The inaugural River Region Art Summit is coming to The Kelly Fitzpatrick Center for the Arts.
It is a great chance for artists and organizations to come together to connect. The summit started small and grew exponentially.
“We talked to a couple of organizations and they wanted to meet with our artists,” The Kelly executive director Jennifer Eifert said. “We would love to get our artists in touch with other organizations. Then we got in touch with a few more organizations and were like this is more than a meeting. We made it a summit.”
Eifert said The Kelly’s artist associate’s program is full at 50 with a waiting list. But the event is from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 27.
“We wanted to show all the artists in the area all the opportunities, not just through us, but other organizations too,” Eifert said. “We are bringing together the organizations and artists so they can meet each other, find out about all the opportunities.”
Eifert said The Kelly and other organizations are open to exhibits from artists not in their associate programs.
“The summit is a great way for everyone to connect,” she said.
The art summit is open to all artists young and old.
“It is for artists of all levels,” Eifert said. “We want to see artists, art organizations and people who want to become artists. There will be information on classes and things like that.”
The summit already has Alabama State Council of the Arts, Alabama Arts Alliance, Montgomery Art Center, King’s Canvas, The Millbrook Arts Center and the Wetumpka Crater and Visitor Center on board with many others planning to be there. Eifert said the arts council will have a presentation in the morning and the arts alliance in the afternoon.
“Everyone else will have tables set up with information about their programs and their exhibits,” Eifert said. “It is really just an opportunity for artists and art programs to come together to see what everyone has to offer.”
The two presentations are the only things scheduled for the summit at The Kelly. The arts council presentation will center around its fellowship program and the benefits it can offer artists. Eifert said it is open to the public.
“People can come for half the day, the whole day,” Eifert said. “It is up to the attendee.”
