The Arts & Culture Alliance's Emporium Center

Hours: Monday-Friday 9am-5pm, First Friday 9am-9pm, Saturday after First Friday 11am-3pm.

Exhibit Schedule

May 2-29: The Arts & Culture Alliance 2008 Members Exhibition.

Wine Cabinet by Anthony J. Hayzen

June 6 - July 25: 2008 Tennessee Watercolor Society Biennial Exhibition  Opening reception Friday, June 6, 5-9pm.

August 1-29: Exhibition of quilts by Georgia Bailey. Opening reception Friday, August 1, 5-9pm.

September 5-26: Exhibition of works by Manya and Jonathan Pirkle. Opening reception Friday, September 5, 5-9pm.

October 3-31: Exhibition of works by JoAnn Parsley and Olga Rader. Opening reception Friday, October 3, 5-9pm.

November 7-26: Exhibition of works by Richardson, Coral, and Marilyn Avery Turner. Opening reception Friday, November 7, 5-9pm.

December 5-6: Emporium Holiday Extravaganza!

Click here to view a list of past exhibits.

About the Gallery
The mission of the Emporium Center Gallery is to showcase the diversity of art and culture being created throughout the greater Knoxville area through exhibitions that include, but are not limited to, artistic works of quality aesthetic value, works that present new forms and ideas, and works that contribute significant knowledge in the understanding of art and culture.

The Emporium Gallery presents approximately twelve exhibits each year.  The goal of its programming is to present work that is diverse, including visual art, performance art, installation art, music, poetry, and time arts.  The Gallery also provides exhibition opportunities for emerging artists and those who are creating works that are on-the-edge and challenge viewers.  Exhibitions may specifically educate viewers in the understanding of the arts and may include related demonstrations.  At times the Gallery hosts special group shows such as work by artist organizations from outlying areas that enlarge the scope of the artistic community.  Click here to view a schematic of the gallery (PDF format).

Neighborhood and Building History
In July 2004, Knoxville’s first true arts center opened in downtown at 100 South Gay Street.  Built in 1898 as the original home of a prestigious furniture company, the Emporium Building housed a wholesale goods distributor and later became a textile manufacturing facility that fulfilled military contracts.  The two adjacent buildings and the vacant lot were the location of the “Parthenon of Country Music,” which served as the home of the WNOX Mid-day Merry-Go-Round. The 23,000 square feet of flexible use space now houses the Emporium Center Gallery, Three Flights Up Gallery, the administrative offices of the Arts & Culture Alliance, and nine other arts and cultural organizations.  Additionally, the building houses studio and gallery space for nine individual artists.  The Alliance's Emporium Center project was designed to attract more visitors to downtown to enjoy arts and cultural programming and conduct arts-related business.  At the same time, the project provides affordable space for a critical mass of arts and culture organizations and artists, generates coordination and joint promotion of arts and culture activities, and provides another valuable attraction in a revitalized downtown.

Administrative offices:

• Actors Co-op - Suite 102
• African-American Appalachian Arts, Inc. - Suite 106
• Arts & Culture Alliance - Suite 201
• The Carpetbag Theatre - Suites 106 & 114
• Circle Modern Dance - Suite 104
• Foothills Craft Guild - Suite 110
• Keep Knoxville Beautiful - Suite 103
• Knoxville Symphony Orchestra - Suite 302
• Tennessee Stage Company - Suite 112

Artist studios and galleries:

• Mike Berry - Suite 111
• Bobbie Crews - Suite 107
• Judi Gaston - Suite 108
• David Habercom - Suite 109
• Rebecca Johns - Suite 105
• Bob Leggett - Suite 101
• Fritz Massaquoi - Suite 113
• Jana Morgan - Suite 113
• Jill Stone - Suite 113
• THREE FLIGHTS UP GALLERY - Suite 301
  

Click here for information on renting the Emporium Center facilities for your private event.

Contact the Alliance

Directions and map of downtown parking

*EMPORIUM RENTAL INFORMATION*