Local artists are gearing up for the 37th annual Virginia Watercolor Society Exhibition, to be held at Gloucester Arts on Main in May and June.

The show is expected to draw a large number of visitors, said exhibit co-chair Bill Andersen. The society has several hundred members, and nearly 200 of them submitted entries for the juried show.

Co-chair Leslie Belvin pointed out that the exhibit will be good for Gloucester, since the arts create the kind of shared experiences that make up a community. Andersen said that such experiences not only make a community a more desirable place to live, but they also help generate revenue for local businesses.

As organizers, Andersen and Belvin are hoping the Gloucester and Mathews communities will step up and help sponsor awards for the winners.

The society itself funds the top awards, with a Best in Show award of $1,500, said Andersen, while a number of additional annual awards are privately funded with endowments. But any remaining awards gener...