Calendar of Events

The Arts & Culture Alliance proudly presents its 2022 Members Show, the largest annual exhibition of local artists in the Greater Knoxville area. The fresh mix of two- and three-dimensional works created within the last two years encompasses a wide variety of media such as oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastel, mixed media, photography, fine craft, sculpture, ceramics, fiber, and more from regional artists who are all individual members of the Arts & Culture Alliance, which serves and supports a diverse community of artists, arts organizations, and cultural institutions. Membership is open to all, and information may be found at www.knoxalliance.com/join-renew.

A free reception with the artists will take place on Friday, December 2, from 5:00-9:00 PM. The 49th Annual WIVK Christmas Parade starts at 7:00 PM along Gay Street and passes in front of the Emporium. During the opening reception, dancers with Circle Modern Dance will preview their upcoming production Modern Dance, Primitive Light.

“This exhibition showcases the broad variety of styles and skills representative of our diverse membership of whom we are so proud,” says Liza Zenni, Executive Director for the Arts & Culture Alliance.

Individual members of the Alliance participate locally and regionally in gallery exhibitions, art festivals, sculpture trails, weekend shows, studio tours, and public murals. Some Alliance members are full-time artists, while others have day jobs and create on evenings and weekends. Some members include art professors with the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, Carson-Newman University, Maryville College, Pellissippi State, Roane State, and Walters State. Others are teachers within Knox and surrounding counties’ elementary, middle and high schools. Some Alliance members teach classes privately or through community classes with the Appalachian Arts Craft Center, Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts, Fountain City Art Center, Knoxville Arts & Fine Crafts Center, Knoxville Museum of Art, Mighty Mud, and Oak Ridge Art Center. Many of the artists have working studios in their own homes, while some are part of studio collectives such as the Emporium, 17th Street Studios, Mighty Mud, Broadway Studios & Gallery, Knoxville Community Darkroom, West Fifth Studios, and Relay Ridge.

The 2022 Members Show will be on display throughout the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, in downtown Knoxville from December 2-22, 2022. Most of the works will be for sale and may be purchased through the close of the exhibition by visiting in person or via the online shop at www.knoxalliance.store. The Emporium is open to the public Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM and Saturday, December 3 & 10, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. Please note, the Emporium will be closed December 23 – January 2 for the holidays. For more information, please see www.knoxalliance.com or call (865) 523-7543.

December 2 - 18: THE WOLVES by Sarah DeLappe, a co-production with Pellissippi State Community College

Squats, jumping jacks, quads, hamstrings, butterfly, periods, Trigonometry, pressure, expectations, loss...Sarah DeLappe takes teenage girls seriously, "I wanted to see a portrait of teenage girls as human beings - as complicated, nuanced, very idiosyncratic people who weren't just girlfriends, or sex objects or manic pixie dream girls but who were athletes and daughters and students and scholars and people who were actively trying to change the world around them." This sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking, and sometimes terrifying play takes an insider's look at a high school girls soccer team and finds a full human microcosm there.

River & Rail Theatre, 111 State Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-407-0727, www.riverandrailtheatre.com

Knoxville Children’s Theatre, in partnership with the Clayton Foundation will present the world premier live production of “The Carol!” This comedy is written by KCT Artistic Director, Steve Sherman. The play will be performed December 2nd through the 18th, Thursdays and Fridays at 7 PM, Saturdays at 1 PM and 5 PM, and Sundays at 3 and 6 PM. There will be school matinees on December 9th.

The entire family will enjoy this holiday comedy! A community theatre is trying to keep its head above water and when famous stage actor Sir Anthony Stewart is unable to play Scrooge in their annual production of A Christmas Carol, their technical director and house understudy has to step in. A farce that includes the guy who takes theatre a little too seriously, the girl who is always late, the guy who doesn’t prepare, the spoiled grandson of Sir Anthony, lots of teenage drama, and a major error by the new marketing person that throws everything into a tailspin. Ending with lots of Christmas joy, this show will be fun for everyone!

The play is performed by 18 talented young actors, from ages 10 to 18. The show is directed by KCT Artistic Director Steve Sherman. 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

8524 Oak Ridge Highway, Knoxville, TN 37931

Fridays 12/2/22, 12/9/22 & 12/16/22 5:00PM-8:00PM
Saturdays 12/3/22, 12/10/22 & 12/17/22 3:00PM-8:00PM
Sundays 12/4/22, 12/11/22 & 12/18/22 3:00PM-8:00PM

Admission: $12 ages 4 and up, free parking. Cash or credit cards accepted.

