthly has cited SAMFA’s biannual National Ceramic Competition as “the premier clay show in America.”
In 1992 and 2005, SAMFA received the Citizen of the Year Award from the Chamber of Commerce. In 1995, SAMFA was awarded The National Community Service Award from the American Institute of Architects. In 2003, SAMFA received the National Award for Museum Service from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the country’s highest honor for museums and in 2011 we received the Award of Excellence in Museums from the Texas Historical Commission.
The San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts’ audience in West Texas covers 18 counties. The population is 194,000 (15% rural) with San Angelo as the major trade center. San Angelo's population is 89,000 while most of the smaller surrounding towns have populations of 1,000-3,000. The nearest major metropolitan area is San Antonio located 230 miles away. Education programs are done in close collaboration with the local and outlying school districts. Up to 50% of children in the school district come to SAMFA annually.
SAMFA has an intense interest in the community manifested in exhibits held every five years beginning in 1985, called Visions and Choices. These exhibits allow everyone in the community to show their ideas for the community’s future. Many of the ideas have become tangible and resulted in massive efforts of preservation and renewal.
San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts has a rapidly growing collection with 800 works of contemporary ceramics. There are also historical ceramic works from Asia and more than 60 contemporary paintings and sculpture by Texas artists. The collection includes over 100 major works of Spanish Colonial and Mexican religious art. SAMFA has lent extensively to other museums in Texas.
$8,000,000 was raised for a new building which opened in 1999 that has received international acclaim. San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts is implementing a new strategic plan, restoring older buildings that it owns for community use and is currently leading the development of a TCA designated 200 acre Cultural District.
The San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts is classified as a 501(c)(3) organization.
Our Mission
The San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts strives to engage and inspire by providing meaningful exhibitions and educational programs that connect artists, ideas, and audiences in a welcoming environment for all.