Calendar of Events

Big Ears Festival has officially announced its return for March 24 – 27, 2022!

The lineup is mind-blowing: more than 100 performances that cross all boundaries, as well as discussions, workshops, installations, and surprise collaborations, unfolding over more than a dozen venues across walkable and historic downtown Knoxville.

We're pleased to highlight some exciting new special program and projects to explore at Big Ears 2022:
• Trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire plays duets with drummer Andrew Cyrille;
• Nathalie Joachim makes a solo performance for flute, voice, and electronics;
• Saul Williams performs a rare solo spoken word set;
• James McVinnie plays a solo organ recital featuring work by J.S. Bach and Philip Glass;
• Singer / songwriter Leyla McCalla performs her Vari-Colored Songs: A Tribute to Langston Hughes, accompanied by a string quintet from Nashville new music ensemble, chatterbird;
• Guitarist Gyan Riley joins Bang on a Can All-Stars to perform Terry Riley’s Autodreamographical Tales;
• Attacca Quartet play a concert featuring work by Flying Lotus, Squarepusher, and others from their release Real Life; on an additional program, Caroline Shaw joins Attacca to perform music composed exclusively by Shaw;
• Sō Percussion play Julia Wolfe’s Forbidden Love, Nathalie Joachim’s Note to Self (a piece for Sō and Joachim), and the world premiere of Angélica Negrón’s When the Sun Hits Just Right (an octet for Sō and Kronos Quartet);
• Composer and saxophonist Miguel Zenón and Spektral Quartet play Yo Soy La Tradición, as well as the world premiere of a new quartet Zenon has written for Spektral;
• Ensemble Dal Niente play a full two-day sequence of brief sets at the Knoxville Museum of Art.

There’s much to explore and discover, from a dive into the heart and soul of New Orleans music and the Afro-Caribbean cultures that influence it, to a performance by Hadestown-creator Anaïs Mitchell’s great new band, Bonny Light Horseman. A special performance by the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra; alt-rock legends Animal Collective, Kim Gordon, and Low; and a stunning world-class jazz lineup are just a taste of what’s on tap for the festival weekend.

https://bigearsfestival.org/

Art, music and makers are a mainstay in Downtown Knoxville, causing it to become an art destination year-round. The Downtown Knoxville Alliance and local businesses are embracing the community’s creativity by curating complementary music and art experiences alongside the Big Ears Festival, an internationally renowned music festival to be held in Knoxville on March 24-27.

Starting Thursday, March 24, and throughout the weekend, more than 25 downtown businesses will host free artist exhibits; live music and art classes; and local makers doing live demonstrations to complement the ticketed and free Big Ears events and performances. Big Ears, The Maker City and the Downtown Knoxville Alliance are collaborating to inform the public of these activities. The free events include live music performances; art exhibitions and demonstrations; and hands-on classes. In addition, artist Megan Lingerfelt will add a spring theme to the Downtown Knoxville mural in Strong Alley, which is located between Market Square and Gay Street, on Thursday and Friday. Participating galleries and merchants will be marked by colorful sidewalk graphics, and the weekend’s activities are available at www.downtownknoxville.org/local-art

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LIVE DEMONSTRATIONS

+ Merchants of Beer, Friday, March 25 at 4pm: Barron Hall of Mighty Mud Studio – Pottery @barronart of @mightymudstudio. Wheel-throwing (pottery) demo with mugs for purchase

+ Street Fair at Southern Railway Station, Saturday, March 26 at 2pm: Kelly Sullivan of Knoxville Arts & Fine Crafts Center @kafcc - Gelli prints; Kendra Barth of Blanket Fort Studio – Clay hand building @blanketfortstudio; Greer Miceli of Greer Miceli Art – Live painting @greermiceli.art.design; Debbie Meritsky & Marc Rotman of Master Repurposers - Stained Glass @masterrepurposers