Come stroll through the underground winter wonderland, get your face painted, do some holiday crafts, and visit with Santa! (Wheelchair and stroller accessible.)

https://www.historiccherokeecaverns.com/

The Nutcracker, Dec 2-4 at Civic Auditorium Knoxville and Dec 9-10 at Clayton Center for the Arts Maryville

Friday, December 2, 10:00am
School Matinée

Saturday, December 3, 7:00pm
Public Performance
Accompanied by Knoxville Symphony Orchestra

Sunday, December 4, 3:00pm
Public Performance

Friday, December 9, 7:00pm
Public Performance
Accompanied by Knoxville Symphony Orchestra

Saturday, December 10, 3:00pm
Public Performance

865-981-8590
https://appalachianballet.org/tickets.html

December 2, 2022 | Relay Ridge First Friday tintype pop-up & exhibition | 5-9PM

December 8-9, 2022 | Remedy Coffee tintype portrait pop-up | 9:30AM-2PM

Hosted by Kelsey Dillow: www.kelseytdillow.com or @kelseytiaraphoto

DECK THE HALLS... The KMA's Thorne Rooms are all decorated for the holiday season! After Thanksgiving, Knoxville Museum of Art pulls out the tinsel and trimmings to get our collection of Thorne Rooms ready for the most wonderful time of the year! Thank you to East Tennessee miniature artisans and Thorne Room experts Annelle Ferguson and Jolie Gaston for making it all possible. On view through December 30.

The Thorne Rooms were developed in the 1930s and 40s by Narcissa Niblack Thorne, Chicago, IL, who loved dollhouses as a child. After extensive travels in Europe where she collected miniature furniture and accessories, Mrs. Thorne had over two dozen miniature rooms created by cabinetmakers from her own drawings. They were made in a scale of one inch to one foot. She painted and stained woodwork, papered walls, and made textiles for the rooms. Read more: https://knoxart.org/exhibitions/thorne-rooms/

Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 World's Fair Park, Knoxville, TN 37916. Hours: Tu-Sa 10-5, Su 1-5. Information: 865-525-6101, www.knoxart.org. Admission and parking are free.

At Lakeshore Park, 5930 Lyons View Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919
Free
Recurring daily

Join Lakeshore Park Conservancy for Operation: Light Up Lakeshore’s Holiday Event! The Conservancy will be hosting a celebration on the HGTV Overlook to kick off the season and light up the Park!
https://www.visitknoxville.com/event/2022-light-up-lakeshore/20976/

Fountain City Art Center, 213 Hotel Ave, Knoxville, TN 37918. Hours: Tu 9:30-3:30, W-R 9:30-4:30 or by appointment. Information: 865-357-2787, www.fountaincityartcenter.com

The ETRSAE showcases the strength and diversity of art education programs in East Tennessee, celebrates talented middle and high school students, and supports arts education. This annual exhibition provides the opportunity for students to participate in a juried exhibition and to have their artworks displayed in a professional art museum environment. We are so delighted by the quality of the artworks, the dedication of the teachers, and the commitment of the museum staff to establish a museum/school tradition for our community.

Public, private, and home schools grades 6–12 in 32 East Tennessee counties were invited to submit up to 15 artworks per teacher. Categories for the competition include ceramic, drawing, digital imagery/video production, mixed media, painting, computer graphics, sculpture, photography, and printmaking. Each participating school is represented by one work of art.

The Best-in-Show winner receives a Purchase Award of $500, and the artwork becomes a permanent part of the collection of Mr. James Dodson, on loan to the Knoxville Museum of Art’s Education Collection. The Best-in-Middle School winner receives $250. The teachers of the winning student will receive $100. Each student in the exhibition receives a certificate of participation and the “Best” in each of the 10 categories the winners receive a museum family membership.

Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 World's Fair Park, Knoxville, TN 37916. Hours: Tu-Sa 10-5, Su 1-5. Information: 865-525-6101, www.knoxart.org. Admission and parking are free.

Whether with family, friends or on a date you'll love skating in the heart of Downtown Knoxville in Market Square! More information available at www.knoxvillesholidaysonice.com.

Enjoy skating under the stars and twinkling lights while listening to music every night.
https://www.knoxvilletn.gov/government/city_departments_offices/special_events/christmas_in_the_city

Welcome to a Winter Wonderland

Gather your family, friends and neighbors for Knoxville’s wildest light spectacular! Zoo Lights is back for a third year—bigger and brighter than ever, starting on Black Friday!

Wednesday - Sunday Evenings, 5:00 - 8:30 PM
November 25 - January 8

All NEW life-sized animal lanterns, festive holiday beverages for all ages, an enchanting lantern scavenger hunt and so much more!
Adult Tickets: $24
Kids (Ages 3 - 12): $18
Members get $4 OFF

The perfect gift! Share the brilliant holiday extravaganza with the ones you love.

Renew your Zoo Membership to enjoy all of the special perks that come with it.
Kids can chug along the Polar Express Train and see the twinkling lights while adults sip holiday beverages by the tracks.

The Magical Flying Sleigh Zipline is new this year! With additional purchase, attendees can soar above the treetops and see the mesmerizing lights from Santa’s perspective.

Zoo Knoxville, 3500 Knoxville Zoo Drive, Knoxville, TN 37914. Information: 865-637-5331, www.zooknoxville.org