Open Mic Night
Open Mic Night
Tuesday, October 28, 2025
6:30 PM
Southall at KDAC
Join us Tuesday, October 28th at 6:30 in the Southall House at KDAC for the next Open Mic Night where our theme will be Consuming, featuring original poetry by Miriam Calleja.
Our goal is to promote poetry and create a welcoming space where both published and unpublished poets can share their work while bringing together our diverse communities.
This program is free and is sponsored by the Florence Arts & Museums. The event will be held at the Southall House, next door to the Kennedy-Douglass Art Center’s main building, at 209 E. Tuscaloosa St. Call 256-760-6379 for more information.
Día de los Muertos
Join us on Saturday, November 1, from 1 to 4 pm for a come-and-go event and activities related to Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). First, make your candle, then enjoy the other activities while your candle sets for 30 minutes. Afterward, you can take your candle with you, or use it to decorate the ofrenda.
Special thanks to Jose Figueroa-Cifuentes from The Rose Market in Russellville, AL for facilitating the candle-making activity. This program is free and is sponsored by Florence Arts & Museums. The event will be held at the Southall House at 209 E. Tuscaloosa St. Call 256-760-6379 for more information.
Mary Linville Retrospective
Mary Linville: Retrospective
Exhibition at the Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts
The Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts is pleased to present Mary Linville: Retrospective, a memorial exhibition that features the paintings and drawings of the late Mary Linville (1941-2024) beginning November 2, 2025, and continuing through January 5, 2026.
Linville, a long-time member of the Shoals Artist Guild, was not only very talented, but also prolific in giving what she learned back to her community, such as teaching countless watercolor classes and offering many demonstrations throughout her artistic career. She had an amazing passion for art and generously shared her creativity with others. Mary Linville truly exemplified a life artfully lived! An opening reception for this memorial exhibition will be held 2-4 pm, Sunday, November 2nd at the Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts.
Born in Wayne County, TN, Linville was first inspired by her simple, rural surroundings. She was stirred by the beauty she saw around her and the works of other artists, such as Andrew Wyeth, Winslow Homer, and Edgar Whitney. She said that she paints because of a need inside her to express the beauty and wonder she sees, which provides fulfillment of her inner self.
Linville produced a wide variety of work, including florals, local historic places, abstracts, and landscapes. She stated, “Subject matter is no problem, art is everywhere. Landscapes are my favorite and everywhere you look there are landscapes.” Additionally, she said, “Watercolor is my first love!” and she taught many classes sharing this love with others. Although she was mainly a watercolorist, she also worked in oils, acrylic, mixed media, and pastels.
While she considered herself to be a self-taught artist, she studied and participated in numerous workshops with accomplished artists across the country, such as Tony Couch of Georgia, Zolton Szabo of North Carolina, and Margaret Martin of New York. She studied oil with Billy Kirk of Mississippi and with Heidi Moran of Arizona. As a private instructor, she conducted workshops across Alabama, Tennessee, and Mississippi. Her interests also included pottery and photography. She felt that all media is linked together. She was always learning new ways to create art!
Linville described some of her artwork as mood paintings, “This I do, with nothing sketched on paper. Sometimes I don’t have any particular thing in mind when I begin, I just follow whatever is happening with the paint to form the landscape. This can be very exciting. I usually start with a wet-on-wet technique, make everything blend together and then use a process of ‘lifting out’ the damp pigment with an almost ‘thirsty’ brush to form negative shapes - tree trunks, a light house, moon, etc.”
Linville has received countless awards throughout the span of her artistic career, and her artwork can be found in collections across not only the United States, but also in New Zealand, Australia, England, China, Japan, Norway, and Sweden. Potential collectors will be pleased to learn that many of the works displayed in this retrospective exhibit will be available for sale.
For more information, contact the Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts.
The Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts is free and open to the public Monday-Friday from 9-4 and on Sundays from 1-4. The Art Center is located at 217 E. Tuscaloosa St. Florence, AL and can be reached by calling 256-760-6379.
7 Points Press Book Release Celebration
7 Points Press presents A Book Release Celebration
7 Points Press will be hosting a book release celebration at Southall House on Thursday Nov. 6, at 6pm. Admission is free for this event.
The authors will read and discuss their work, and books will be available for sale. Authors include Donna Geise, J. D. Manders, Jeanie Thompson, and Wayne Sides.
