Calendar of Events

Knoxville Children’s Theatre will present “The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe” a live theatre version of C. S. Lewis’ classic novel and one of his “Chronicles of Narnia,” especially adapted for young people and families. The play will be performed Thursdays and Fridays at 7 PM; Saturdays at 1 PM and 5 PM; Sundays at 3 PM.

The magic and mystery of the Great Lion Aslan and the struggle with the White Witch are what four children find when they inadvertently wander into an old wardrobe and arrive in Narnia. The war in Narnia is consuming the magical animals of Narnia, and only Aslan can bring about peace. C. S. Lewis' "Chronicles of Narnia" are timeless stories of faith, love, caring and giving, and "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe" is the greatest of them. The play is performed by 23 talented young actors, from ages 10 to 16. The role of Aslan will be performed by Jaden Lily Branson. Sydney Reed takes on the challenging role of the White Witch. The four children who find themselves in Narnia are played by Jessica Burks (Susan), Millie Lovett (Lucy), Chase Russell (Edmund), and Ethan Turbyfill (Peter).

Caroline Dyer, a senior at South-Doyle High, will make her directorial debut with this show. Knoxville Children's Theatre, 109 E. Churchwell Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37917. Information: 865-208-3677, www.childrenstheatreknoxville.com.

In 1947 writer John Gunther called it “the ugliest city in America” – a title that prompted the formation of the Dogwood Arts Festival. Labeled “The Scruffy Little City” in 1980 by the Wall Street Journal, Knoxville defied the critics again by hosting the successful 1982 World’s Fair.

Over the past 30 years, Knoxville has been transformed into a place we’re proud to call home and historic preservation has played a critical role in that transformation. Come celebrate our city, & support Knox Heritage in its mission to preserve Knoxville’s historic treasures.

The Scruffy City Soirée is our annual fall fundraiser, which provides support for many important Knox Heritage programs and services and makes it possible for the Knox Heritage staff to advocate every day for historic places in Knoxville and throughout the 16-county region. If you’ve attended the Scruffy City Soirée in the past, you know what a great night it is. Included in your ticket price is a delicious buffet dinner, wine & beer, and live entertainment. Our celebrity guest hosts get everyone pumped up before a live auction that features items and experiences you can’t get anywhere else! The silent auction offers unique local art, crafts, excursions and tours, and other surprises not found at other auctions.

At The Standard, 416 W. Jackson Avenue, $125 per person. http://knoxheritage.org/news/scruffy-city-soiree-tickets-now-on-sale/

Art Gone Wild! at Knoxville Zoo is a show and sale of original pieces of art created by the zoo’s animals. This is a special after-hours event for guests 21 and up. (Guests will need to show a valid ID at the front gate.) Art Gone Wild! attendees can enjoy wine, beer and hors d’oeuvres as they peruse inspired works by the zoo’s “artists in residence” that will be available for purchase.

The offering includes paintings by black bears, chimpanzees (with special pieces by youngster George), Western lowland gorillas, African elephants, African painted dogs, meerkats, and more! Guests will also get a chance to see some of the artists at work because the zoo’s African elephants will be demonstrating their painting skills. Guests will also have the opportunity to watch a special training and enrichment sessions during the event. All proceeds from Art Gone Wild! go to fund the zoo’s enrichment program.

Tickets to Art Gone Wild! are $30 per person and are available online at www.knoxville-zoo.org, by phone at (865) 637-5331, at the zoo’s ticket window during zoo hours as well as the evening of the event. Zoo members receive a $5 discount on tickets.

Zoo Knoxville, 3500 Knoxville Zoo Drive, Knoxville, TN 37914. Open every day except Christmas. Information: 865-637-5331, www.zooknoxville.org

Once again, the elementary students of Townsend and Walland will be creating scarecrows, with the assistance from the Townsend Artisan Guild members, to be auctioned off as a fund raising project for the art classes of each school. Please come to the auction and bid on a scarecrow! Remember, this will raise funds for art projects at the schools. Art departments have very little money in the school budgets for supplies and projects. This auction gives them a little extra to help out.

Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center, 3/4 mile east of traffic light at the Highway 321 and 73 intersection towards the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Townsend, TN. Hours: Monday-Saturday, 10AM-5PM. Information: 865-448-0044, www.gsmheritagecenter.org

September 23 – Aftah Party

Alive After Five is a unique live music series that takes place in the smoke-free, casually elegant setting of the Ann and Steve Bailey Hall in the Knoxville Museum of Art. There is a live band on stage, seating at tables, two cash bars, food from area restaurants, free freshly popped popcorn, and free parking. Audience members can enjoy listening to music, dancing, and browsing the museum’s art galleries. Admission is $15 for general and $10 for museum members and college students with ID. Ages 17 and under are admitted free.

Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 World's Fair Park Dr, Knoxville, TN 37916. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10AM-5PM, Sunday, 1-5PM. Information: 865-525-6101, www.knoxart.org

The Historic Sam Houston Schoolhouse is happy to announce our fall program, Schoolhouse Adventures. Our first adventure will be on Friday September 23rd from 5PM to 7PM. Paul Hawkins will present "Bluebird Basics" and "In The Nest Box program."

Reservations are requested. To reserve your seat at our table call the schoolhouse at 865-983-1550. Cost $10 per person, $15 per couple. Members cost $6 per person and $10 per couple. Dinner will be served at 6pm.
Sam Houston Schoolhouse is located at 3659 Old Sam Houston School Road, Maryville, Tennessee.

Avery Burgess is a 9 year-old native of Knoxville, TN. She attends the Episcopal School of Knoxville where she enjoys science, art, music and library classes most of all. From an early age, Avery expressed an interest in learning about and drawing out her favorite still photographs found of animals. That interest has led to a collection of drawings ranging from a poison dart frog, fennec fox, to a three toed sloth. The animals could take you through the alphabet or on a trip around the world. Supported by a mini-grant from the Dale's Fried Pies Awesome Squad, Avery will be showcasing 26 unique animal drawings.

Avery dreams of becoming a biologist, being an explorer, and continuing to always pursue her artwork no matter what path life takes her down. She is very excited at the opportunity to share her art with the community.

At The Central Collective, 923 N. Central Street, Knoxville, TN 37917. Information: 865-236-1590, info@thecentralcollective.com, www.thecentralcollective.com

Edible Container Gardening
Friday, September 23, 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Small space? No problem. There are many edible plants you can grow successfully in containers even in Fall and Winter. Join local garden author, John Tullock, for a lively and informative class on successful container gardening. Both indoors and out, there are many tasty plants to grow in containers. Participants will receive a sprouting jar kit to try at home.
Cost: $12 / member, $15/ non-member.
You can register for classes online. You will need to pay when you arrive for a session: https://utgardens.wildapricot.org/UTGardensEvents.
UT Gardens, Chapman Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996. Information: 865-974-7151, http://utgardens.tennessee.edu

The UT School of Art and the Campus Events Board is collaborating to sponsor Visiting Artist Thomas Allen Harris at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville on September 22-23, 2016.

Thomas Allen Harris is a photographer, filmmaker, and curator who creates work that illuminates the human condition and the search for identity, family, and spirituality. His 2001 documentary That's My Face addressed the artist's identity during a childhood move from New York City to Tanzania and back again. In his film The Twelve Disciples of Nelson Mandela, Harris examines the life of his step-father, who was active in the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. For his campus visit he will present his most recent film project, Through a Lens Darkly: Black Photographers and the Emergence of a People, which examines the ways photographic images inform social roles as well as self-representation through history.

Films, shorts and video installations by Thomas Allen Harris have been exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art, Whitney Biennial, Reina Sofia, Corcoran Gallery; broadcast on PBS, ARTE, YLE, CBC, and the Sundance Channel as well as screened at the Sundance, Toronto, Berlin, Outfest, and FESPACO film festivals. This semester Harris is at Yale University presenting his Digital Diaspora Family Reunion project, and was recently a Montgomery Fellow at Dartmouth College. From 1994-2002, he was on the faculty at the University of California, San Diego.

