THOMASVILLE- Thomasville Center for the Arts has launched a robust calendar of events for the fall season. With a mission to make lives brighter through the arts, the Center’s upcoming events and experiences aim to build a flourishing community where the arts are alive and creativity thrives.
New programs include adults-only gallery nights, a monthly literary circle, and a series of new adult art classes:
Art Night Out
Art Night Out provides adults ages 21 and up with a monthly drop-in experience to explore exhibitions, exercise their creativity, and make social connections. Visitors to this free event will enjoy a variety of offerings each month such as guest curator talks, special programming, and creative hands-on activities. Enjoy lite bites, beer, wine, and cocktails sponsored by Cathead Vodka. Donations in lieu of an admission fee are encouraged.
Ink Portal
Ink Portal is a new monthly literary circle that welcomes and encourages all writers and literature lovers. After examining a poem, short story, or essay, a facilitator guides the group through individual writing using an exploratory prompt. Workshop time is followed by reading and community time. Ink Portal is free with limited spots each month.
Adult Art Classes
Led by local artists Hillery Allen Barrow, Kat Chudy, Laura Patrick, and Amanda Parparian, the Center’s adult art class schedule offers something for everyone. Workshops in the series include print-making, mindfulness + artmaking, acrylics, watercolor, and a sip-and-paint. Registration is required.
Other established and growing programs which will continue throughout the Fall include a morning Montessori-inspired class for toddlers, afternoon art classes for grades K-8th, Free 2nd Saturdays, a quarterly community dinner, several art exhibitions, and the much-anticipated Wildlife Arts Festival:
Imagine Studio
Convening twice a week, Imagine Studio helps new and growing families connect with each other by providing child-led, Montessori-inspired classes for children ages 1-4 and their adults. Classes focus on movement, art, and literacy in an environment that encourages exploration and intergenerational collaboration. Monthly tuition is $125 with a $25 discount for Center members.
Art in the Afternoon
A long-time Center favorite, Art in the Afternoon classes meet once a week from 3:30-5:00 p.m. Space is still available in the fiber arts class (Thursdays, grades 4-6). Students build portfolios of work and celebrate the end of a semester by exhibiting in the Center galleries.
Free 2nd Saturdays
The Center opens to the public on the second Saturday of each month from 10 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Admission is free and donations are encouraged. 2nd Saturday events celebrate the intersection of community and art with programming crafted especially for families. Guests enjoy monthly themes with maker stations, mindful movement workshops, and refreshments, along with occasional musical performances and film screenings. Upcoming themes include “Let’s Move!” and “Dia de los Muertos.”
A Seat at the Table
Launched in Spring 2024, the first two gatherings of A Seat at the Table have quickly sold out. These quarterly community dinners celebrate the art of gathering. Guests convene at one long table inside the Center’s Main Gallery or outside under the oaks to enjoy intentional conversation over delicious food and drink provided by local restaurants and caterers. Tickets are $75 with a $10 member discount.
Exhibitions
With six onsite galleries and a downtown gallery space, the Center’s exhibition schedule is always full. The Many Lives of Andrew Young, hosted in partnership with the Jack Hadley Black History Museum, continues in the Main Gallery through November 1. A photography collection by Mickey Adair in the Founder’s Gallery complements the show. Center galleries are open Tuesday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and 2nd Saturdays, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Gallery admission is always free.
Downtown in Grassroots Coffee Co.’s Wall Space gallery, visitors will find Between Here + There, a new installation by Tallahassee artist Ysabel Flores. Flores’ body of work showcases paintings and monotypes created through observing moments of solitude and life transitions. Flores will be at Grassroots on Friday, September 6 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. for a free opening reception and artist talk. In late November, the Wall Space Gallery will shift to American Soil | American Soul, a collaborative fine art experience presented by Durrell and Ashley Smith. This exhibition illustrates personal connections to the soil of America and how those connections reveal a shared purpose of healing the soul of America. Durrell Smith will be at Grassroots on Friday, December 6 at 5:30 p.m. for an artist talk which is free and open to the public.
Wildlife Arts Festival
Now in its 29th year, the annual Wildlife Arts Festival celebrates the sporting life through art. Spanning ten days from November 7-17, the Festival offers over a dozen events and experience for all ages. Over 50 wildlife artists and artisans cap the festivities at the Fine Art Show on November 16 and 17. Kathryn Mapes Turner of Jackson Hole, Wyoming is this year’s featured artist.
All program details can be found online at thomasvillearts.org or by calling Thomasville Center for the Arts at (229) 225-6461.