Calendar of Events

The Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers is a premier film series showcasing the finest in independent cinema across the South. This tour partners with local arts organizations to offer audiences a rare opportunity to experience groundbreaking films, engage in enriching discussions with the filmmakers, and explore a wide range of perspectives. From compelling documentaries to innovative narratives, the Southern Circuit celebrates the art of storytelling, creating a deeper connection between filmmakers and their audiences.

Clayton Center for the Arts is excited to be a host venue for this prestigious film tour. Over the next several months, we will present six thought-provoking and powerful films. Tickets are $10.00 each, or you can purchase a pass for all six films for $45.00.

This World is Not My Own
March 11, 2025
7:00 PM

Chewing-gum sculptures, a wealthy gallerist, a firebrand wrestler, a notorious murder case and the segregated south – it’s all part of Nellie Mae Rowe’s boundless universe. This World is Not My Own reimagines this self-taught artist’s world and her life spanning the 20th century. With Uzo Aduba as the animated version of Nellie Mae Rowe.

https://claytonartscenter.com/performances-events/

Killer Queen - A Tribute to Queen, Tuesday, March 11, 7:30 PM at the Bijou Theatre.

Tickets: https://www.ticketmaster.com/killer-queen-a-tribute-to-queen-knoxville-tennessee-03-11-2025

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

Lecture - "Tennessee Fishes and Freshwater Mussels: A Unique and Imperiled Fauna"

Join us for a special lecture featuring Benjamin Keck, Distinguished Lecturer and Director of the Etnier Ichthyological Collection, from UT's Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. He'll be joined by the McClung Museum's Curator of Malacology, Gerry Dinkins. Dinkins is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the School of Natural Resources, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture.

The scholars will discuss Tennessee's fish and mussel species, where they occur, and the general number of species relative to the state's physiography and drainage patterns.

Tuesday, March 11, 2025 5:30pm
https://calendar.utk.edu/event/tennessee-fishes-and-freshwater-mussels-a-unique-and-imperiled-fauna

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/

Blount Mansion is proud to present Dr. Lucia McMahon, Chair of the Department of History, Philosophy, and Liberal Studies at William Paterson University.

Dr. McMahon will speak at Blount Mansion Visitors Center on Tuesday, March 11th at 6pm. She will be giving a fantastic presentation on “Exploring Women’s History through Objects.”

Historic sites such as Blount Mansion provide ideal locations for exploring the histories of women and their families in the new nation. The everyday “stuff” of family life – including furniture, dishes, silverware, teapots, as well as the structure of the home itself – serve as fascinating windows into women’s history. The stories embedded in historical objects reveal key clues about social patterns, family life, domestic duties, and other aspects of women’s lives in the young nation. This Women’s History Month presentation focuses on how historic artifacts and material culture can help us to tell important stories about women’s lives and experiences.

Dr. McMahon has written The Celebrated Elizabeth Smith available here: https://www.upress.virginia.edu/title/5808/

The special speaking event will be at Blount Mansion Visitors Center, 200 West Hill Avenue, Knoxville TN 37902. Limited free parking onsite. $5 Donation suggested at the door. Cash and card accepted. RSVP to Rose@BlountMansion.org
Information: 865-525-2375, www.blountmansion.org

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present five new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville opening on Friday, March 7, from 5:00-9:00 PM. A free gathering with the exhibiting artists will also feature live music by Sarrenna, Travis Bigwood and Nicholas Horner.

Kerry Remp is a retired NASA Engineer and professional pianist who enjoys the exploration of various mediums to “build” art. A musician from the age of three, Remp discovered visual art, via paper (modular origami) at age 40. Once he was hooked on creating, other paper art forms such as quilling, sculpture and portraiture began to take shape. At age 60, he began exploring the creation process using thread and eventually yarn. Currently involved in weaving on a rigid heddle loom, the love of creating continues to inspire him. He has been an active participant in Arts & Culture Alliance activities since retiring to Tennessee in 2017. In addition to individual commissions and sales, he has participated in displays/shows at the Emporium, Broadway Gallery and City/County Offices. Since becoming a grandfather to Malakai (a boy born with Downs Syndrome), all proceeds from his artwork are donated to GiGi's Playhouse, a non-profit organization that provides free programming and support to families affected by Downs Syndrome through 60+ locations across the United States.

The exhibitions will be on display March 7-30, 2025 at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. The Emporium is open to the public Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM and Saturday, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. During the month of March, additional hours include: Tue Mar 11, 6-9 PM; Fri Mar 14, 9 AM – 7 PM; Fri Mar 28, 9 AM – 7 PM; Sat Mar 29, 9 AM – 5 PM; and Sun Mar 30, 9 AM – 5 PM. Most of the works on exhibition will be for sale and may be purchased by visiting in person or the online shop at knoxalliance.store. For more information, please see knoxalliance.com or call (865) 523-7543.

