Calendar of Events

(Ages 6+) Join Ijams for a First Friday BLACKLIGHT Night Hike on April 1 from 8-9:30 p.m.! You'll search for biofluorescent scorpions, explore glowing lichen and discover what things "shine" under ultraviolet (UV) light in the nocturnal world. UV flashlights will be provided. Learn More and Register

Ijams Nature Center, 2915 Island Home Ave, Knoxville, TN 37920. Hours: Grounds and trails open during daylight hours. Call for Visitor Center hours. Information: 865-577-4717, www.ijams.org/ijams-river-rescue.

Knoxville Community Media (formerly Community Television of Knoxville) is hosting an exhibition for First Friday April.

CTV: 47 years of public access tv in Knoxville will feature historic documents, artifacts, and video from our long history with this community.

April 1 6-9pm 107 Bearden Place (Striped Light building) next to Central Filling Station

Info: 865.215.8848 or media@knoxcm.org

Please join us for light snacks & refreshments
Friday, April 1st, 5pm - 8 pm

Brian Melton is at Able Trade! The very talented Brian Melton is a self taught wood carver. He blurs the line between traditional “folk art” and “fine art.” Come see these beautiful wood carvings in person as well as our Able Trade members latest work.

Oglewood Ave Plant Boutique will have a pop up shop!
Oglewoood Ave is a modern plant boutique that turns all people into plant people and specializes in unusual species that surprises even the seasoned plan person. So be prepared to bring home a new plant baby at the end of this event, 'cause you wont be able to resist.

Able Trade, 203 W Jackson Ave, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: https://weareabletrade.com/ or www.instagram.com/abletradeknox/

Join us for a FREE First Friday gallery opening. The show is entitled "Reality Is Known By Its Traces" and is a retrospective of work by artist Kelsey Dillow.

The show opens on First Friday, so be sure to mark your calendar! Meet artist Kelsey Dillow of @kelseytiaraphoto to discuss her creative process and learn more about her work from 6-9pm

Opening Reception: Friday, April 1st, 6-9 P.M.

The Knoxville Community Darkroom, 126 Jennings Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37917. Information: www.theknoxvillecommunitydarkroom.org

Graciela Cabana, associate professor of anthropology, will present “Ancestry and Race: What Genetics Research Says About Nationalism,” Friday, April 1 at 12 p.m. via Zoom.

History teaches us that race concepts can be especially harmful when essentialized as “natural” biological or genetic concepts. For this reason, social science scholars have expressed concern over whether recent genetic research, particularly studies of genetic ancestry, may be encouraging a new form of essentialism of race and ethnicity.

Current research has revealed considerable complexities in the ways genetics and race are co-configured, depending on individuals’ motivation and social context. In order to understand the dynamic between genetics and race better, scholars are calling for further empirical research in varied social-cultural settings, as well as extending analyses into related notions of ethnicity and national belonging.

In her presentation, Professor Cabana will discuss an ongoing interdisciplinary anthropological project that responds to this call, which investigates how information about human genetic variation affects notions of race, ethnicity, and national belonging in Argentina.

The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required.
https://tennessee.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMlc-urrzooHt1f-rld9imDxkLHaW2N_WA2
We will continue to host our lecture series via Zoom.

Taps & Tunes on the Corner live at Visit Knoxville
April 1 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

A song and story man, a compulsive adventurer, a rural Pennsylvania yokel with a restless curiosity and a passion for street performance, Leo DiSanto has hauled his wanderlust wagon and his guitar case everywhere from gypsy camps in Transylvania to monasteries in the high Himalaya to the boulevards of New Orleans to the wild interior of Alaska. He sees this more or less as his existential mission: to inspire and be inspired. Known for his imaginative songwriting, powerful singing voice, exciting live performances, and captivating storytelling, Leo is the founding front man of the award-winning, original Amerikindasorta string band, Vinegar Creek Constituency, and is currently (and indefinitely) on tour as a solo performer.

https://wdvx.com/event/taps-tunes-on-the-corner-live-at-visit-knoxville-4-1-leo-disanto/

FRIDAY AT 5:30 PM – 8 PM

You are invited to Real Good Kitchen for our April First Friday Food Market! This is EXCLUSIVELY a food event- come hungry! Meet our members, shop, eat dinner, and most importantly, SUPPORT your local Knoxville food entrepreneurs! Market line-up TBA.