About the authors:
Donna Geise began writing after her recent retirement as a literature and composition teacher. Expressing meaningfulness beyond sentimentality, creating accessible poems in a conversational tone, and the linking of sound and sense are her ultimate goals. Her poetry collection Searching for a Song was published in the fall of 2025 by 7 Points Press.
J. D. Manders is an author, historian, and poet who deployed three times to the Middle East with the U.S. Army National Guard. The Desert Calls is a cycle of poems that explores his deployment experiences. Although many of the poems are highly personal, he chose to publish them to help other veterans.
Jeanie Thompson (Montgomery) is an award-winning poet and literary arts leader. She is the retired founding Director of the Alabama Writers’ Forum. Her books include The Myth of Water: Poems from the Life of Helen Keller, The Seasons Bear Us, and White for Harvest. In 2024 Thompson received the Albert B. Head Legacy Award for her work as a poet and literary arts activist.
Wayne Sides is Professor Emeritus at the University of North Alabama Department of Art and has been a force for more than 40 years in the Shoals area community art scene. His photographs have been published widely and exhibited in museums throughout the country and abroad. Thompson and Sides have collaborated since the mid-70s while attending the University of Alabama.
About the books:
Searching for a Song – Donna Geise: Searching for a Song is a gathering of accessible poems meant to provide reassurance, solace, and optimism without being didactic or heavy-handed and that sometimes incorporates a bit of wry humor. Each poem--written in a relaxed conversational style--shares a fresh viewpoint on such universal ideas as hope, perseverance, and the importance of relationships. Intentional choice of form and structure contribute to meaning in poems that range from free verse to fixed forms including ballade, sonnet, sestina, and villanelle as attention to details, diction, imagery, and syntax connects sound to sense.
The Desert Calls – J. D. Manders: Written during and after his three deployments to the Middle East, this cycle of poems by J. D. Manders explores the desert experience, including absence from home and family, the tribulations of a combat zone, visions of death and suffering, emotional longing, trials of faith, and the long road to recovery from war. In the end, he discovered that, though he's left the desert, it remains with him and in him. Although many of the poems are highly personal, J. D. Manders chose to publish them to help other veterans in overcoming their own desert experience.
My Gaia – Jeanie Thompson and Wayne Sides: My Gaia, a poetry and photography collaboration, is a lyrical view of Alabama. Thompson’s eleven poems range from sketches of the resonant Alabama landscape to personal interactions with imaginary figures such as a North Alabama cotton farmer, and Helen Keller’s gifted teacher, Anne Sullivan Macy. Sides’ photographs focus on aspects of Alabama landscape, with a few European scenes thrown in for good measure. In a choreography of images and details, Sides’ eye travels with the poems, deepening their imagery and expanding it.
This event will be held at the Southall House, next door to the Kennedy-Douglass Art Center’s main building, at 209 E. Tuscaloosa St. Call 256-760-6379 for more information.
Art Expressions | Shoals Artist Guild Annual Exhibit
Art Expressions | Shoals Artist Guild Member Exhibition
at Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts
Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts is pleased to present “Art Expressions,” an annual exhibition of the latest works by the Shoals Artists Guild members from October 19th through November 17th. An opening reception will be held on Sunday, October 19th from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The public is invited to attend this community-inspired event and enjoy the opportunity to meet the talented members of our Shoals Artists Guild.
The purpose of this artistic group is to foster an interest in sketching and painting in the Quad-Cities and surrounding areas. The members organize field trips to places of artistic interest to sketch or paint, as well as offer monthly art demonstrations. Currently, they meet every third Friday of each month. For more information, contact the Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts.
The Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts is free and open to the public Monday -Friday from 9-4 and on Sundays from 1-4. The art center is located at 217 E. Tuscaloosa St. Florence, AL and can be reached by calling 256-760-6379.
Storytime at the Museum
Storytime at the Museum: We celebrate Autumn at Pope’s Tavern!
Florence Arts & Museums is happy to announce a continuation of our Storytime at the Museum series. Our Museum Educator is inviting young children, ages 4–8 to celebrate autumn and how animals in nature prepare for the new season, on Friday October 17th from 10-11am at Pope’s Tavern Museum. This event will feature a reading of The Leaf Thief, written by Alice Hemming and Nicola Slater with a special squirrel friend to help read the story on the reading rug inside of the museum. The read-aloud will be followed by hands-on activities including a nature walk outside of the museum and a leaf rubbing art activity on the porch.