+ Hyatt Five Thirty Lounge, Saturday, March 26 at 4pm
@williamwrightmusic – Music: World premier of "Make Me New Again" www.williamwrightmusic.com
William Wright is an award-winning Composer of concert music and film scores as well as a 20-year veteran of the East Tennessee music community. On March 26, a selection of Wright's contemporary works, including multiple premieres, will be performed at the Hyatt, downtown Knoxville, at the rooftop 5:30 Lounge. The ensemble for this show will be a trio of extremely gifted East Tennessee musicians that Wright has worked with previously, including pianist Slade Trammell, cellist Cecilia Wright and bass+violist Preston Davis. Trammell helped premiere Wright's work for choir and chamber trio, Concordia, in 2021. William has been collaborating with Wright and Davis for many years. Among the pieces that the ensemble will be performing is a new work, written specifically for this showcase, titled Make Me New Again. The piece is a tone poem, written for piano + viola + cello and found sound, driven by an array of East Tennessee and Knoxville-specific inspirations and features audio from the 1982 World's Fair, which celebrates it's 40th anniversary in May. The ensemble will also be performing Wright's internationally acclaimed work Salt Mass, as well as The Swim Lesson, a piece for Cello that Wright showcased at the 2021 Screen Music Program in Milan, Italy where he was named Best Composer for the Screen, the program's top award. The entire showcase will consist of pieces that have never been performed in the United States.

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All weekend:
+ Beth Meadows, Embassy Suites @bethmeadowsart and www.bethmeadows.com
Beth Meadows creates mixed media works on wood that mix her life in East Tennessee with aspirational and luxurious living. She draws inspiration from contemporary high-end design, but paints in a flat, primitive style. Her work often explores themes such as female confidence, mental health, and interpersonal relationships using dark and humorous undertones. For purchasing information, please contact beth@bethmeadows.com

+ Ryan Blair, Embassy Suites @ryanblairart
Muddy Waters Rise'n: This series of paintings is inspired by the people of Appalachia and their relationship to southern identity and culture. As a child raised in the Midwest, we often would travel to a small East Tennessee town to spend time with family. These early visits along with experiences of now living in the south influence the subject matter in this work, mixing real and fictional stories, characters, attitudes and beliefs.

+ Jalynn Baker, Radius Rooftop Lounge @jalexisphoto and www.jalynnbaker.com
The portrait photography series, “How Did We Get Here?”, explores the various journeys of people who have come to live in the United States. Each story is told autobiographically, revealing a singular perspective while illuminating some of the common hopes, dreams, fears, and vulnerabilities that we share as a human race. As you encounter these stories, I hope you will allow yourself to be challenged to listen more intently and move toward others with love and empathy. To hear stories, visit here: www.jalynnbaker.com/how-did-we-get-here.

+ Tintype Popup w/ Kelsey Dillow
Rala: Regional and Local Artisans presents Knoxville's favorite Tintype photographer! Join us to have your very own tintype portrait made. Hours: March 24-26 11:30am-5:30pm, March 27th 11:30am-5:00pm
Tintype portraits will be 4x5”, 20 minute sessions. Email or DM Kelsey (see information below) to book a time slot. Walk ups are also welcome. Read Kelsey's FAQ on her website for more information or reach out to her with any questions. www.kelseytdillow.com or @kelseytiaraphoto (Instagram) or kelseytdillow@gmail.com

After seeing the tremendous success of our branch sales this year, we are excited to try something a little bit different: a spring book sale in a new location. That new location is Central United Methodist Church at 201 3rd Avenue in the Fourth and Gill neighborhood. Spring sale coordinator J.J. White describes this new sales model as “smaller than our previous annual sale and bigger than a branch sale, so it's the best of both!”

Jen Cooper, co-chair of the Sales and Distribution Committee, points out that having a sale in the spring and adding another sale in the fall will result in twice as many members-only early shopping events and twice as many opportunities “to shop the wide selection available at larger sales– whether your interests are in special collections, a niche area of nonfiction, or you are trying to find the last book to complete your Agatha Christie collection!”

Without a doubt the most popular day of our annual sale has always been the Members Only Day. The members-only component of the Spring Used Book Sale will be from 4-8 pm on Thursday, March 24th. The sale will then be open to the public from 10-5 Friday, March 25th and Saturday March 26th, with Saturday designated as half price day. Please note that face masks will be required for all volunteers and shoppers.

www.knoxfriends.org

Thursday’s program at the amphitheater will kick off the festival with a set by Kronos Quartet, which will flow straight into Amid the Noise, a pulsing hypnotic work by Sō Percussion which draws in numerous collaborators including Kronos, beatboxer Shodekeh, Pulitzer Prize-winning composer and singer Caroline Shaw and University of Tennessee’s Percussion Ensemble. Dos Santos, the cinematic and exuberant Latin rock band come next, followed by Damon Locks’ Black Monument Ensemble, a vibrant Chicago-based collective featuring a chorus of singers and dancers backed by an inspired 7-piece band, all under the direction of DJ and producer Locks. Thursday closes with the spectacular Colombian-Canadian singer Lido Pimienta, who made a showstopping performance on the 2021 Grammys telecast.

