Call to Artists! 8th Faculty & Alumni Art Exhibit at ACA

Call to Artists! 8th Juried Faculty & Alumni Show at the ACAA juried show featuring the works of faculty members, past and present (including adjuncts), and alumni of Calhoun Community College and Athens State University. The Alabama Center for the Arts (ACA) is pleased......More

Call to Artists! 8th Juried Faculty & Alumni Show at the ACAA juried show featuring the works of faculty members, past and present (including adjuncts), and alumni of Calhoun Community College and Athens State University. The Alabama Center for the Arts (ACA) is pleased to call alumni artists and faculty/staff of Calhoun Community College and Athens State University for the eighth juried faculty, staff, and alumni show. Everyone who is eligible is encouraged to participate in this call for artists. Please share the call with anyone you know who qualifies.Email [email protected] with any questions or to request a copy of the call be sent to you.*Hard copies of the Call to Artists are available in the ACA Visual Arts building.Call to Artists_Faculty and Alumni Show_2026Art entry deadline:  July 1-13, 2026Show dates:  August 13 – October 29, 2026

Alabama Center for the Arts – Visual Arts Building Main Gallery, 133 2nd Avenue NE, Decatur, AL, 35601, United States

Wise Women by Char Baxter

Meet Char Baxter, ACA/Athens State Master of Fine Arts candidate — proof that creativity has no age limit!At 74, Char is pursuing her MFA in integrative design, devoting 40 hours a week to her art, including pieces that took more than 100 hours to complete. Her thesis s......More

Meet Char Baxter, ACA/Athens State Master of Fine Arts candidate — proof that creativity has no age limit!At 74, Char is pursuing her MFA in integrative design, devoting 40 hours a week to her art, including pieces that took more than 100 hours to complete. Her thesis series, “Wise Women,” celebrates the power, wisdom, and love found in women’s lives. Char’s work blends painting, fabric, threads, and texture in richly layered expressions of life and insight.Her story reminds us that it’s never too late to follow your passion and make a meaningful impact through creativity.Be sure to see her beautiful art on display on the Athens State University campus.Nazaretian Alumni Welcome Center (next to Founders Hall)300 North Beaty StreetAthens, AL 35611Open Monday-Friday, 8:30am – 4:30pmClick the link to read more about her story!https://living50plusdm.com/…/wise-women-meet-char…/

Nazaretian Alumni Welcome Center on Athens State University Campus, 300 North Beaty Street, Athens, AL, 35611, United States

The Painter's Studio: Summer Bee Porch Sign painting class

Come and join Calhoun Art Instructor, Tracie Bradford, for an evening painting “Summer Bee Porch Sign”. You can paint this as the sample shows, or customize your floral colors.We provide the paints, canvas, easels, instruction, and snacks! Just bring you, your friends, ......More

Come and join Calhoun Art Instructor, Tracie Bradford, for an evening painting “Summer Bee Porch Sign”. You can paint this as the sample shows, or customize your floral colors.We provide the paints, canvas, easels, instruction, and snacks! Just bring you, your friends, and the willingness to create and have fun!  Seating is limited. All funds go to support Calhoun Fine Arts Student Experiences.The paint class will be at the Alabama Center for the Arts (133 2nd Ave NE, Decatur, AL 35601) in the Visual Arts building, Room 208.Tickets may be purchased for this event and all of our Spring Painters Studio events by scanning the QR code or clicking the weblink on this page:  http://weblink.donorperfect.com/SpringPaintersStudio*Please note: Tickets can only be purchased through our system. Do not fall for scams of people trying to resell tickets.Questions? [email protected]

Alabama Center for the Arts – Visual Arts Building Main Gallery, 133 2nd Avenue NE, Decatur, AL, 35601, United States

Calhoun Cabaret

Don’t miss Calhoun’s end of the year cabaret!Friday and Saturday, May 8 & 97:00pmACA Black Box Studio TheatreArthur Orr Performing Arts CenterGet Tickets Here:  http://weblink.donorperfect.com/CalhounCab26

Alabama Center for the Arts – Black Box Theatre, 133 2nd Avenue NE, Decatur, AL, 35601, United States

Calhoun Cabaret

Don’t miss Calhoun’s end of the year cabaret!Friday and Saturday, May 8 & 97:00pmACA Black Box Studio TheatreArthur Orr Performing Arts CenterGet Tickets Here:  http://weblink.donorperfect.com/CalhounCab26