The event will be at the back of our building. We are located at 2004 E. Magnolia Avenue at the intersection of Magnolia & Cruze. Parking is at the front, back, and sides of the building- please do not park in front of the apartments. ⁠

https://www.facebook.com/events/1011593939733638/

The Refugee King, a new play by Ethan Norman

March 31, April 1 & 2 @ 7:30 PM, April 3 @ 2:30 PM

You know the story. A long time ago, Jesus lived, died, and rose again. We tell it and re-tell it, and for good reason. But to what end? How does it really affect our daily life two thousand years later? The Refugee King is a fresh, vibrant play with music wherein a couple finds themselves in a story – unfolding at a kitchen table like yours – where they must choose to be like Jesus or like everyone else.

The WordPlayers is a 501(c)3 theatre company. The Refugee King is sponsored by Warren & Kathy Payne, Leslie A Hull and Accentuate Communication. Upcoming programming includes Hello, Dolly! at the Bijou Theatre.

Performed at the Old City Performing Arts Center, 111 State St., Knoxville. Tickets are $18-$22 on the weekend and March 31 is Pay What You Wish Admission. Tickets are available at www.oldcitypac.com and at the door. For more information, please see www.wordplayers.org or call 865-539-2490.

Facebook: The WordPlayers
Twitter: @wordplayers
Instagram: wordplayers

Celebration of the pieces at a reception on Sunday, April 3 from 2 to 4 PM.

The show is intended to answer the question: “What do you love?” We have asked our members to lend us up to six of their favorite pieces to share with the community to show a range of what speaks to and moves each of the individuals. In essence, it will be curated by the larger group, rather than a single person and, therefore, we are hoping it will be both diverse and dynamic.

There are all sorts of reasons people collect art. In most cases, artwork is displayed in our homes or work spaces, but in others it may not be. Most people buy art because they love the imagery and want to live with it to create a feeling or mood in their living space. The work may echo feelings, emotions, or memories they cherish. They may offer a range of emotions from comforting and soothing to exciting or invigorating. Work may also titillate the imagination, beckon stories, or challenge viewers to define or describe their subject matter. These may inspire ever changing reactions or a sense of renewal and inspire different feelings as one looks at the work over the long term. Some of us own pieces that have familial ties or generational importance. These items may involve references to one’s heritage or aspects from the culture or cultures from which they hail. Still others invest in artwork, hoping it will rise in value and that they will see a large return on that investment. While I concede this happens, I believe these individuals are in the minority. What we choose to love and live with says a lot about each of us—who we are and how we live. For this reason, we are asking our member collectors to select what they would like to show. We want your/their choices to make sure we do not slant the exhibition through a single individual’s filter.

One collector has offered to show a series of 13 Dali works that Dali created as illustrations for Lewis Carrol’s Alice in Wonderland. The set is delightfully colorful and depicts the chapters of the book. These should be as enchanting to view as the book was to read! We are looking forward to sharing in the joy these pieces will bring to everyone who sees them. Other items that will be exhibited include a piece or pieces that were purchased while traveling. For one of the owners, her work takes them back to that experience, the newness and freedom the trip inspired. In addition it was a new type of work that has inspired her own thinking and creations since. It is those anticipated experiences that prompt us to offer this exhibition. To share these works our members are opening their experiences to others and allowing our viewers to make that journey with them. That communication should be as interesting or thought – provoking as the works themselves.

Oak Ridge Art Center, 201 Badger Avenue, Oak Ridge, TN 37830. Hours: Tu-F 9-5, Sa-M 1-4. Information: 865-482-1441, www.oakridgeartcenter.org

The play will be performed Thursdays and Fridays at 7 PM, Saturdays at 1 PM and 5 PM, and Sundays at 3 PM.

Knoxville Children’s Theatre, in partnership with the Clayton Foundation will present a live production of Jackie & Me by Steven Dietz and adapted from the book by Dan Gutman.

Ten-year-old Joey Stoshack is a headstrong young boy with a special talent for time travel. When Joey is assigned to write a report on an African American who has made an important contribution to society, he uses his special ability to go back to Brooklyn, New York, in 1947. He meets one of baseball’s greatest players, Jackie Robinson. Joey plans on writing a prize-winning report, but he doesn’t plan on a trip that will forever change his view of history and his definition of courage.

"[Kids] learn about Jackie Robinson, racial discrimination and restraining one's temper to achieve a larger goal. … The show is truthful, fun and filled with worthy life lessons for kids." -Chicagocritic.com

The play is performed by 14 talented young actors, from ages 9 to 18. Joey will be played by Oak Holden, who is making his KCT debut. He will be joined by Elijah Clemes and DeShayla Foley, who will portray Jackie and Rachel Robinson.

The show is directed by guest director Derrick Washington, Jr. who is a former KCT participant.

KCT is East Tennessee’s leading producer of plays for children and families.
Knoxville Children's Theatre, 109 E. Churchwell Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37917. Information: 865-208-3677, www.knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com

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/