This program is sponsored by the City of Florence Department of Arts and Museums. This event will be free to the public. Pope’s Tavern Museum is located at 203 Hermitage Dr. Florence, AL 35630. Pope’s Tavern Museum is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-4pm, regular cost of admission is $5 for adults, $2 for students. Contact us at 256-760-6439 with any questions you may have regarding this specific event.
Quad Cities Photo Club Meeting
The next meeting of the Quad Cities Photography Club (The Shoals) will take place at 6:30 PM, October 14, at the Southall House at Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts. One of the club's planning committee members, Mary Carton, will be speaking. If you've seen her photos on Facebook, you'll know that she is well-known for her event photography, shooting concerts, fairs, ceremonies, and more. So, come out on October 14 and listen to Mary speak on the topic "Photographing the Natchez Trace from Cherokee to Natchez".
Hispanic Heritage Month Activity
𝗛𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆
Join us Saturday, October 11th at 10am at the Southall House to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month! We will be exploring the life and art of José Guadalupe Posada.
Posada was a writer, printmaker, and innovative Mexican artist! Participants will learn the cultural significance of Calaveras (skulls) and the artistic practices connected to them in their relationship to the upcoming Latine holiday of Dia de Los Muertos.
For this all ages family event, Museum Educator Ana Peeples will start with a reading from “Funny Bones” by Duncan Tonatiuh, followed by a presentation on Posada and a hands-on activity. Participants will get a chance to create scratch art Calaveras (skulls) similar to the way Posada created his own art! Afterwards, they can take home what they created OR add them to our decorations for the Dia de los Muertos event on November 1st.
This program is free and is sponsored by the City of Florence Department of Arts and Museums. The Southall Historic Home is located at 209 E Tuscaloosa St, Florence, AL next to Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts. Call 256-760-6379 for more information.
Film Screening: “Echoes of the Forks of Cypress
Film Screening: “Echoes of the Forks of Cypress”
Florence Arts and Museums is hosting a screening of “Echoes of the Forks of Cypress,” a film by Frederick Murphy. The 45-minute film will be screened at the Southall Building, 209 E. Tuscaloosa Street, Florence on October 9 at 6:30pm.
Originally funded by the Alabama Humanities Alliance as part of their “Healing History” initiative, the documentary "Echoes of The Forks of Cypress" delves into the intertwined lives of the enslaved people and their enslavers at the Forks of Cypress plantation in Florence, Alabama. The film narrates the historical significance of the plantation, focusing on the daily lives, struggles, and resilience of the enslaved individuals who lived and worked there.
In the present day, descendants of both the enslaved and the enslavers have united to confront their shared past. By reimagining the plantation and its cemetery as spaces for remembrance and reflection, they seek to acknowledge the painful legacy of slavery and cultivate a collective journey toward healing and understanding.
Upcoming screenings of the film will be held at the following locations:
October 23, 2025 - Statesville Public library in Statesville, NC
October 25, 2025- Museum of the Waxhaw in Waxhaw, NC
October 27, 2025- Healing History Convening, Alabama Humanities Alliance and David Matthews Centers, Montevallo, AL
December 1, 2025 - North Carolina State Capitol Building in Raleigh, NC
January 20, 2026- Brookgreen Gardens in Georgetown, SC
Florence Arts and Museums is launching a fundraiser to cover the cost associated with making and screening the film in communities across the country. Tickets for the screening are $15 and can be purchased below.
If you would like to make a donation, you can do so on our website (https://www.florencealmuseums.com/donate) by selecting “Gift your Support” and typing “Echoes” in the “Additional Information” box.
This program is sponsored by the City of Florence Department of Arts and Museums. Call 256-760-6379 or email connect@florencealmuseums.com for more information.
Spinning Workshop with Emily Wallace
Archaeology at Pope’s Tavern: Spinning Demonstration
Archaeology at Pope’s Tavern is hosting a presentation on Sunday, October 5th, 2025, at 12:00pm at Pope’s Tavern Museum, 203 Hermitage Drive, Florence, AL. This is one of a series of workshops at Pope’s Tavern that will explore history and archaeology.
Emily Wallace will be the presenter for this demonstration, which will offer a closer look at the craft of yarn spinning in Alabama, exploring the skills, materials, and preparation required to turn raw fiber into thread. Participants will gain insight into how this hands-on practice shaped daily life and connected people to their materials.
Emily Wallace is a textile artisan and fiber arts instructor from North Alabama where she explores both historic and modern approaches to producing fiber goods by hand. She currently teaches textile workshops at the Burritt Folk School in Huntsville, AL and tends a small flock of conservation breed sheep at her home.