Alabama Center for the Arts – Black Box Theatre, 133 2nd Avenue NE, Decatur, AL, 35601, United States

AUDITIONS! Calhoun Showstoppers (A Brand New Musical Ensemble)

We are so excited to be bringing a new ensemble to the ACA next year! Introducing the Calhoun Showstoppers!This high energy ensemble will sing, dance, and perform all types of music including pop, rock, and musical theatre hits!Location:  ACA Black Box Studio Theatre, A......More

We are so excited to be bringing a new ensemble to the ACA next year! Introducing the Calhoun Showstoppers!This high energy ensemble will sing, dance, and perform all types of music including pop, rock, and musical theatre hits!Location:  ACA Black Box Studio Theatre, Arthur Orr Performing Arts CenterFor questions regarding Showstoppers, please email Lauren Riddell at [email protected].

Alabama Center for the Arts – Black Box Theatre, 133 2nd Avenue NE, Decatur, AL, 35601, United States

Tabletop Tactics: High School Board Gaming Camp

Come learn about the World of Board Game Design! In this full week, half day camp for high school students (ages 15-18) we will learn about game design, game play, and create our own custom board games. You will complete and TAKE HOME your own board game at the end of t......More

Come learn about the World of Board Game Design! In this full week, half day camp for high school students (ages 15-18) we will learn about game design, game play, and create our own custom board games. You will complete and TAKE HOME your own board game at the end of the week!Camp will run each day from June 8-12, 2026 in the STEAM Imagination Center (402 E. Moulton Street, Decatur, AL 35601). The camp days begin at 8am and end at 12pm. On the final day, campers will be able to play their games together and with their families.Space is limited, so be sure to secure your place today! Registration is $100. Students get a camp t-shirt, all supplies for making their games, and daily snacks.If you have any questions about the camp, please email Geoffrey Rankin at [email protected].**Please note: Your place in this camp can ONLY be purchased through the link below. Anyone saying they are trying to “sell tickets” they purchased and can’t used is a scam.Register and pay here:  https://wl.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=calhouncc&id=349

STEAM Imagination Center, 402 East Moulton Street, Decatur, AL, 35601, United States

Professional Development Workshop - "From Page to Performance: Using Color in Score Preparation"

Workshop Title: From Page to Performance: Using Color in Score Preparation This interactive workshop is designed to help conductors develop effective score study techniques that lead to more informed, expressive rehearsals and performances. Participants will explore pra......More

Workshop Title: From Page to Performance: Using Color in Score Preparation This interactive workshop is designed to help conductors develop effective score study techniques that lead to more informed, expressive rehearsals and performances. Participants will explore practical strategies for analyzing musical structure, harmony, orchestration, and phrasing, as well as methods for identifying key musical priorities before stepping onto the podium. Through guided examples and collaborative discussion, the session will demonstrate how to move beyond note learning to deeper musical understanding. Attendees will leave with a structured approach to score preparation, tools for efficient practice, and insights into translating analysis into clear rehearsal communication. Ideal for music educators seeking to refine their preparation process and strengthen their interpretive decisions. Instructed by:  Dani’ca Richardson, M.M., Athens State University, Adjunct Professor – Music Location:  Alabama Center for the Arts, 133 2nd Ave. NE, Decatur, AL 35601 (downtown) ACA room number:  #113 (Visual Arts bldg.) Deadline to pre-register in Powerschool (REQUIRED):  June 14, 2026 Materials needed: Colored Pencils containing Red, Blue, Green, Orange, and Brown, Pencil and Eraser (please plan to bring with you) Free. No pre-requisites. Fee:  No fee. Maximum enrollment:  20 (minimum of 2 pre-registered to make) Important:  If this workshop is canceled for any reason, you will be notified via email on the email address you used to register. If you register and later find that you will not attend, PLEASE cancel your registration and don’t be a no show. Thank you. Parking:  Free parking is available in the Morgan County parking lot next to the ACA building at the corner of Lee Street and 1st & 2nd Avenues and on the street in front of our building. Link to register:  https://app.smore.com/n/dvfb1

Alabama Center for the Arts – Visual Arts Building Main Gallery, 133 2nd Avenue NE, Decatur, AL, 35601, United States

Professional Development Workshop - "From Artwork to Mini Movie: Turning Student Designs into Visual Stories"

Workshop Title:  From Artwork to Mini Movie: Turning Student Designs into Visual Stories Instructed by:  Dr. Sherry Stancil, former journalist and current Instructor of Communications, Calhoun Community College Location:  Alabama Center for the Arts, 133 2nd Ave. NE, De......More

