Calendar of Events

States of Becoming examines the dynamic forces of relocation, resettling, and assimilation that shape the artistic practices of a group of contemporary African diaspora artists in the United States. The exhibition is inspired by curator Fitsum Shebeshe’s 2016 move from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to Baltimore, and subsequent firsthand experience with cultural assimilation. States of Becoming is a traveling exhibition curated by Fitsum Shebeshe and produced by Independent Curators International (ICI), New York.

States of Becoming Opening Reception
Friday, January 31, 2025, 6:00-9:00 pm
Members Only Hour, 6:00-7:00 pm
Gallery Talk with Curator Fitsum Shebeshe, 6:15 pm
Reception Opens to Non-Members, 7:00 pm
Musical Performance by Artist Miatta Kawinzi, 8:00 pm
Food by Tarik’s North African + Cash Bar + Specialty Beverage
https://knoxart.org/event/states-of-becoming-opening-reception/

For additional information and updates, follow the Knoxville Museum of Art on social media:
Facebook: Knoxville Museum of Art, Instagram: @knoxvillemuseumofart, X: @knoxart

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.

Step into the romantic streets of 19th-century Paris with Puccini's "La Bohème" on January 31 and February 2, 2025. Once again led by the creative vision of Dean Anthony and conducted by the distinguished Michelle Rofrano, this beloved opera will weave a tale of love, passion, and heartbreak amidst the bohemian lifestyle of struggling artists. With its soaring melodies and poignant storytelling, you won’t want to miss your chance to experience the enduring power of love and art.

Knoxville Opera: 865-524-0795, https://www.knoxvilleopera.org/

East Knoxville's Black Food Renaissance
Join us for a special three-day engagement of this new documentary film from East Knoxville food justice collective Rooted East, including ticketed premiere fundraiser events Friday January 31 and Saturday February 1 and a special FREE matinee Sunday afternoon, all with post-screening discussions of the film and the issues it presents.

Showing exclusively at Central Cinema 1205 N Central St Knoxville, TN 37917

Friday January 31st, 2025 | Documentary Premiere with Special Guests | $25 per ticket
Saturday, February 1st, 2025 | Documentary Screening | $15 per ticket

Synopsis: Narrated by Umoja Abdul-Ahad, “Roots of Resilience: East Knoxville’s Black Food Renaissance” is a powerful documentary that delves into the legacy of apartheid and its enduring impact on food security and urban spaces within historically Black communities. The film traces the deep-seated issues of food apartheid—systematic racialized barriers to food access—and how these injustices have left many Black neighborhoods as food deserts, devoid of fresh, affordable, and nutritious food. The documentary highlights the journey of activists, community leaders, and urban gardeners who are working to restore urban green spaces in these marginalized communities. Through intimate interviews and poignant visuals, the film showcases how these initiatives are reclaiming the land for the community, fostering self-reliance, and reviving cultural connections to agriculture. At its heart, Roots of Resilience is a story of hope, resilience, resistance and the power of grassroots movements in disrupting the structures of apartheid and cultivating a future where historically Black communities can thrive.

About the Filmmaker: Ronald Levy is a 28-year-old filmmaker from Memphis, TN, dedicated to creating content that leaves a lasting impact on culture. His passion is to compose work that not only entertains, but also challenges and inspires change. Ronald aims to explore human emotions and societal values, using film as a tool to foster understanding and dialogue. The mission of his company, Levron's Art, includes documentaries to short films, all with the goal of making a meaningful contribution to society and the art of storytelling. You may visit Ron’s website at: https://levronsart.com/

https://centralcinema865.com/production/roots-of-resilience-east-knoxvilles-black-food-renaissance/

Gallery 1010, 100 S. Gay Street, Suite 114, Knoxville, TN 37902. Hours: Reception Fri 5-7 PM, Sat 10 AM – 1 PM, or by appointment. Information: https://gallery1010.utk.edu/

Gallery 1010 is a contemporary art exhibition space located at 100 S. Gay Street in Suite 114 of the Emporium Center of downtown Knoxville, Tennessee. As one of three University of Tennessee School of Art galleries, Gallery 1010 is the only fully student-run, non-profit, off-campus exhibition space in the state of Tennessee. The mission of Gallery 1010 is to provide space for the School of Art students of the University of Tennessee to experiment and develop new ideas while gaining educational gallery experience in professional standards and practices.

FRIDAY, JAN 31 | 7:30PM

Bijou Theatre, 803 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information/tickets: 865-522-0832, https://knoxbijou.org/

Eastern Kentucky duo The Local Honeys, Montana Hobbs and Linda Jean Stokley, build on a strong foundation in traditional and old time music to create a repertoire of songs capturing the many shades of life in Central Appalachia. The pair are noted for their rich harmonies and strong instrumentation and are backed on this tour by a band including percussion, guitar, and bass.

