REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Portrait Drawing
REGISTRATION DEADLINE
Portrait Drawing
Class dates: TUESDAYS
November 3-17, 2:00 - 4:00 PM
Surprise yourself by learning to draw a recognizable face, as you continue to gain confidence ‘seeing’ more clearly. In this 3 day class, students will look at light sources and shading to make your portrait pop!
REGISTRATION DEADLINES: Holiday Trees
REGISTRATION DEADLINES
Holiday Trees
Select a Session:
SATURDAYS, November 7-21, 1:30 - 3:30 PM
MONDAYS, November 9-23, 6:30 - 8:30 PM
Create a clay holiday tree ready for lights! This class introduces students to clay handbuilding techniques with step-by-step guidance to create a clay tree decoration. No prior experience required!
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Date Night Pottery
REGISTRATION DEADLINE
Date Night Pottery
THIS CLASS IS FULL
Class date: FRIDAY
November 6, 7:00 - 8:00 PM
Make a date of pottery throwing! This one hour class is perfect for those who have never tried the pottery wheel before, or want to have an adventure with your partner in crime.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Watercolor Workshop
REGISTRATION DEADLINE
Watercolor Workshop
Class date: FRIDAY
November 13, 5:30 - 8:30 PM
“Dip your toes” in watercolor! Choose an image, then transfer your onto watercolor paper, while learning watercolor techniques. You will leave with a finished watercolor painting!
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Oil Painting Workshop
REGISTRATION DEADLINE
Oil Painting Workshop
Class date: SUNDAY
November 15, 1:00 - 4:00 PM
“Dip your toes” in oil paint! Choose an image transfer it onto canvas and learn methods for oil application. Learn how to bring items forward or to put them in the background using highlighting and shadow. You will leave with a finished 8x8 inch oil painting!
RECEPTION for From Dark to Light
RECEPTION
From Dark to Light
The conception of “From Dark to Light,” has a duality not only with this collection of paintings, but also the artist’s choice to value time for its incalculable preciousness, to do his work and to focus his energy in the light of being a creator.
RECEPTION for Out of the Blue
RECEPTION
Out of the Blue
A cool blue runs through each of these pieces painted during the summer of 2026. The scenes, close to home or far away, simply appealed to the artist’s senses, and it turns out this planet is mostly blue.
Arts on the Side
This free gathering includes soup supper catered by Aramark Collegiate Hospitality, two exhibit receptions, and a “Piano Walk,” featuring seasonal music played by local pianists.
Registration Deadline: The Studio
REGISTRATION DEADLINE
The Studio
Meets: MONDAY
November 23, 3:00 - 4:30 PM
Join an art club that meets once a month for tweens and teens. The goal of the club is to bring together the artistic youth of our community and create an enriching space for sharing, learning, and creating art! We’ll paint, draw, sculpt and many other forms of art. The Studio is free to join. Please register your attendance for each session.
REGISTRATION DEADLINES: Holiday Ornaments
REGISTRATION DEADLINES
Holiday Ornaments
Select a Session:
SUNDAYS, November 29-December 6, 2:00 - 4:00 PM
MONDAYS, November 30-December 7, 6:00 - 8:00 PM
Make decorations to give as gifts or hang in your home! Work with slab forms and cutout patterns for 2D hanging items, or turn your slab into a small 3D form. Paint your decorations with a variety of colors, then glaze them for the final firing.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Colored Pencil Workshop
REGISTRATION DEADLINE
Colored Pencil Workshop
Class date: TUESDAY
December 1, 5:30 - 8:30 PM
“Dip your toes” in colored pencils! Choose your image, then transfer your image to paper, lay down colors, blend and finish. You will leave with a finished colored pencil drawing and a tin of pencils.
A Choral Christmas
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Ring in the season with this beloved annual tradition, featuring stirring choral arrangements, intimate small-group numbers, and standout solo performances spanning sacred and secular favorites.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Soft Pastel Workshop
REGISTRATION DEADLINE
Soft Pastel Workshop
Class date: SATURDAY
December 12, 1:00 - 4:00 PM
“Dip your toes” in soft pastels! Choose an image and create a template, and blend with different tools and techniques. You will leave with a finished pastel drawing and a box of colored pastels.
Table Read: Elf The Musical
Elf The Musical
Would-be elf, Buddy, is raised, unaware that he is actually a human until his enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father and discover his true identity and helps everyone remember the true meaning of Christmas.
Torch Burns Blue
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Sit back for a slow burn as our vocalists ignite the night with smoldering torch songs drawn from blues and beyond—aching, soulful, and impossible to look away from.
Table Read: Alice By Heart
Alice By Heart
In the rubble of the London Blitz of World War II, Alice Spencer’s life is turned upside down, and she and her dear friend Alfred are forced to take shelter in an underground tube station. When the ailing Alfred is quarantined, they escape into their cherished book and journey down the rabbit hole to Wonderland.
You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown
TICKETS GO ON SALE DECEMBER 5
Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the whole Peanuts gang come to life with humor and heart celebrating friendship, hope, and everyday triumphs.
