Arts Council Corner: New Year Happenings

NEW YEAR HAPPENINGS

Save the dates for January concerts and tell young artists about an upcoming exhibition.

BY KATLYN COLEY PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED

With a new year comes new opportunities, and the Shelby County Art Council has a wide array of events for you to choose from! Mark your calendar for the upcoming 2022 concert lineup including Cashback (Johnny Cash Tribute Band) on Jan. 7, Jimmy Hall Band (lead singer of Wet Willie) on Jan. 15, and 2BLU & the Lucky Stiffs reunion show (more on that below) Jan. 28. Other noteworthy events include the Adult Juried Art Exhibit gallery opening on Jan. 6.

Also opening in January is entry for the 2022 Statewide Student Juried Art Exhibition. This exhibit is a partnership between the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Department of Art and Art History and the University of Montevallo’s Department of Art. This juried art exhibit is open to Alabama high school students (public, private or homeschool) in 10th-12th grades. This juried exhibit provides high schoolers an opportunity to experience entering a professional level art competition at no cost to the student or the school. The exhibition will feature cash prizes for the best in each category and for best in show. Categories include painting, drawing, photography, 3D design and mixed media. Accepted artwork will be on display in the EBSCO Fine Art Gallery in the Shelby County Art Center, where renowned artists such as David Hockney and Charlie Lucas have exhibited. Submission opens on Jan. 3, 2022, and the deadline for entries is Feb. 17, 2022. Be sure to inform your young artist; this will be an opportunity they will not want to miss. Find out more at shelbycountyartscouncil.com under the “Happenings” tab.

Also coming in January is the yearly reunion of 2BLU & the Lucky Stiffs! The band will reassemble their original members in the Alan and Lindsey Song Black Box Theater on Friday, Jan. 28 at 7:30 p.m. The band is made up of some of the Shelby County Arts Council’s very own, with Executive Director Bruce Andrews on harmonica/vocals and Production Manager George Dudley on guitar. Along with these two, the band features Jack Dudley on bass, John Scalici on percussion, Stephen McCullough on keys and Jerry Robbins on sax. The band is known for their original twists on Delta Blues and has twice been a finalist in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis. Together they blend blues, rock, funk and gospel to create their own “unique brew to rock your bones and soothe your soul.” Tickets are $25 (+ tax/fees) and can be purchased at shelbycountyartscouncil.com.

For information on any upcoming event or class, visit shelbycountyartcouncil.com and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram (@ shelby_county_arts).