After the workshop, Archaeology at Pope’s Tavern will continue its excavation of Test Unit 7. The program is free and is sponsored by the City of Florence Department of Arts and Museums, with support from the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area. Pope’s Tavern Museum is a museum dedicated to the early (1800-1870) history of Florence and Lauderdale County. Archaeology at Pope’s Tavern is a free, public archaeology program that has been documenting the history of the site since 2022. Pope’s Tavern is located at 203 Hermitage Drive, Florence, AL and is open, Tuesday - Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Call 256-760-6439 for more information.
Open Mic Night
Get ready for a night of heart warming poetry at our Florence Art and Museums’ Open Mic Night, happening on September 30th at 6:30 p.m at the Southall House, 209 E. Tuscaloosa St., Florence. For this event, poets are invited to share their original works that explore the theme of a walk in the woods.
This event will also feature readings by Elizabeth Quinones-Zaldana. The event will be followed by an open mic for audience participation. Our goal is to promote poetry and create a welcoming space where both published and unpublished poets can share their work while bringing together our diverse communities.
This program is free and is sponsored by the City of Florence Department of Arts and Museums. The Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts is located at 217 E Tuscaloosa Street, Florence, AL, and is open Monday - Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sundays from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. The event will be held at the Southall House, just next to the Art Center office, at 209 E. Tuscaloosa St. Call 256-760-6379 for more information.
Fall Equinox Ceremony
2025 Fall Equinox Ceremony
Come celebrate and receive the blessings of the Fall Equinox 2025 with the CORE Center and Friends of the Mound on
Monday Sept 22nd, 2025 at 5:30 p.m.
Please be at the Mound no later than 5:15 p.m. come with an Open and Loving Heart and wear white.
For more information call, Dr. Deborah Carter @ 256-386-9804 or the CORE Center 256-314-4542. If the weather is bad the ceremony will be held at the CORE Center.
Leather Making Workshop
Archaeology at Pope’s Tavern: Leathercraft Workshop
Archaeology at Pope’s Tavern is hosting a presentation and workshop on Sunday, September 21st, 2025, at 12:00pm at Pope’s Tavern Museum, 203 Hermitage Drive, Florence, AL. This is one of a series of workshops at Pope’s Tavern that will explore history and archaeology.
Denise Anderson of Gathering Moss Studio in Huntsville will be on hand to provide a brief exploration of the history and process of leathercraft in the 1800s. Denise will discuss historical methods of tanning leather, contrast and compare them with contemporary tanning, and look at a few examples of items that would have been common during that time period.
Denise Anderson is a Leatherworker that enjoys using traditional methods to create beautiful and functional leather goods inspired by nature. You can find her at her leather workshop in Huntsville, Gathering Moss Studio.
After the workshop, Archaeology at Pope’s Tavern will continue its excavation of Test Unit 7. The program is free and is sponsored by the City of Florence Department of Arts and Museums, with support from the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area. Pope’s Tavern Museum is a museum dedicated to the early (1800-1870) history of Florence and Lauderdale County. Archaeology at Pope’s Tavern is a free, public archaeology program that has been documenting the history of the site since 2022. Pope’s Tavern is located at 203 Hermitage Drive, Florence, AL and is open, Tuesday - Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Call 256-760-6439 for more information.
A Thousand Eyes: Archaeological Stewardship Training
We are proud to partner with the Tennessee Valley Authority to offer A Thousand Eyes Archaeological Site Stewardship Training at the Florence Mound and Museum on Saturday, September 20 and Sunday, September 21. This training prepares volunteers to act as site stewards of archaeological sites in the Shoals area. Site stewards monitor archaeological sites for signs of destruction, including looting and environmental damage.
Click here to download an application.
Email Connect@florencealmuseums.com for more information
Storytime at the Museum
Florence Arts and Museums is happy to announce our Storytime at the Museum series. Our Museum Educator is inviting children ages 5–8 to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month on Friday, September 5th from 10-11am at the Kennedy-Douglas Center for the Arts. This event will feature a reading of Ana Aranda’s Our Day of the Dead, followed by hands-on activities including making papel picado and decorating a traditional ofrenda.
This program is sponsored by the City of Florence Department of Arts and Museums. This event will be free to the public. Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts tours are free and open to the public Monday-Friday from 9-4pm, and on Sunday from 1-4pm. The KD Art Center is located at 217 E. Tuscaloosa St., Florence, AL. For more information call (256) 760-6379.
