FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Suzanne Cada
PO Box 2506
Knoxville, TN 37901
(865) 523-7543
sc@knoxalliance.com
www.knoxalliance.com

Arts & Culture Alliance Announces Six-Month Artist Residency Opportunity

(01/19/2010/Knoxville) – The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to announce availability of the next Betsy Worden Memorial Artist Residency at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street in downtown Knoxville.  Deadline for receipt of application is Friday, March 19, 2010.  Available to college students and other young and emerging artists, The Betsy Worden Memorial Artist Residency includes:

+ FREE and exclusive access to a 10’ x 10’ artist studio located in the Emporium Center;
+ Sponsored membership in the Arts & Culture Alliance for one year;
+ Display of at least one piece of artist’s new work in the public areas of the Emporium Center each month of the residency (beginning with the First Friday opening reception on April 2, 2010); and
+ Exhibition of artist’s new work in the Balcony gallery of the Emporium Center near the end of the residency period (September 3-24, 2010).

> Click here to download the application: WORD / PDF

The resident artist is required to occupy the studio and be present to show new work each First Friday of the month, spend a significant amount of time creating work in the Emporium studio, and help hang monthly changing exhibits in the Emporium galleries if necessary.  Artist may also offer curatorial input and be eligible for curatorial opportunities in programming gallery space.

The Emporium’s current Artist-in-Residence, Paige Barbee, received her BFA in Metals and Jewelry from the Savannah College of Art and Design in May 2009.  She studied at the Lacoste School of the Arts in Lacoste, France in 2009 and has interned at Liz Claiborne, Inc. in New York City where she assisted in designing jewelry for four Liz Claiborne jewelry brands.  Her work has shown in France, Savannah, Atlanta, and Clarksville.  Awards include third place in traditional materials and processes at the SJTA Atlanta Jewelry Show, Student Design Competition; second place in the Savannah Music Festival jewelry competition. "It has been an honor creating as the Betsy Worden Artist-in-Residence,” says Barbee. “I have enjoyed being surrounded and supported by Knoxville’s diverse community of artists. Having absolute freedom of creativity has made it possible for many ideas to come to fruition and has inspired new directions of work."

Betsy Worden, an artist, teacher, and Knoxville Civic Leader, was perhaps best known for her works in watercolor and weaving, and she contributed greatly to Knoxville’s visual arts community in numerous ways throughout her life.  She received her BA in Fine Arts from the University of Tennessee and did post-graduate studies at Atlanta School of the Art, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, and the University of Tennessee.  A painter, tapestry weaver, and printmaker, she was a longtime instructor at the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, and she taught watercolor classes for the Knoxville Museum of Art.  A leader in the Knoxville arts community, Worden served on the boards of many arts organizations, including the Arts & Culture Alliance and the Art Market Gallery, of which she co-founded.  She also co-founded the Community School of the Arts in Knoxville.  She served as a past president of the Knoxville Watercolor Society and actively participated in the Tennessee Watercolor Society, the Art and Antiques Gallery, Southern Highland Craft Guild, the Foothills Craft Guild, and Tennessee Women in the Arts.

Applications must include resume, letter of recommendation, artist’s statement, and CD of digital images of artist’s work.  Deadline for receipt of application is Friday, March 19, 2010.  Applications may be downloaded above or by contacting the Alliance and should be submitted to the Arts & Culture Alliance, PO Box 2506, Knoxville, TN 37901.  For more information, please contact the Alliance at (865) 523-7543 or e-mail sc@knoxalliance.com.

About the Arts & Culture Alliance
The Arts & Culture Alliance serves and supports a diverse community of artists, arts organizations, and cultural institutions.  The Alliance receives financial support from the Tennessee Arts Commission. www.arts.state.tn.us
 
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