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present five new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville opening on Friday, March 7, from 5:00-9:00 PM. A free gathering with the exhibiting artists will also feature live music by Sarrenna, Travis Bigwood and Nicholas Horner.

Hannah Doss, influenced by a strong artistic heritage on her mother’s side, pursued her BFA at Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia. There she explored diverse mediums such as bookbinding, sculpture, printmaking, painting and pouring bronze sculpture in London. She later earned her MBA and now channels her expertise into teaching through her business, Mountain Mama’s Art & Adventure, where she offers classes in painting, jewelry making, and crafting.

Doss’s latest body of work reflects a renewed journey of learning and discovery, inspired by a fascination with resin techniques she encountered in a recent class. Hannah’s art predominantly explores wildlife, nature, and portraiture, inviting viewers to pause and savor the intricate beauty of life’s small details. Works are created upon ceramic tile, with the vibrancy in color coming from hand painted alcohol inks and sumi ink on vintage tracing paper. Metallic leaf is then added, as well as glitter, and then it is coated in resin.

mountainmamasartandadventure.com

The exhibitions will be on display March 7-30, 2025 at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. The Emporium is open to the public Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM and Saturday, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. During the month of March, additional hours include: Tue Mar 11, 6-9 PM; Fri Mar 14, 9 AM – 7 PM; Fri Mar 28, 9 AM – 7 PM; Sat Mar 29, 9 AM – 5 PM; and Sun Mar 30, 9 AM – 5 PM. Most of the works on exhibition will be for sale and may be purchased by visiting in person or the online shop at knoxalliance.store. For more information, please see knoxalliance.com or call (865) 523-7543.

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present five new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville opening on Friday, March 7, from 5:00-9:00 PM. A free gathering with the exhibiting artists will also feature live music by Sarrenna, Travis Bigwood and Nicholas Horner.

Deb Cikovic is a multidisciplinary artist whose creative journey has evolved from digital design into a diverse and tactile exploration of artistic expression. With a background in graphic design and web development, she has seamlessly transitioned her technical skills into a rich practice that includes unique epoxy guitar art, handbuilt pottery, and oil and acrylic painting. Entirely self-taught, Cikovic’s work is driven by an insatiable curiosity and a passion for pushing the boundaries of her materials. For this exhibition, her epoxy guitar art transforms musical instruments into striking visual statements, merging functionality with bold, dynamic resin designs. Beyond her artistic practice, Cikovic is deeply committed to fostering creativity within her community. She teaches her techniques locally, sharing her knowledge to inspire others and encourage creative exploration. Through her work, she aims to create visually compelling pieces and cultivate a deeper appreciation for art as a form of connection and self-expression. Deb Cikovic’s art is a testament to her lifelong pursuit of learning and creativity, from intricate resin embellishments to earthy ceramics and expressive paintings. Her ability to blend multiple disciplines results in a diverse and deeply personal body of work, continually evolving as she explores new artistic frontiers.

Learn more at https://ybcreatives.com, on Instagram @ybcreatives and on Facebook at facebook.com/YBCreativesKnox

The exhibitions will be on display March 7-30, 2025 at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. The Emporium is open to the public Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM and Saturday, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. During the month of March, additional hours include: Tue Mar 11, 6-9 PM; Fri Mar 14, 9 AM – 7 PM; Fri Mar 28, 9 AM – 7 PM; Sat Mar 29, 9 AM – 5 PM; and Sun Mar 30, 9 AM – 5 PM. Most of the works on exhibition will be for sale and may be purchased by visiting in person or the online shop at knoxalliance.store. For more information, please see knoxalliance.com or call (865) 523-7543.

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present five new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville opening on Friday, March 7, from 5:00-9:00 PM. A free gathering with the exhibiting artists will also feature live music by Sarrenna, Travis Bigwood and Nicholas Horner.

This new group exhibition includes artwork by members of A1LabArts, Inc., a nonprofit, Knoxville-based artists’ organization observing its 30th year of continuous activity in 2025. Throughout A1LabArts’ existence, its members (a rotating cast) have supported and engaged in a variety of creative work, including visual art in two and three dimensions; time-based art such as video, performance art, theater, written and spoken word; music; dance; multi-media events and more. Members have organized and taken part in a wide range of exhibitions, performances, workshops and classes, discussion groups, collaborations with other individual members as well as other organizations, participation in community events, and other activities, some of which are difficult to categorize and some of which have become legendary.

The current show's theme of “Creativity and Community” goes to the heart of A1LabArts’ nature that encourages each member artist to address the theme to whatever extent, and by whatever means of expression, they see fit. Over the years, A1LabArts has tried many different things and has, along with its membership, naturally changed. Hundreds of creative people have been members at one time or another, and new members are always welcome. A1 continues to change and to explore creativity and community in many ways. In a sense, A1 is an ongoing, developing work of long-term performance art in itself. Learn more at A1LabArts.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/A1LabArts and on Instagram @A1LabArts

The exhibitions will be on display March 7-30, 2025 at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. The Emporium is open to the public Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM and Saturday, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. During the month of March, additional hours include: Tue Mar 11, 6-9 PM; Fri Mar 14, 9 AM – 7 PM; Fri Mar 28, 9 AM – 7 PM; Sat Mar 29, 9 AM – 5 PM; and Sun Mar 30, 9 AM – 5 PM. Most of the works on exhibition will be for sale and may be purchased by visiting in person or the online shop at knoxalliance.store. For more information, please see knoxalliance.com or call (865) 523-7543.

