By Panhandle Post
ALLIANCE, Neb. (AP) — The Carnegie Arts Center in Alliance is hosting a full slate of events and exhibits throughout August, featuring everything from memorial receptions and youth art shows to pirate-themed face painting and courtyard craft gatherings.
A highlight of the Upper Gallery is the return of the Red Cloud Heritage Center Permanent Collection Exhibit, showcasing a curated selection of works by Native American artists from across the country. The exhibit opens Aug. 12 and runs through late September. In the meantime, visitors have until this weekend to view the works of Tracy Wilkes and Rebecca Bowman. A memorial reception honoring Bowman, a sculptor who passed away during the run of her show, will be held Saturday, Aug. 9 from 5 to 7 p.m.
In the Lower Gallery, artwork from youth participating in the Adventures program is currently on display through Aug. 21. Following that, pieces from Alpha School, a behavioral program based in Omaha, will be exhibited. Proceeds from sales of the student art go directly to the young artists.
Beyond the galleries, the Arts Center recently completed five freshly painted crosswalk murals at local schools, thanks to a record number of community volunteers.
A variety of public programs are also scheduled this month:
- Aug. 5: Face painting during National Night Out.
- Aug. 11: Art visits at Highland Park and its memory support unit.
- Aug. 14: Sunflower Watercolor Class, 5:30–6:30 p.m., $15 fee, registration required.
- Aug. 18: Pirate Day-themed face painting at Highland Park.
- Aug. 19: Courtyard Craft Club, 5–8 p.m., free and open to all.
- Aug. 20: Two sessions of the Millie the Carnegie Cat youth painting class, followed by an adults-only paint-and-sip class from 6 to 8 p.m. at West Side Event Center, $30 per person.
Center staff clarified that the “Millie” in question is the Center’s unofficial feline mascot, recently discovered to be male but still affectionately referred to by her longtime name. Millie will soon be “retiring” to college life with a student assistant.
The month wraps up with the Box Butte Art Society Open Studio on Aug. 26 and Tunes & Blooms in the Garden, a free outdoor music night on Aug. 28.
Executive Director Kyren Gibson credited the Center’s robust calendar to community support, volunteers, and funding from various foundations and private donors, including the Nebraska Arts Council, the Cooper Foundation, and the D.F. Dillon Foundation.
For registration and information, visit carnegieartscenter.com or call the Center directly.