With their self-titled debut on La Honda Records, the duo have set forth on a journey to create something true to themselves while pushing the envelope within the tradition. Carefully crafted vignettes of rural Kentucky rise above layers of deep grooves and rich tones curated by longtime mentor Jesse Wells, Grammy nominated producer and musician (as well as Assistant Director at the Kentucky Center for Traditional Music at Morehead State). Rollicking banjo meets guitar hooks and blue collar rural grit is met with lush melodies and nimble harmonies; a project filled with juxtaposition not by accident. Wells along with The Food Stamps rhythm section - Rod Elkins (percussion) Craig Burletic (bass) and Clay City, KY’s Josh Nolan (guitar) all lent their expertise and signature groove as collaborators during the session creating a fluidity, warmth and cohesion that can only be created through friendship. The project was engineered in Louisville at Lalaland by Grammy winner Anne Gauthier.

http://www.thelocalhoneys.com/

Tickets available at TicketLeap, by mail or at the door 30 minutes prior to show: $25 at the door, $20 General Audience Advance, $19 JCA members, students & seniors 65+

Jubilee Community Arts at the Laurel Theater, 1538 Laurel Ave, Knoxville, TN 37916. Tickets: https://jubilee-community-arts.ticketleap.com. Information: 865-522-5851, www.jubileearts.org

A funeral parlor in a small Midwestern town is the setting for these three darkly funny and touching short plays. In Tell Tale, we enter the private thoughts of a respectable married mortician, lost in passion for a beautiful real estate broker who markets to the bereaved. In Thief of Tears, we meet Mac, the attractive daughter of an upper-class WASP family who frequents the Viper Room and steals jewelry from corpses. And in Thirteen Things about Ed Carpolotti, a newly widowed suburban matron finds her world crashing about her only to be rescued by love from beyond the grave.

The play is being produced by Theater 23 (https://theater23.org), and will run Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, Jan 30th, 31st, and Feb. 1st at 7:30 PM, and on Sunday, Feb. 2nd at 2:30 PM at the Old City Performing Arts Center at 111 State Street, Knoxville, TN 37902

Tickets are available for the play at https://theater23.org/tickets. For more information contact info@theater23.org or 865-257-9493.

Waynestock 2025 at the Relix Variety Theatre in Knoxville, Tennessee will feature performances by Trisha Gene Brady and The Lonetones. The annual three-day celebration of local music and community will return Jan. 30-Feb. 1 to Relix in Knoxville's Happy Holler, 1208 N Central St, Knoxville. This year’s beneficiary is RadioKCM, a subsidiary of Knoxville Community Media.

You can be a part of it all. It’s only $10 per night at the door, and that includes a raffle ticket.

Relix Venue, 1208 N Central St, Knoxville, TN 37917
Phone: (865) 224-6346

MAIN GALLERY
Jered Sprecher — Jan. 28 - Mar. 29, 2025 / reception Jan. 31, 2025

PROJECT SPACE
Melissa Everett — Jan. 28 - Mar. 29, 2025 / reception Jan. 31, 2025

Tri-Star Arts at Candoro Marble Building, 4450 Candora Drive, Knoxville, TN 37920. Hours: Tu-Sa 11-5. Information: https://tristararts.org/visit

The McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, announces a new exhibition, “Homelands: Connecting to Mounds Through Native Art,” opening to the public on January 25, 2025. The project sets a new standard for collaborative exhibition practices at the McClung and represents the museum's most significant renovation in more than 20 years.

"‘Homelands’ is a defining moment for the McClung Museum. It’s the largest project we’ve undertaken in over two decades, but its impact goes far beyond its scale,” said Claudio Gómez, Jefferson Chapman Executive Director of the museum. “This exhibition has challenged us to rethink how we collaborate, bringing in new perspectives and allowing us to honor Native voices in ways that are both respectful and forward-thinking.”

“Homelands” showcases contemporary art by 17 Native artists to emphasize the enduring ties between Native Nations and Knox County. As a result of the exhibition, the museum has acquired 22 new works for its permanent collection.

https://news.utk.edu/2025/01/07/mcclung-museum-to-open-exhibition-centering-native-voices-and-contemporary-art/

McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture, 1327 Circle Park Dr on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. Hours: Tu-Sa 9-5, Sun 12-4. Information: 865-974-2144, https://mcclungmuseum.utk.edu/

Reception | Thursday, January 23, 5-7pm with awards at 6pm
Begun in 1947 by C. Kermit Ewing, founder of The University of Tennessee School of Art, the annual student exhibition has become one of the oldest competitions in the country and one of the highlights of the Ewing Gallery’s exhibition season. This competition has been an outlet for UT’s talented students for 78 years.
This year’s exhibition was juried by William Downs.

https://ewing-gallery.utk.edu/78th-annual-student-art-competition/

Ewing Gallery, 1715 Volunteer Blvd on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. Hours: M-F 10-5, Sun 1-4. Information: 865-974-3200, www.ewing-gallery.utk.edu

James Henry Trotter lives with his cruel aunts Spiker and Sponge until one day the barren, old peach tree in their yard produces a single peach that grows to nearly the size of a house. When James takes a closer look at the enormous fruit, he discovers a tunnel that leads him to the peach pit where he meets a rag-tag band of human-sized, talking invertebrates: an old green grasshopper, a centipede, an earthworm, a spider, a ladybird, a glowworm, and a silkworm. These bugs become James’ companions on an adventure that will take them over land and sea! And as they travel James learns important lessons about courage, friendship. and seagulls.

https://knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com/tc-events/james-and-the-giant-peach/

Knoxville Children's Theatre, 109 E. Churchwell Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37917. Information: 865-208-3677, www.knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com