The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present five new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville opening on Friday, March 7, from 5:00-9:00 PM. A free gathering with the exhibiting artists will also feature live music by Sarrenna, Travis Bigwood and Nicholas Horner.

Born and raised in Chattanooga, Wayne White has used his memories of the South to create inspired works for film, television and the fine art world. After graduating from Middle Tennessee State University, White traveled to New York City where he worked as an illustrator for the East Village Eye, The New York Times, Raw Magazine and The Village Voice. In 1986, he became an Emmy-winning designer for his work on the hit television show “Pee-Wee’s Playhouse.” He has also worked in the music video industry, winning Billboard and MTV Music Video awards as an art director for seminal music videos, including the Smashing Pumpkins’ “Tonight, Tonight” and Peter Gabriel’s “Big Time”.

For almost 40 years, White has been unleashing humor in all aspects of his career. His most successful artworks have been his word paintings, which feature oversized, three-dimensional text painstakingly integrated into vintage landscape reproductions. The message of the paintings is often thought-provoking and almost always humorous, with White commenting on vanity, ego and his memories of the South. Instagram @waynewhiteart

This exhibition is one of four special exhibitions of visual art on display in downtown Knoxville during the month of March as part of the Big Ears 2025 festival weekend (March 27-30): bigearsfestival.org

The exhibitions will be on display March 7-30, 2025 at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. The Emporium is open to the public Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM and Saturday, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. During the month of March, additional hours include: Tue Mar 11, 6-9 PM; Fri Mar 14, 9 AM – 7 PM; Fri Mar 28, 9 AM – 7 PM; Sat Mar 29, 9 AM – 5 PM; and Sun Mar 30, 9 AM – 5 PM. Most of the works on exhibition will be for sale and may be purchased by visiting in person or the online shop at knoxalliance.store. For more information, please see knoxalliance.com or call (865) 523-7543.

Presented by The Standford Eisenberg Knoxville Jewish Day School

Violins of Hope is a collection of over 50 violins that survived the Holocaust, played by Jewish musicians in ghettos, concentration camps, and even as symbols of resistance. Each violin, lovingly restored by Israeli master violin maker Amnon Weinstein and his son Avshalom, carries a powerful story of resilience and survival. These instruments bear witness to the indomitable spirit of their owners, whose music defied the darkness of one of history’s most tragic periods. The Violins of Hope project will feature performances, exhibitions, and educational programs that celebrate the enduring power of music and the human spirit. Through these events, communities will come together to reflect on the past and inspire a future rooted in hope, acceptance, and unity. Join us as we honor these extraordinary instruments and the stories they tell.

*A Big Ears 2025 Exhibition (one of four very special exhibitions of visual art on display during the festival weekend (Mar 27-30) and during the month leading up to it. Extended hours TBA.

Digital Motif, 108 S Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. (865) 214-6367 or https://digitalmotif.com/

Knoxville artist Jean Hess offers a kaleidoscopic selection of work that ranges from celestial, to playful, to poignant. Starry skies and planetary motion. Plants, animals and gems. Appalachian coal miners, lost cultures and maps of lost lands. Hess works with socio-historical data, found artifacts and ephemera that enable her to invoke complex stories.

Westminster Presbyterian Church Schilling Gallery, 6500 S Northshore Dr, Knoxville, TN 37919. Hours: M-R 9-4, Fri 9-12. Information: (865) 584-3957 or www.wpcknox.org

Pangrok Sulap, a Malaysian community-collective from Borneo will be in Knoxville for two-weeks in March 2025 leading up to the Big Ears Music Festival. Pangrok Sulap includes “artists, musicians and social activists with a mission to empower rural communities and the marginalized through art.” “Pangrok” is the local pronunciation of “punk rock”, and “Sulap” is a hut or a resting place usually used by farmers in Sabah, Borneo. Artists Adi Helmi Bin Jaini and Zayrul Rizo Bin Osman Leong will collaborate with students and faculty from the University of Tennessee in the creation of a large scale, community-printed woodcut. Accompanied by drumming, Pangrok Sulap prints are created through community participation. During the month of March, prints from Pangrok Sulap will also be presented at RED Gallery with an opening reception on Friday March 7, 2025

*A Big Ears 2025 Exhibition (one of four very special exhibitions of visual art on display during the festival weekend (Mar 27-30) and during the month leading up to it. Extended hours TBA.

RED Gallery, 130 W. Jackson Ave, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-524-0146 or https://www.facebook.com/REDgalleryKNOX/