Thursday, March 24
4:00p: Kronos Quartet
4:30p: Sō Percussion + Special Guests Amid the Noise
6:00p: Dos Santos
7:30p: Damon Locks & The Black Monument Ensemble
9:00p: Lido Pimienta

Friday at the amphitheater features bands exclusively from New Orleans and Haiti, highlighting the essential musical connection between those two rich cultural hubs. Programming stars with the fabulous traditional New Orleans jazz of Aurora Nealand and the Royal Roses, followed by Mardi Gras Indian Big Chiefs 79RS Gang, and into Lakou Mizik, the multi-generational Haitian roots band. Sets will be interspersed with performances from Sporty’s Brass Band, NOLA’s champion second line brass unit. From there, the night heats up with performances by the essential Haitian mizik rasin band RAM and the legendary New Orleans outfit Preservation Hall Jazz Band.

Friday, March 25
3:30p: Aurora Nealand & The Royal Roses
4:45p: 79RS Gang
6:00p: Lakou Mizik
7:00p: Sporty's Brass Band
7:30p: RAM
9:00p: Preservation Hall Jazz Band

There's still more to come, including the Krewe du Cattywampus second line New Orleans-style parade and street party, plus more free programming during the festival weekend throughout downtown Knoxville.
https://bigearsfestival.org/

Our juror lectures are in-person this year, but they will also be broadcast simultaneously over Zoom. We hope you can join us in person or virtually!

Illustrator and designer Shelby Rinke will give a presentation on their work on Thursday March 24 at 6pm in room 109 of the Art + Architecture Building.

Shelby Rinke is a designer, illustrator and all-around color enthusiast who is currently based in sunny Arizona. Their work is consistently described as fun, vibrant and colorful. Shelby loves contributing to projects that tell a story and spread joy. Bonus points if there's humor involved. In addition to collaborating with brands, they create independent comics and zines that feature LGBTQ+ characters and themes.

Aside from working on rad projects, you can find Shelby kayaking, watching space documentaries or cuddling their rescue dog, Harvey.

This event is sponsored by the School of Art and the School of Design in the College of Architecture and is in conjunction with the Ewing Gallery's 75th Annual Student Art Competition.

Rinke served as the juror for the graphic design division of the 75th Annual Student Art Competition

Click to attend virtually: https://tennessee.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcpf-igqz0rHdPSj6J_xOKLEZfdbKXlwSQ4
Ewing Gallery, 1715 Volunteer Blvd on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. Information: 865-974-3200, www.ewing-gallery.utk.edu

5:30-7:30 PM

Help us celebrate spring at The Pinnacle with our very first shopping event of the season! Enjoy live music, delicious treats, food trucks, discounts and more while you shop our local retailers! Follow us on Instagram + Facebook for more details!
https://www.instagram.com/pinnacleatturkeycreek/

Interested in popping up? Email gabbatemarco@crawfordsq.com for more info!
https://pinnacleatturkeycreek.com/event/the-spring-edit/

THURSDAY AT 5 PM – 9 PM at SouthSide Garage
Strada Social - where cars, art, and new friends collide.

An experiential car culture event centered around a tightly curated list of interesting cars from the Knoxville area. There's no set formula for this event but you can expect a cool venue, like-minded people, experimental technology, and creative expression.

Admission: Free & Open To The Public
Food Truck and Beverages provided by SouthSide Garage.

Vehicles on display:
Lambo Huracan
Twin Turbo Ford GT
JDM Nissan S15
1933 Chopped Dodge "Toxicity"
Porsche 991 GT3

https://www.facebook.com/events/836892134374019/

By Qui Nguyen, Directed by Casey Sams
Carousel Theatre

After the death of her teenage sister Tilly, Agnes discovers an untouched “Dungeons and Dragons” campaign in Tilly’s room. In an effort to connect with her sister one last time, Agnes enters the imaginary “Dungeons and Dragons” world she once mocked. She uncovers levels of her sister that she didn’t know existed in an action-packed adventure filled with homicidal fairies, nasty ogres, and ‘90s pop culture.