Auditions: Crimes of the Heart
AUDITIONS
AUDITION FORM WILL BE AVAILABLE IN NOVEMBER 2026
Beth Henley's Pulitzer Prize-winning dark comedy reunites three Mississippi sisters, unraveling family secrets with heartbreak and hilarity.
Ragtime
TICKETS GO ON SALE DECEMBER 5
This sweeping musical portrait of early-twentieth-century America tells the story of three families in the pursuit of the American Dream.
ONE NIGHT IN MEMPHIS
One Night in Memphis
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The number one, critically acclaimed tribute to Sun Records recording artists Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash starring former cast members of the Broadway smash hit, “Million Dollar Quartet.” Over 90 minutes of authentic rockabilly, country, gospel and rock and roll.
Crimes of the Heart
TICKETS WILL GO ON SALE IN JANUARY 2027
Beth Henley's Pulitzer Prize-winning dark comedy reunites three Mississippi sisters, unraveling family secrets with heartbreak and hilarity.
![The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6317adca405c417800ee18f2/1783019355113-VAYO9ATNMQHCGWIGP98J/Shakespeare-Logo.png){kind=logo}
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised]
TICKETS GO ON SALE IN FEBRUARY 2026
Three irreverent comedians race through all 37 of Shakespeare's plays in under two hours, proving the Bard is funniest when he's being completely, gloriously demolished.
Evening with the Stars, Jr.
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We heard you, kids: it’s your turn to take the stage for this perennial favorite auditioned variety show.
Auditions: Ragtime
AUDITIONS
This sweeping musical portrait of early-twentieth-century America tells the story of three families in the pursuit of the American Dream.
Pumpkintown at The Arts Center
PUMPKINTOWN AT YOUR ARTS CENTER
Come paint Pumpkins with us during Pumpkintown in our Visual Arts Wing!* We provide the pumpkins and paint—you provide the inspiration! But that’s not all! We’ll have the famous Pumpkin House out front, to enjoy and take selfies, as well as free parking all day!
*While supplies last
Gone 90s Country
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Two-step and toe-tap along with the twangy tunes that defined a decade. Relive the nostalgia and feel the influence that still shapes Country music today.
Table Read: And Then There Were None
And Then There Were None
Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None is a thriller play about ten strangers who are lured to a remote mansion on Soldier Island off the coast of Devon, England
Auditions: You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown
AUDITION FORM
Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the whole Peanuts gang come to life with humor and heart celebrating friendship, hope, and everyday triumphs.
Registration Deadline: The Studio
REGISTRATION DEADLINE
The Studio
Meets: MONDAY
October 19, 3:00 - 4:30 PM
Join an art club that meets once a month for tweens and teens. The goal of the club is to bring together the artistic youth of our community and create an enriching space for sharing, learning, and creating art! We’ll paint, draw, sculpt and many other forms of art. The Studio is free to join. Please register your attendance for each session.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Date Night Pottery
REGISTRATION DEADLINE
Date Night Pottery
Class date: FRIDAY
October 16, 7:00 - 8:00 PM
Make a date of pottery throwing! This one hour class is perfect for those who have never tried the pottery wheel before, or want to have an adventure with your partner in crime.
Table Read: Misery
Misery-CANCELED
A famous romance writer named Paul Sheldon crashes his car in a snowstorm. A local woman named Annie Wilkes—who says she is his "number one fan"—rescues him and brings him to her quiet home.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: ARTSPLORATIONS Arts Workshops
REGISTRATION DEADLINE
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER AGES 5-10
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER AGES 11 - 16
Fall 2026 Artsplorations are October 13
Join us for a performing arts workshops during Fall Break taught by AACA instructors. Cost is tiered Pay What You Can.
The Crucible
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Due to an unexpected casting change, we have made the decision to postpone all upcoming performances to the following week.
One of the most acclaimed plays in the American theatrical canon, this exciting drama about the Puritan purge of witchcraft in old Salem is a gripping and timely parable of contemporary society.
RECEPTION Open Exhibit 2026
RECEPTION Open Exhibit
An annual competition and exhibit of for artists in McMinn and surrounding counties.
Want to exhibit? Check out our Prospectus (deadline to register is August 26)
PROSPECTUS
RECEPTION for Threads of Resistance, Stitches of Hope
RECEPTION
Threads of Resistance, Stitches of Hope
See work by Resist-Stitch (Pat Armstrong, Jan Burleson, Diana Ferguson, Geri Forkner, Lizz Harris, and Kathryn L. Hunter), which re-imagines a future in which the wise words of our founding documents are honored.
RECEPTION for American Witches
RECEPTION
American Witches
See work by artist Adam Romano that asks viewers to wonder what it means to be the subject of a witch hunt?
AMERICAN PATCHWORK QUARTET
American Patchwork Quartet
BUY TICKETS TWO FOR ONE!