Below are two public events during his visit, both of which are free and open to the public:

Thursday Sept. 22, 2016, McClung Museum Auditorium, 7:30pm
This artist lecture titled Book of the Family Tree explores identity and representation with a particular focus on how African Americans have used the camera in the struggle for civil rights. The talk is both personal as well as historical in scope and culminates in his transmedia project Digital Diaspora Family Reunion.

Friday Sept. 23, 2016, Hodges Library Auditorium, 2:30pm
Screening of Harris' film Through A Lens Darkly: Black Photographers and the Emergence of a People, with a discussion following.

UT School of Art: 1715 Volunteer Blvd, Knoxville, TN 37996. Information: 865-974-3200, http://art.utk.edu/

Held every four years since 1992, Arrowmont’s Utilitarian Clay Symposium enjoys a national reputation within the ceramics community. Celebrating and appreciating the limitless interpretations of the utilitarian clay object, the Symposium attracts those who are interested in practical concerns with making functional objects and more theoretical issues related to the field. Registration for UCVII is currently full. Call 865-436-5860 to be wait listed. http://www.arrowmont.org/visit/events/

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, 556 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. Information: 865-436-5860, www.arrowmont.org

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts is exhibiting over 200 utilitarian ceramic works by 93 leading artists in the ceramics field. This exhibition is in conjunction with Arrowmont’s Utilitarian Clay VII: Celebrate the Object National Symposium – September 21-24, 2016. The Utilitarian Clay VII Symposium Presenters Exhibition features 32 works by 16 international and national ceramic artists whose work represents some of the most diverse utilitarian work being made today. Presenting artists: Linda Arbuckle, Andy Brayman, Sam Chung, Josh Copus, Chandra DeBuse, Adam Field, Giselle Hicks, Meredith Host, Ole Jensen, Kristen Kieffer, Simon Levin, Robbie Lobell, Peter Pincus, Linda Sikora, Shoko Teruyama and Takeshi Yasuda.

In conjunction with the Symposium, each presenter was asked to bring a favorite pot from home to exhibit and discuss in a round table conversation during the symposium. The Potters Favorite Pots Exhibition will be on display in Arrowmont’s Sandra J. Blain Gift Gallery for the duration of the conference.

Admission is free and open to the public. Gallery hours are Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm and Saturday 10am - 4pm. Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, 556 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. Information: 865-436-5860, www.arrowmont.org

East Tennessee has a rich tradition of innovation. Across the region, startups and entrepreneurs are spinning out new products and processes that change the way we live—from manufacturing the first 3D printed car to fighting cancer with protons and six global cable networks that bring content to more than 100 million homes worldwide.

Innov865 Week will celebrate Knoxville’s entrepreneurial spirit by bringing together startups, entrepreneurs, investors, business leaders, students, and the East Tennessee community for a week of educational panels, pitch competitions, investor roundtables, and social events. This year’s event features Paul Singh and the North American Tech Tour.

Innov865 Week will kick-off with the Kauffman Foundation’s Mayors Summit on Entrepreneurship on Monday, September 19, and features the signature event, Startup Day, on Thursday, September 22, 2016. Startup Day 2016 will feature six East Tennessee startups pitching their businesses for a chance to win a $5,000 cash prize. The Innov865 Alliance will review applications and select the finalists who will get to make their pitches on September 22, 2016 on the U.S. Cellular Stage at the Bijou. This year's fourth-annual Startup Day is the main event in the new Innov865 Week, which will be a weeklong series of events September 19-23. Besides the signature pitch competition, activities for the week will include educational panels, investor roundtables and social events. The events are geared toward startups, entrepreneurs, investors, business leaders, students and the East Tennessee community.

http://innov865week.com/events/week/2016-09-18/