Question: What do art and women’s reproductive health services have in common? Answer: One supports the other.

Family Planning of Martha’s Vineyard is an Island institution, supported for over 30 years by a group of tireless health care professionals, devoted volunteers and unwavering activists who believe that basic health care is a right, not a luxury. And this year, as the prospect of deep budget cuts loom in the recession, volunteers are more determined than ever to provide critical support to the clinic that brings affordable reproductive, gynecological and sexual health care to the Island community.

“The next fiscal year looks really dreadful,” said family planning director Patty Begley this week. “We’re expecting at least a 25 per cent [budget] cut.” Any more than that, she said, and parent agency Health Care of Southeastern Massachusetts will be forced to close sites. “I don’t think they’ll close us,” Mrs. Begley said, “but we’ll probably be cutting staff, and I don’t know how that will work.”

Supporters of the clinic want to make sure it doesn’t happen. To that end they will kick off Memorial Day weekend with a Thursday night party preview of the annual Friends of Family Planning Art Show; the show lasts through the weekend and is open to the public.

Family Planning first opened its doors in 1978 at a time when no gynecologists practiced on the Vineyard. The clinic provided a refuge for women seeking reproductive and contraceptive options free of judgment, and service regardless of income.

“Everything is done on a sliding scale here,” Mrs. Begley said. “If you don’t make much money, you don’t pay very much.” No one is ever denied service for inability to pay.

Testing and treatment is available for sexually transmitted diseases for men and women, and the clinic is the sole Island location that offers HIV testing. Family planning relies not only on state and federal funding to keep these services available to the community, but also on a dedicated group of volunteers.

The Friends of Family Planning is a nonprofit organization established in 1985 to increase community awareness and support for the clinic. Over the past 24 years, generous contributions collected by the Friends have enabled Family Planning to relocate to a spacious condominium office after years of enduring cramped quarters and limited parking in a non-handicap accessible building. The Friends also provide for free condom distribution, free pregnancy testing, and travel expenses for clinic nurses to attend conferences to keep their licenses current.

And as they have for the past two decades, this week the Friends are busy planning the 20th annual Friends of Family Planning Art Show benefit, the principle fund-raiser of the year.

Friends board member Liza Coogan is the woman responsible for staging the initial fund-raiser 20 years ago. Mrs. Coogan and fellow artist, the late Michael Wild collaborated in planning a small art show inside Murdick’s Fudge shop in Edgartown in 1990. At the time, an art show seemed like a novel way to raise money and promote awareness in the community. “This was long before galleries were so prolific on the Island,” Mrs. Coogan recalled. “We probably had no more than 40 artists, but we had great fun with it.”

This year, close to 115 artists will assemble to display a year’s worth of work in the spacious agricultural hall in West Tisbury. The event has become a kickoff for the Vineyard summer art scene, and many Islanders look forward to it.

Also this year the show will broaden its definition of an Island artist. “We’ve opened it up to artists who no longer live here, but have shown here in the past, and that is making a difference. We think it will be kind of a rejuvenation,” Mrs. Coogan said.

Friends board member Suzan Bellincampi agreed. “This year there was kind of a movement afoot to get different varieties of art,” she said, adding: “Not only paintings and drawings, but sculpture, jewelry, three dimensional work, weaving. It’s evolved. It gets better and better.”

Preparations for the event go on throughout the year. “It takes a lot of people to put this show on,” Ms. Bellincampi said. “It’s a labor of love. But it’s also a really good community event.”

Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School students are invited to enter a yearly contest to design the official art show poster. “I think it’s kind of a great back-handed way to get the students aware of the Family Planning center,” said high school art teacher Chris Baer. He offers the contest as an elective assignment for advanced photography students.

The winner of this year’s contest is Solvig Sayre of Vineyard Haven, with an abstract photographic illustration. Artwork from the contest will be displayed alongside professional artwork throughout the four-day show, which begins with the gala preview party at 6 p.m. on Thursday evening, May 21. “The party launches the whole thing,” said Friends vice president Marston Clough. Tickets for the gala are $40, and are available for purchase at the door. The art show and sale is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday on Memorial Day weekend. There is no admission charge.

Mr. Clough first became involved with the show as a contributing artist. After retiring to the Vineyard, he decided to offer his services as a volunteer and was soon asked to join the board. In addition to his responsibilities in planning the art show, he continues to submit artwork. His oil paintings will be available for purchase this year.

The show also will welcome back stained glass artist Gabriella Camilleri, who remembers completing her first stained glass project at the age of nine. “It always seemed to be something I really enjoyed doing, and something I was good at,” she said. She attributes her fascination with the art world to her diverse artistic family.

Ms. Camilleri first entered artwork in the Friends art show nearly 15 years ago. She has not participated since that first show, but decided to return this year to support the cause. “I’m a strong advocate for Family Planning and everything that they stand for and work toward. It’s something I really believe in,” she said.

She is not alone. “The artists themselves believe in Family Planning,” Mrs. Coogan said. “I see in this group a lot of returns, a lot of young people, both sexes. They are probably people who have used Family Planning.”

Photographer Kelley DeBettencourt is one. “I wholeheartedly want to support Family Planning,” she said. “It was great growing up. They help a lot of people feel comfortable with this lifelong process of taking care of yourself. For a teen, [the clinic] is a ready place where you can find all the things you need at that age when you are embarrassed to ask for it.”

Ms. DeBettencourt looks forward to her third year as a contributor. “It’s a really great event,” she said. “It builds confidence in newer artists. It helps you get a foot in the door.”

Ivry Rusillo hopes to do just that as a first-time participant this year. Her artwork for the show will include hand-engraved jewelry. “I’m excited to get some Island exposure. Since I don’t have my own showcase or store, people aren’t always able to see my stuff, so I’m really excited about the show,” she said.

Ms. Rusillo too has a personal connection with the clinic. “I’ve always had a good experience at Family Planning. Having that female support locally is so important. And it’s nice to be able to give back,” she said.

The Friends of Family Planning preview party is Thursday, May 21 from 6 to 8 p.m.; tickets are $40 per person, adults only. The 20th annual art show is Friday through Sunday, May 22 to 24, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission and parking are free.