Open Mic Night
Get ready for a night of heart warming poetry at our Florence Art and Museums’ Open Mic Night, happening on August 26th at 6:30 p.m at the Southall House, 209 E. Tuscaloosa St., Florence. For this event, poets are invited to share their original works that explore the theme of something found.
This event will also feature readings by Tom Gordon, a longtime journalist and poet residing in Birmingham. The event will be followed by an open mic for audience participation. Our goal is to promote poetry and create a welcoming space where both published and unpublished poets can share their work while bringing together our diverse communities.
This program is free and is sponsored by the City of Florence Department of Arts and Museums. The Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts is located at 217 E Tuscaloosa Street, Florence, AL, and is open Monday - Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sundays from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. The event will be held at the Southall House, just next to the Art Center office, at 209 E. Tuscaloosa St. Call 256-760-6379 for more information.
Storytime at the Museum
Florence Arts and Museums is happy to announce our Storytime at the Museum series. Our Museum Educator is inviting children ages 5–8 to celebrate traditions within the Jewish culture on Friday, August 15th from 3:30-4:30pm at the FLW Rosenbaum House. This event will feature a reading of Jancie Fried’s A Mezuzah on the Door. Participants are encouraged to come with a family tradition in mind to help with the creation of a mini family traditions poster.
This program is sponsored by the City of Florence Department of Arts and Museums. This event will be free to the public. FLW Rosenbaum House tours are free and open to the public Tuesday-Saturday from 10-4pm, and on Sunday from 1-4pm. The FLW Rosenbaum House is located at 601 Riverview Dr, Florence, AL. For more information call (256) 760-6379.
Media Literacy Discussion
Archaeology at Pope’s Tavern: Media Literacy Discussion
Archaeology at Pope’s Tavern is hosting a presentation and discussion on Saturday, August 2nd, 2025, at 10:00am at Pope’s Tavern Museum, 203 Hermitage Drive, Florence, AL. This is one of a series of programs at Pope’s Tavern that will explore history and archaeology.
How do we know what sources are credible, and which are not? Understanding which sources are trustworthy is very important to doing historical research and understanding contemporary information. This discussion will explore the intersection of trust and accuracy and how we can effectively evaluate source credibility in both contemporary news and historical research.
Media coordinator for the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area, Cathy Wood previously was a staff writer for the TimesDaily and a journalism adjunct instructor with the University of North Alabama.
After the workshop, Archaeology at Pope’s Tavern will continue its excavation of Test Unit 6. The program is free and is sponsored by the City of Florence Department of Arts and Museums, with support from the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area. Pope’s Tavern Museum is a museum dedicated to the early (1800-1870) history of Florence and Lauderdale County. Archaeology at Pope’s Tavern is a free, public archaeology program that has been documenting the history of the site since 2022. Pope’s Tavern is located at 203 Hermitage Drive, Florence, AL and is open, Tuesday - Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Call 256-760-6439 for more information.
Ceramics Hand-building Workshop | with Aaron Benson
Saturday, August 2, 2025
Carriage House Studio at Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts
Join us for a ceramics hand-building workshop with Aaron Benson, UNA Chair of Visual Arts and Design, Associate Professor and Director of Ceramic and Sculpture. 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 2nd and learn more about clay by building and glazing your own work in this one-day class!
Aaron Tennessee Benson has a combined twenty-years of experience working in clay. He received his MFA in Ceramics from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. He has been an intern at Anderson Ranch Art Center in Colorado and a long-term resident and MJD Fellow at Archie Bray Foundation in Montana. Benson’s work has been published, collected, and exhibited both nationally and internationally. His current body of work uses traditional ceramic handbuilding methods to create large scale public works.
WHEN: 9 am- 3 pm, Saturday, August 2nd
WHERE: Kennedy-Douglass Art Center
WORKSHOP SCHEDULE:
9 am- Noon: Introduction, design, and hand-build
Noon-1:00 pm: Lunch Break (while clay dries)
1:00- 3:00 pm: Glaze and place in kiln.
Art pick-up: August 15th between 9-4 pm.
WORKSHOP FEE: $95 (includes Instruction & materials)
Open Mic Night: Featuring Original Poetry by Jake Berry
This month is your chance to explore your feelings about Democracy. Jake Berry, publisher of 7 Points Press, will be our featured poet. You're invited to come as a guest audience member or as a sharing poet at the mic. All are welcome!
