Bevill State Community College Welcomes the Walker County Arts Alliance to the Jasper Campus
Bevill State Community College is pleased to announce that the Walker County Arts Alliance will now be located on the Jasper Campus in the Jesse Student Center building. As part of the new strategic plan, the College has set major goals to connect with external stakeholders through community partnerships and to contribute to local communities through community engagement. The Walker County Arts Alliance and Bevill State have a long history of partnership and support through programs such as Art in the Park, Dinner Theater, and Tasting of the Arts. Locating the arts alliance office on the campus allows the nonprofit organization greater public exposure to achieve their organizational goals and works to increase community traffic on the local campus.
The Walker County Arts Alliance is currently open to the public in the new location, 1500 Indiana Avenue, Jasper, AL. Hours of operation are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 10am until 3pm. There will be local artist exhibitions in the gallery space for public viewing. The arts alliance will now have the space to offer classes and workshops for all ages. A grand opening event has been scheduled for March 17 (St. Patrick’s Day). This is a free event. Additionally, local artist, Lona Courington, will soon be in-residence painting one of the mules for the 50 Mule Team public art project.
“The College is excited about the Walker County Arts Alliance moving into the Jesse Student Center building on our Jasper Campus. This is another step toward making better connections throughout all of the communities we serve,” stated Dr. Joel Hagood, President of Bevill State. “We look forward to seeing individuals from throughout the area on the campus for events, classes, and to visit the gallery. You can already see the connection with our students through the partnership with the Machine Tool Program in creating the new signage for the building.”
The new signage on the building was created by the BSCC Machine Tool Program in Jasper, AL, led by instructor Shane Morrow. The new logo is part of the recent WCAA re-branding initiative and was designed by Walker County Arts Alliance president and local artist, Sarah O’Mary Roberts. The Bevill State Maintenance Department installed the signage on Tuesday, February 1.
“The Walker County Arts Alliance is appreciative to Bevill State Community College. This location will provide greater visibility for the organization. This serves to help us promote arts, artists, and culture in the Walker County area. The arts alliance now has its own gallery and classroom space. We can become a local destination for residents and visitors to the area. Our hope is that this greater exposure will help our organization to grow and allow us to provide more opportunities,” said Kate Gurganus, WCAA Executive Director.
About Bevill State Community College (BSCC):
Bevill State Community College is a public, two-year, "open door" institution, committed to providing comprehensive education and educational support services for people in West Central Alabama and beyond. Bevill State is a member of the Alabama Community College System. Bevill State's four main campuses, and one instructional site, offer university parallel and applied technology educational opportunities to over one-quarter million people in a seven-county area. This service area spans over 4,600 square miles, from the Birmingham city limits to the Mississippi state line.
About the Walker County Arts Alliance (WCAA):
The Walker County Arts Alliance is a 501(c)-3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote arts, artists, and culture in the Walker County area. WCAA provides educational opportunities in visual arts, pottery, music, storytelling, and theater productions to Walker County schools. WCAA organizes Jasper’s Art in the Park arts festival, the 50 Mule Team public art project (now with almost 80 mules), theater productions, and ongoing Focus on Art shows which pair an artist with a local business to display their work. The Arts Alliance is also supported by the Walker Area Community Foundation, the Alabama State Council on the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, memberships, individual donations, and corporate sponsorships. For more information visit the website at www.wcart.org.
For more information contact Tana Collins-Allred at 800.648.3271 ext. 5742 or by email at tana.collins@bscc.edu. Please visit our website at www.bscc.edu.