Workshop Title:  From Artwork to Mini Movie: Turning Student Designs into Visual Stories Instructed by:  Dr. Sherry Stancil, former journalist and current Instructor of Communications, Calhoun Community College Location:  Alabama Center for the Arts, 133 2nd Ave. NE, Decatur, AL 35601 (downtown) ACA room number:  #113 (Visual Arts bldg.) Deadline to pre-register in Powerschool (REQUIRED):  June 17 Description: In this hands-on session, art educators will learn how to guide students in transforming their own artwork into short “mini movies” or visual stories. Participants will explore a simple, step-by-step process that moves from image creation to storytelling, using accessible digital tools to add motion, voice, and meaning. This 3-hour session keeps creativity at the center while introducing a fresh, engaging way for students to share their ideas and bring their artwork to life. A ready-to-use visual storytelling template will be provided for immediate classroom application. Optional AI-supported tools will be introduced to help animate and enhance student creativity—without replacing it. Pre-requisites:  Participants should bring a laptop or tablet with internet access. You are encouraged (but not required) to bring pieces of original artwork (digital or photographed). Important:  If this workshop is canceled for any reason, you will be notified via email on the email address you used to register. If you register and later find that you will not attend, PLEASE cancel your registration and don’t be a no show. Thank you. Parking:  Free parking is available in the Morgan County parking lot next to the ACA building at the corner of Lee Street and 1st & 2nd Avenues and on the street in front of our building. Maximum enrollment:  20 (minimum of 5 pre-registered to make) Registration link:  https://app.smore.com/n/dvfb1

Creative Corners: Coptic Bookbinding (Half Day Camp)

Learn the art of bookbinding!Coptic bound books have an open spine with linked stitches, which allow the pages to lay flat when open. In this workshop, students will learn the basic (& easy!) Coptic Stitch to create small sketchbooks with collaged covers. Students are e......More

Learn the art of bookbinding!Coptic bound books have an open spine with linked stitches, which allow the pages to lay flat when open. In this workshop, students will learn the basic (& easy!) Coptic Stitch to create small sketchbooks with collaged covers. Students are encouraged to bring any scrapbooking or collaging materials that fit their personality. Along with the stitching, students will learn basic folded book structures. No experience is necessary.This half day camp is for students 18+. Ages 15-17 will be accepted only if a parent or guardian is also participating, as the process can be tricky for younger students.Location:  ACA Visual Arts building, Room #313Registration is $30 per person, which includes snacks and art supplies.If you have any questions prior to camp, please email Tara Segars at [email protected].**Please note: Your place in this camp can ONLY be purchased through the link below. Anyone saying they are trying to “sell tickets” they purchased and cannot use is a scam.Register and pay here:  https://wl.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=calhouncc&id=351

Alabama Center for the Arts, 133 2nd Avenue NE, Decatur, AL, 35601, United States

Professional Development Workshop - "North Alabama AAEA Mini-Conference"

Workshop Title:  North Alabama AAEA Mini-Conference Location:  Alabama Center for the Arts, 133 2nd Ave. NE, Decatur, AL 35601 (downtown) Room(s):  You will be given the day’s schedule with meeting rooms for each session upon arrival. Check in/registration table will be......More