STEAM Camp
Florence Arts and Museums is thrilled to partner with the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library to launch a STEAM Camp for students ages 11-18 from Monday, July 14th through Friday, July 18th, 2025. The camp will be divided into two groups based on age:
Group 1: ages 11-14, 9:00-12:30 pm UPDATE, 4/22/25: GROUP 1 IS AT CAPACITY. IF YOU WISH TO BE ADDED TO THE WAITLIST, CALL (256) 760-6379 or email connect@florencealmuseums.com.
Group 2: ages 14-18, 1:00-4:30 pm
This camp will offer students the chance to develop projects focused on claymation, graphic design, printmaking, and historical artifacts.
The cost of this program will be $25 per student due at the time of registration.
Classes will be limited to 16 students per age group.
African American Neighborhoods of Florence: North Florence
Please join Florence Arts and Museums and community members coordinated by Ms. Anita Smith Cobb for a presentation on the history of North Florence on Sunday, July 13th from 2:00-3:00 pm at the Coach Harvest Mitchell Gymnasium at Burrell Slater School, 610 West College Street. A group of African American citizens from different North Florence neighborhoods have collaborated with Florence Arts and Museums to record their history. Interviews, photographs, newspaper clippings, art and memories tell the story of these neighborhoods, which include Woodland Road; Chisholm Drive; Napier Heights; and Norwood Park. The project is compiled into an hour-long presentation. This presentation follows Ms. Anita Smith Cobb’s completion of the “East End” and “Stewart Spring” projects, the latter of which is available on our website, www.florencealmuseums.com.
This program is sponsored by the City of Florence Department of Arts and Museums and the Alabama Humanities Alliance. This event will be free to the public. Call 256-760-6379 for more information.
Exhibit Reception
Mostly Blues 2025 Invitational Exhibit
Exhibit: July 13 - August 28
Reception: Sunday, July 13 @ 1:00pm
Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts
The Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts is pleased to present Mostly Blues, an annual soulful exhibition of paintings, drawings, photographs, sculptures and mixed media works by regional artists that visually interpret and pay homage to the power of music. While invited artists from Colbert, Franklin, and Lauderdale counties have diverse interpretations—whether depicting a scene from the W.C. Handy Music Festival or literally painting in ‘blues’—all works have a common musical theme that celebrate this area’s ties to the music world.
The Mostly Blues exhibit was started in 1994 to honor Florence native W.C. Handy, “Father of the Blues”. Since then, the music-themed display has become a popular summer highlight! The KDAC again looks forward to this opportunity to exhibit the soulful collection of art by well-known and established area artists—as well as new, up-and-coming artists. This visual homage to the power of music will open on July 13 and remain on display through August 28, 2025.
Paper and Photo Preservation Workshop
This event has been cancelled.
Archaeology at Pope’s Tavern: Paper and Photo Preservation Workshop
Archaeology at Pope’s Tavern is hosting a presentation and workshop on Saturday, July 12th, 2025, at 10:00am at Pope’s Tavern Museum, 203 Hermitage Drive, Florence, AL. This is one of a series of workshops at Pope’s Tavern that will explore history and archaeology.
This workshop will introduce participants to basic conservation techniques for treasured family heirlooms made of paper such as books, photographs, and letters. Included will be storage best practice techniques and damage mitigation advice. The workshop will also include a basic tutorial on identifying and dating paper items. After the workshop, Archaeology at Pope’s Tavern will continue its excavation of Test Unit 7.
Kara Long is currently the Director of Collections and Gallery Experience at the Cook Museum of Natural Science in Decatur, AL. She has worked within the museum field for the past twenty years in Jackson, MS; Louisville, KY; and Lake Tahoe, NV. She previously held the position of Site Director at Pond Spring, The General Joe Wheeler Home in Hillsboro, AL before joining the staff of the Cook Museum. Over the past ten years, she has taught Collections Management courses as an adjunct at both the University of North Alabama and Athens State University. Kara is an avid reader and loves anything historical fiction. She has a great blackberry cobbler recipe that she would be willing to share if asked and has no shame in admitting she spoils her nieces and nephews rotten.
The program is free and is sponsored by the City of Florence Department of Arts and Museums, with support from the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area. Pope’s Tavern Museum is a museum dedicated to the early (1800-1870) history of Florence and Lauderdale County. Archaeology at Pope’s Tavern is a free, public archaeology program that has been documenting the history of the site since 2022. Pope’s Tavern is located at 203 Hermitage Drive, Florence, AL and is open, Tuesday - Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Call 256-760-6439 for more information.