The Pay What You Can Preview performance, where patrons can name their own price, will be held Wednesday, March 23rd. Half of the proceeds from PWYW tickets will benefit Girls Inc. of Tennessee Valley. Behind the Scenes Sunday will take place following the Sunday, March 27 matinee. A Designer Talk Back will take place Sunday, April 3rd following the matinee. And, an Actor Talk Back will take place following the April 10th 2:00 pm matinee. The Open Captioned performance also is Sunday, April 10th at 2:00 pm.

Free and convenient parking is available in the Upper Parking of McClung Tower Garage (G2) on Volunteer Boulevard. This show addresses themes of bullying and homophobia and contains depictions of violence, mild sexual content, and mild profanity. Those with auditory and visual sensitivities should be aware loud noises, theatrical haze and flashing lights occur at times in this production.

https://clarencebrowntheatre.com/plays/she-kills-monsters/

Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage Artist-of-the-Year: Alex Foster
March 21 – May 1, 2022

GEOFFREY A. WOLPERT GALLERY
Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, 556 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. Information: 865-436-5860, https://www.arrowmont.org/visit/galleries/exhibition-schedule/

Meet the artist Mon Mar 21, 7-9 PM

At Barrelhouse, it’s important to us to support local artists of all kinds, so every six weeks we have a new visual artist on our taproom wall! Meet the artist, Lauren Kelley, and see her bold, colorful paintings as well as have the chance to purchase. https://www.facebook.com/events/s/meet-the-artist-lauren-kelley/698915158144022/
https://www.instagram.com/laurentheabstractartist/

Barrelhouse – Gypsy Circus Cider, 621 Lamar St, Knoxville, TN 37917
https://gypsycircuscider.com/barrelhouse-by-gypsy-circus-knoxville/

Please join us for this landmark anniversary exhibition of the University of Tennessee Ewing Gallery’s Annual Student Art Competition. This long-standing university event will be on display from March 21 until 2pm on March 30.

Tom Holmes and Shelby Rinke selected the fine art and graphic design selections on exhibition in the gallery.

Ewing Gallery, 1715 Volunteer Blvd on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. Information: 865-974-3200, www.ewing-gallery.utk.edu

In celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the 1982 World's Fair, the Museum of East Tennessee History announces the opening of a new, one-of-a-kind exhibition, "You Should've Been There!," in the Rogers-Claussen Feature Gallery from March 19 to October 9, 2022.

The exhibition’s theme is not only a nod to the international exposition’s marketing catchphrase, “You Have Got to Be There! The 1982 World’s Fair!,” but also an acknowledgement that four decades removed, there is a generation of East Tennesseans who were not alive to experience the historic event.

Organized by the East Tennessee Historical Society and the Knox County Public Library, “You Should've Been There!” traces the fair’s development from conception to the pivotal moment when The Wall Street Journal referred to Knoxville as a “scruffy little city” and questioned its ability to host an international event. More than 11,000,000 visitors from around the world were informed and entertained in the various pavilions, exhibitions, and attractions put on by 22 countries and some 50 private organizations. Popular souvenirs were shirts and buttons proclaiming, “The Scruffy Little City Did It!”

The fair’s theme, “Energy Turns the World,” played to the region’s reputation as a technology and science center. For example, it was at the 1982 World’s Fair that users were able to try out a touchscreen for the first time. Elo, a Knoxville-based company, debuted the touchscreen technology, then known as "talk back" computers, in the United States Pavilion. To honor this spirit of innovation, “You Should've Been There!” incorporates engaging touchscreens alongside displays of original fair materials from pickle pins to deely bobbers and everything in between.

To learn more about the exhibition, please visit: https://www.easttnhistory.org/1982worldsfair

"You Should've Been There!" is an official event of the 40th Anniversary of the 1982 World's Fair. To learn more about upcoming commemorative events, please visit: http://www.knoxvilleworldsfair.com.

East Tennessee Historical Society, 601 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Museum hours: M-F 9-4, Sa 10-4, Su 1-5. Information: 865-215-8824, www.easttnhistory.org