For the past 23 years, South Arts has strived, despite some obstacles, to promote art and art education in the South Hills. Formed in 1984, the organization hoped to unite all the arts groups in the South Hills and establish a center similar to the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts in Shadyside.

"We tried to work with the other groups but were never fully able to form one central organization," said artist Margo Barraclough, of Bethel Park, one of the original members.

What the group has accomplished is to stage art classes for children and adults at various community centers and to exhibit member art in galleries, such as the Koppers Building in Downtown Pittsburgh, the Pine Bridge Mall in Upper St. Clair, the Galleria in Mount Lebanon, and West Penn and Shadyside hospitals. Recently, South Arts also exhibited in a building on Main Street in Carnegie -- until the floods from Hurricane Ivan in 2004 washed away their home.

"It's unfortunate because the Carnegie site was a very nice space," said artist member and publicist Carol Randolph, of Waynesburg. "I happened to be sitting alone in the gallery on the day of the flood when a man came in at 5 in the evening and asked me what I was doing there. 'You're the only person on the street because Carnegie is flooding,' he said."

Before leaving, Mrs. Randolph had the man help remount on the gallery wall a large painting that had been taken down to make room for a slide show. The painting, along with others mounted on the walls, survived, although all the organization's bin art, note cards, furniture, rugs and stored items were ruined.

"Ever since, we've been floating around, holding just one exhibit a year at the Pittsburgh Technical Institute," Mrs. Randolph said.

All that will change Saturday when South Arts stages an opening reception for its first exhibit from 6 to 9 p.m. in its new home in the Schoolhouse Arts Center in Bethel Park. The new venture is made possible through the collaboration of the Bethel Park Historical Society, owner of the building, the Schoolhouse Arts Heritage Box and South Arts.

The historical society will rent gallery and classroom space to South Arts, which will share the rental cost of common areas and shared space with the Schoolhouse Arts Heritage Box, which has operated a gift shop on the premises and will continue to do so under the new arrangement.

"We're excited to have the new space, and I think its going to be an interesting endeavor," said artist Jeri Corbin, of Brighton Heights, a member of the exhibition committee.

The exhibit will feature 20 member artists, most of whom will display three of their works, paintings, photography and clay, glass and wood pieces. All of the art will be available for purchase, with prices ranging from $15 to more than $3,000.

South Arts treasurer and artist Ruth Richardson from Collier, who's been a member since the early 1990s, said the organization has a distinguished record of accomplishment.

"To find the best way to serve the area through the arts, we completed a community cultural assessment in the South Hills," she said. "We determined what arts groups already existed and how we could work together. We also brought in a consultant, tried to discover what people in the area wanted and produced a written summary of our findings, which we gave to local libraries."

She went on to say that South Arts has helped a lot of young people get their first experience through classes and exhibits and trained college interns in arts administration. The organization also tries to bring people of different racial, cultural and religious backgrounds together through events such as special exhibits.

"We're very enthused about our new home and the prospects for the future," said Mrs. Barraclough. "We hope to offer new services for our members, such as a place for them to work and the scheduling of modeling sessions. We also encourage people in the area to come and see our debut exhibit in our new home."

South Arts will stage its initial exhibit titled New Beginnings in the Park Avenue Historic Schoolhouse, located at 2600 South Park Road in Bethel Park, starting Sunday through Dec. 28. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Closed holidays and Dec. 24. An opening reception will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday.

Annual membership is $25, $30 for families and $20 for seniors and students. For more, call 412-835-9010.