Holding on to Past and Present Memories | an exhibit of fiber art by Lukuise Swanigan
The Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts is pleased to present a fiber exhibition, “Holding on to Past & Present Memories” by Mississippi artist Lukuise Swanigan beginning July 6, 2025, and continuing through August 21, 2025. A reception will be held on Sun., July 13, 1-4 p.m. in conjunction with the opening of the “Mostly Blues Invitational” exhibit. Please join us at 2:30 p.m. that afternoon for a ‘Meet & Greet’ opportunity with Lukuise and learn more about her fiber art and her creative process!
Born in Aberdeen, MS and residing in Columbus, MS, Lukuise Swanigan is a self -taught artist inspired by nature and childhood memories. Before making the decision to become an artist, Swanigan attended Ashworth Community College for floral design, a craft which she continued even after graduating. In 2009, she had a vision and found ways to create art using wrapped fabric. She honed her craft until she decided to start appearing at art shows in 2018.
Her process begins with a sketch. From there she transfers the image to her canvas and begins the process of wrapping printed cotton fabric in vibrant colors into art. The time it takes to complete a piece can take from one week to months, depending on the amount of detail. Swanigan has been a member of Fine Art America since 2019.
Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts tours are free and open to the public Monday-Friday from 9-4, and on Sunday from 1-4. The KD Art Center is located at 217 E. Tuscaloosa St., Florence, AL and can be reached by calling (256) 760-6379.
Open Mic Night
Tuesday, June 24 Open Mic at 6:30 p.m. at Southall, 209 E Tuscaloosa, Florence, AL.
Featured Poet: Dorthea Rikard
Ms. Rikard spent her adult life in northwest Alabama. She has published Voices from the Backyard by our local 7 Points Press. She has written poetry all her life and looks forward to sharing her poems with the variety of poets in the Shoals area she is honored to be among.
The writing prompt for June is Union. This is the season of weddings, but union implies many other couplings, connections, groupings may come to mind. Let your imagination run wild!
Camp KD 2025 | Week 3
Welcome back to Camp KD - a place for your child to make art, make friends, learn and have fun!
Week 3 will be June 23 – June 27.
Students in grades 7-8 will meet from 9am – Noon.
Each class will be limited to 18 students with 1 teachers and 1 volunteer.
Tuition is $50 for week. All supplies provided.
The Deadline to apply is May 19th.
Click the APPLICATION button to download and print a Camp KD application. You can also call Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts (256-760-6379) and have an application sent to your home. Or just stop by the art center!
Please fill out the application and submit with tuition by mail or in person to:
Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts
217 E. Tuscaloosa St.
Florence, AL 35630
Please make checks payable to Kennedy-Douglass Volunteers.
We look forward to a fun summer of creativity!
If you have any questions, feel free to email
or call 256-760-6379
Summer Solstice Ceremony
Come celebrate and receive the blessings of the
Summer Solstice 2025
With the CORE Center and Friends of the Mound on
Saturday, June 21, 2025, at 5:37 am sunrise
Please be at the Mound no later than 5:15 am and come with an
Open Mind and Loving Heart and wear white (not required).
If the weather is bad, the ceremony will be held at the CORE Center, 503 W State St # 1 Muscle Shoals, AL. For more information call Dr. Deborah Carter at 256-386-9804 or The CORE Center at 256-314-4542.
Camp KD 2025 | Week 2
Welcome back to Camp KD - a place for your child to make art, make friends, learn and have fun!
Week 2 will be June 9 – June 13.
Students in grades 1-3 will meet from 9am – 11am.
Students in grades 4-6 will meet from Noon – 2pm.
Each class will be limited to 18 students with 2 teachers and 2 volunteers.
Tuition is $50 for week. All supplies provided.
The Deadline to apply is May 19th.
Click the APPLICATION button to download and print a Camp KD application. You can also call Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts (256-760-6379) and have an application sent to your home. Or just stop by the art center!
Please fill out the application and submit with tuition by mail or in person to:
Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts
217 E. Tuscaloosa St.
Florence, AL 35630
Please make checks payable to Kennedy-Douglass Volunteers.
We look forward to a fun summer of creativity!
If you have any questions, feel free to email
or call 256-760-6379
Pope's Tavern Archaeology Day
Pope’s Tavern Museum will host its third annual ARCHAEOLOGY DAY on Saturday, June 7th 2025 from 9am until 2pm.