Workshop Title:  North Alabama AAEA Mini-Conference Location:  Alabama Center for the Arts, 133 2nd Ave. NE, Decatur, AL 35601 (downtown) Room(s):  You will be given the day’s schedule with meeting rooms for each session upon arrival. Check in/registration table will be in the main lobby. *Note:  Participants will sign in for each session attended.  Deadline to pre-register in Powerschool (REQUIRED):  July 8 No pre-requisites. Fee:  $25.00 (for AAEA members) to help with the cost of supplies. Please bring cash to the mini-conference on July 14. No checks. No credit cards. There will be someone in the lobby of the Visual Arts building checking in attendees and collecting payment. AAEA non-member fee:  $75 *Open to all public and private art educators in the North Ala. Region Overview and snapshot of sessions offered – The North Alabama Art Educators Association (AAEA) is hosting  a one-day, hands-on Mini Professional Development (PD) session. This event is designed to provide art educators with practical, classroom-ready strategies that foster creativity, engagement, and skill development across multiple grade levels. All sessions will be conducted face-to-face and emphasize active participation, accessible materials, and adaptable techniques suitable for diverse learning environments.   Session 1: Get Your Students to Draw Big! (Pat Snow, Artist & Educator) This engaging session focuses on helping students overcome hesitation in drawing by encouraging large-scale gesture work and reducing attachment to “precious” drawings. Participants will explore a series of gesture drawing exercises designed to build confidence and promote expressive mark-making. A featured group activity will demonstrate how to incorporate a fun, collaborative face-drawing exercise that removes fear and builds classroom community. Strategies shared in this session can be adapted for a wide range of grade levels, including secondary and collegiate classrooms. Pat Snow is a part-time instructor and alumnus (BFA 1990) of The University of Alabama, Dept. of Art and Art History, specializing in painting and drawing. A working artist with roots in Birmingham, AL, and Austin, TX, Snow’s work often explores narrative structures, informed by DIY and Outsider art movements. Snow was featured in the 2026 Faculty Biennial Exhibition at the Sarah Moody Gallery of Art and had a solo show, Pat Snow: You Will Never Read My Poetry, at The University of Alabama Gallery in 2022. Snow has extensive exhibition history in Birmingham, AL, and Austin, TX and was awarded the Individual Artist Fellowship/Grant by the Alabama State Council on the Arts in 2010 and 2011. Session 2: Palette Knife Painting for the Classroom (Ahmad Austin, Art Teacher) This hands-on workshop introduces educators to palette knife painting as a dynamic and engaging classroom technique. Participants will create a small floral painting while learning how to build texture, mix color effectively, and approach painting with an intuitive mindset. In addition to completing a finished artwork, attendees will gain a clear, structured process that can be easily implemented in their own classrooms. The session emphasizes simplifying complex painting concepts, encouraging creative freedom, and increasing student engagement through tactile and expressive methods. Contemporary artist and full-time art teacher, Ahmad Austin is known for his colorful, exciting canvases of jazz musicians and other individuals, which he paints using a palette knife. Austin’s work appears in private collections nationwide and abroad, including exhibitions in Belfast, Ireland. Session 3: Beaded Bracelet Design – Color & Composition (Beth Bachuss, Art Teacher) This interactive session uses beaded bracelet design as a means to teach foundational concepts in 2D design and color theory. Participants will explore color schemes, pattern development, and compositional balance while creating wearable art. The lesson is highly adaptable and can be modified for a variety of grade levels. Educators will leave with practical strategies for engaging students through hands-on design projects that reinforce artistic concepts in a meaningful and accessible way. Session 4: Mini Quilted Portraits (Kerrie Pirkle, Art Teacher) Inspired by the work of contemporary textile artist Bisa Butler, this session introduces a simplified quilted portrait lesson designed for classroom implementation. Participants will create a 5×7 portrait using fabric, pre-printed facial images, and fabric glue. This mini-lesson provides a manageable approach to teaching portraiture, value, and color through textile art without the need for sewing. Educators will gain a step-by-step process that supports student success while maintaining artistic rigor and creativity. Session 5:  Color Theory Class and Color Optical Illusions (Derek Cracco, Professor of Printmaking, UAB) Derek Cracco is the associate Professor of Printmaking at UAB, Cracco has participated in numerous exhibitions nationally and internationally including Digital Printmaking Now at the Brooklyn Museum of Art in NY, “Risky Business”, P.P.O.W. Gallery, New York, NY, “Wrong Time, Wrong Place”, T.E.N.T. Center for Contemporary Art, Rotterdam, NL and Barrett Art Center, Poughkeepsie, NY which was juried by Claire Bell, Associate Curator of Prints and Drawings at the Guggenheim Museum, NY. Cracco has been recognized for his innovative combination of traditional printmaking processes and computer graphics. His work has been purchased by several museums and by many private collections throughout the country and abroad. Conclusion This Mini PD session reflects AAEA’s commitment to providing meaningful, skill-based professional learning opportunities for art educators. Each workshop is designed to deliver practical techniques, encourage artistic exploration, and support immediate classroom application. Maximum enrollment:  25 (minimum of 10 pre-registered to make) Important:  If this workshop is canceled for any reason, you will be notified via email on the email address you used to register.  If you register and later find that you will not attend, PLEASE cancel your registration and don’t be a no show. Thank you. Parking:  Free parking is available in the Morgan County parking lot next to the ACA building at the corner of Lee Street and 1st & 2nd Avenues and on the street in front of our building. Registration link:  https://app.smore.com/n/dvfb1

Alabama Center for the Arts, 133 2nd Avenue NE, Decatur, AL, 35601, United States