Led by multi-GRAMMY® award-winning guitarist/vocalist Clay Ross, American Patchwork Quartet weaves timeless American folk with jazz sophistication, country twang, West African hypnotics, and East Asian ornamentation to create an innovative sound that transcends culture, politics, and ideology.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Handbuilding Pottery
REGISTRATION DEADLINE
Handbuilding Pottery
Class dates: SUNDAYS
September 27 - October 25, 2:30 - 5:00 PM
In this 5-week handbuilding class you will learn to combine pinch pots to make such things as vases teapots, fruit items, or something of your own choice. This class is suitable for beginners or those wanting a refresher.
Registration Deadline: The Studio
REGISTRATION DEADLINE
The Studio
Meets: MONDAY
September 21, 3:00 - 4:30 PM
Join an art club that meets once a month for tweens and teens. The goal of the club is to bring together the artistic youth of our community and create an enriching space for sharing, learning, and creating art! We’ll paint, draw, sculpt and many other forms of art. The Studio is free to join. Please register your attendance for each session.
Table Read: Les Misérables
Les Misérables
A story filled with revolution and romance, Les Misérables is an epic tale of hope and redemption. Sent to jail for stealing a loaf of bread in 19th-century France, prisoner Jean Valjean earns his release after 19 years of imprisonment only to find a world unwilling to give him a second chance.
Arts on the Side
This free gathering includes dinner catered by Aramark Collegiate Hospitality, an interactive art activity, art demonstration, and table read. The Arts Center invites everyone to come enjoy dinner, tour our facility, learn about our programs, and enjoy free arts programs.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Stained Glass
REGISTRATION DEADLINE
Stained Glass
Class date: THURSDAYS
September 17 - October 29, 5:30 - 8:30 PM
In this 7-week long, beginner-friendly course, you will learn the techniques to make your own stained-glass creation using equipment and tools provided in our Visual Arts Studio. However, you must purchase your own glass. Glass is $30 or more depending on the quality. The first class will be an orientation; design template ideas, glass retail options, and an overview of the equipment that you will use.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Intermediate Pottery Wheel
REGISTRATION DEADLINE
Intermediate Pottery Wheel
Class dates: MONDAYS
September 14 - October 26, 6:00 - 8:30 PM
Designed for students who have taken the 7-week Beginner Pottery Wheel class with our instructor, Patricia Shook. All materials are included. Students will be given one 25lb block of clay.
Table Read: The Fantasticks
The Fantasticks
This funny and romantic musical is about a boy, a girl, and their two fathers who try to keep them apart. The narrator, El Gallo, asks the audience to use their imagination and follow him into a world of moonlight and magic. The boy and the girl fall in love, grow apart and finally find their way back to each other after realizing the truth in El Gallo's words that, "without a hurt, the heart is hollow."
Mean Girls
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Mean Girls is a high-energy stage musical based on the 2004 film. Cady Heron, a former homeschooled student from Africa navigates the vicious social hierarchy of public high school. She infiltrates the "Plastics," led by queen bee Regina George. Will she lose herself to popularity before learning the importance of friendship and being true to herself?
RECEPTION for Community “Piece” Project
RECEPTION
Community “Piece” Project
We need YOU to help us create a “painted” community quilt! Choose one of our templates, then use graphite paper to trace, then paint your quilt square. Each square will be “stitched” together to create a community masterpiece!
Table Read: The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas is a rollicking hootenanny of a musical, is based on the true story of a legendary Texas brothel, which operated from the 1840s to 1973.
PG-13 Advisory for mature language and themes.
Jukebox Lounge
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Familiar favorites transformed by Wendel Werner’s genre-bending arrangements—jazz-inflected pop, doo-wop noir, swing-tempo rock—prove that reinvention is where the magic happens.
The Studio
REGISTRATION DEADLINE
The Studio
Meets: MONDAY
August 17, 3:00 - 4:30 PM
Join an art club that meets once a month for tweens and teens. The goal of the club is to bring together the artistic youth of our community and create an enriching space for sharing, learning, and creating art! We’ll paint, draw, sculpt and many other forms of art. The Studio is free to join. Please register your attendance for each session.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Watercolor
REGISTRATION DEADLINE
Watercolor
Class dates: THURSDAYS
August 6 - September 10, 4:30 - 6:30 PM
In this 6‐week class, students will be introduced to the delight of watercolor. Each week the instructor covers new techniques to help beginners develop a set of skills. Soon, you’ll be creating your own unique watercolor paintings. All materials are provided.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Family Pottery
REGISTRATION DEADLINE
Family Pottery
Class dates: SATURDAYS
Aug 1 - 15, 2:30 - 5:00 PM
This 3-week class is designed for a parent/guardian to accompany their child with the pottery wheel.
Make Your Mark Camp
REGISTER BY JULY 13
CAMP DATES July 27 - 31
Artists who have completed grades 6 - 12 study master artists, then create their own artistic expressions. Camp ends with an exhibit of finished work during the last 30 minutes of camp.
Auditions: The Crucible
AUDITIONS
AUDITION FORM
One of the most acclaimed plays in the American theatrical canon, this exciting drama about the Puritan purge of witchcraft in old Salem is a gripping and timely parable of contemporary society.