Archaeology Day will give anyone interested an opportunity to learn more about archaeology at an active archaeological site. Everyone is welcome participate in excavating, sifting, and processing artifacts. Several supporting organizations will be present, including the Muscle Shoals Chapter of the Alabama Archaeological Society, TVA Cultural Resources, Florence Parks and Recreation, along with staff from the Moundville Archaeological Park. In addition, we will be hosting the following activities alongside the archaeological stations:
Artifact Drawing Learn how to sketch artifacts like the ones found at Pope’s Tavern. All materials provided.
Plant Identification 101. Learn how to identify, harvest respectfully, and use plants. Learn how plants were used in the past for medicine and in foods.
Blacksmith Demonstration. Watch a demonstration about how blacksmiths create metal tools.
Flintknapping Learn how projectile points, arrowheads and tools are made from chert.
This will be a FREE and FUN event for the entire family! Florence Arts and Museums will be facilitating this event along with volunteers from the Archaeology at Pope’s Tavern project. Pope’s Tavern is located at 203 Hermitage Drive, Florence, AL and is open, Tuesday - Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Call 256-760-6379 for more information.
Camp KD 2025 | Week 1
Welcome back to Camp KD - a place for your child to make art, make friends, learn and have fun!
Week 1 will be June 2 – June 6.
Students in grades 1-3 will meet from 9am – 11am.
Students in grades 4-6 will meet from Noon – 2pm.
Each class will be limited to 18 students with 2 teachers and 2 volunteers.
Tuition is $50 for week. All supplies provided.
The Deadline to apply is May 19th.
Click the APPLICATION button to download and print a Camp KD application. You can also call Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts (256-760-6379) and have an application sent to your home. Or just stop by the art center!
Please fill out the application and submit with tuition by mail or in person to:
Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts
217 E. Tuscaloosa St.
Florence, AL 35630
Please make checks payable to Kennedy-Douglass Volunteers.
We look forward to a fun summer of creativity!
If you have any questions, feel free to email
or call 256-760-6379
Junior Archaeology Camp
The Pope’s Tavern Museum will host a JUNIOR ARCHAEOLOGY CAMP for students ages 10-18 from Monday, June 2nd through Friday, June 6th, 2025. The camp will be divided into two groups based on age:
Group 1: ages 10-12, 9:00am-11:30 am
Group 2: ages 13-18, 1:00pm-3:30 pm
The camp will introduce students to the concepts of archaeology through hands-on investigation and research. Students will learn how to research, plan, excavate, and process artifacts at Pope’s Tavern Museum. Archaeology can help students grasp concepts relating to mathematics, history, geology, chemistry, social science, and more; this camp will use archaeological processes for teaching the methods of archaeology and the history of the Pope’s Tavern site. Hands-on activities that relate to these subjects, including mapping, excavation, sketching, interpretation, and artifact processing, will make up the majority of the camp. Applications are available online at www.florencealmuseums.com/jrarchcamp , and at the Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts, starting April 7th, 2025.
Registration for the program is $25 per student. Registration is non-refundable. This program is sponsored by the City of Florence Department of Arts and Museums. Pope’s Tavern is located at 203 Hermitage Drive, Florence, AL and is open, Tuesday - Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Call 256-760-6379 for more information.
Ceramic Hand-Building Workshop | with Aaron Benson
Ceramics Hand-building workshop with Aaron Benson
Saturday, May 31, 2025
Carriage House Studio at Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts
Join us for a ceramics hand-building workshop with Aaron Benson, UNA Chair of Visual Arts and Design, Associate Professor and Director of Ceramic and Sculpture. Join us 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 31st and learn more about clay by building and glazing your own work in this one-day class! Registration is limited, so sign-up soon!
Aaron Tennessee Benson has a combined twenty-years of experience working in clay. He received his MFA in Ceramics from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. He has been an intern at Anderson Ranch Art Center in Colorado and a long-term resident and MJD Fellow at Archie Bray Foundation in Montana. Benson’s work has been published, collected, and exhibited both nationally and internationally. His current body of work uses traditional ceramic handbuilding methods to create large scale public works.
WORKSHOP SCHEDULE:
9 am- Noon: Introduction, design, and hand-build
Noon-1:00 pm: Lunch Break (while clay dries)
1:00- 3:00 pm: Glaze and place in kiln.
Art pick-up: June 4th, between 1-4 pm.
WORKSHOP FEE: $95 (includes Instruction & materials)