Join the Bluegrass Writers Studio for a live reading featuring Wes Blake, author of Pineville Trace, winner of the Etchings Press Novella Prize and recognized by Publishers Weekly BookLife as an Editor’s Pick. His work has appeared in Electric Literature, Appalachian Journal, and Southern Review of Books, among others. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear his writing in person and connect with fellow readers!

Doors open at 6:30PM, event starts a 7:00PM

The Berea Arts Council Garden Tour is back!

After taking a year off, this beloved spring tradition returns on Saturday, May 23rd, 2026, inviting guests to explore six beautiful local gardens throughout Berea. Each stop offers a chance to wander, gather inspiration, and enjoy the creativity and care that make these spaces flourish.

Ticket prices: BAC Members - $20 / VIP $45, Non-Members - $25 / VIP - $50

Get tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2026-garden-tour-presented-by-the-berea-arts-council-tickets-1985941655953?aff=oddtdtcreator

Grow Your Garden, Grow Our Community!

Save the date for The Berea Arts Council’s annual plant sale! This is a fantastic opportunity to refresh your garden and support the arts in Berea.

Donate Your Plants: As you tend to your garden this spring, consider sharing your bounty! We're accepting donations of plants, flowers, bulbs, houseplants, and vegetables. Drop plants Friday May 8th from 10am to 5:30pm

Find New Treasures: Discover new additions for your garden at our plant sale on Saturday, May 9th in the gallery. You'll find a wide variety of plants to make your garden bloom.

Whether you're donating, buying, or both, your participation helps the Berea Arts Council continue its mission of making art accessible to all in our community. 

Come out and join us for the Young @ Arts Opening Reception and support local student art from the area!

The show will be up April 29th-May 9th!

Join the Bluegrass Writers Studio for a live reading featuring Lisa Low, author of Crown for the Girl Inside and 2023 Pushcart Prize winner. Her poems and essays have appeared in American Poetry Review, Ecotone, and The Southern Review. Don’t miss this chance to hear her work in person and connect with fellow readers!

Join us for a hands-on workshop creating your own living terrarium in a relaxed, small-group setting.

Limited to 12 participants.

Ticket Price: $20

https://bereaartscouncil.networkforgood.com/events/99583-earth-art-a-terrarium-workshop

On Saturday, March 28th, from 10am-1pm, Kentucky award-wining photographer John Snell will lead a Photography Workshop entitled "Making Better Photographs" at the Berea Arts Council gallery, 444 Chestnut St, Berea, KY 40403. Cost is $50. Geared for beginner and intermediate level photographers, and concentrating on nature and landscape photography, this event will cover general topics relating to making more impactful photos. Specific topics will include composition, using light to your advantage, making sharper images, finding a "picture within a picture," photogaphing water, taking more interesting sunrise/sunset photos and more.

Get your ticket here!

https://bereaartscouncil.networkforgood.com/events/97443-making-better-photographs-with-john-snell

Join the Bluegrass Writers Studio for a live reading featuring Lisa Low, author of Crown for the Girl Inside and 2023 Pushcart Prize winner. Her poems and essays have appeared in American Poetry Review, Ecotone, and The Southern Review. Don’t miss this chance to hear her work in person and connect with fellow readers!

Join us at the Berea Arts Council for the opening reception of On The Road with the Creative Camera Club on Friday, March 13, beginning at 5:30 PM. An artist talk will follow at 6 PM.

The Creative Camera Club has been an active part of the Lexington arts community for more than 50 years, bringing together photographers at every stage of their journey, from beginners just starting to explore the camera to seasoned professionals. This exhibition highlights the spirit of curiosity, exploration, and storytelling that defines the club, featuring work that captures places, people, and moments discovered along the way.

We hope you will join us for an evening of art, conversation, and community as we celebrate the enduring power of photography to connect us and inspire new ways of seeing.

Join us for an extraordinary afternoon of music as the Berea Arts Council welcomes a string quintet from the world-renowned Louisville Orchestra!

This performance is a special stop on the orchestra’s "In Harmony" tour, a statewide initiative bringing high-quality classical music to communities across Kentucky. Whether you are a lifelong classical fan or a newcomer to the genre, this intimate performance offers a unique opportunity to hear world-class musicians in the heart of our community.

And be sure to join us that same evening for a FREE full orchestra concert at Madison Southern High School! Details and tickets available at louisvilleorchestra.org/inharmonytour

A heartfelt thank you to the Kentucky General Assembly and the Tourism, Arts, and Heritage Cabinet for making these enriching performances possible!

Event Details

When: Wednesday, February 25th

Time: 2:30 PM

Where: Berea Arts Council

Admission: Free to the Public

Join us for a cozy night of good music, good food, and community spirit. Chili Night Out returns on February 21 at Churchills with live music by MudPi and a hearty chili dinner catered by Honeysuckle. This evening supports the Berea Arts Council and helps sustain the programs that keep creativity thriving in our community.

Tickets are 45 dollars for current members and 55 dollars for not yet members. Space is limited. We hope you will spend the night with us, enjoy a beautiful meal, and support the arts in Berea

Save the Date
The Berea Arts Council invites you to celebrate 40 years of creativity and community with our Retrospective and Members Exhibit. This special exhibition will honor the artists, supporters, and stories that have shaped BAC since its founding, while also highlighting the incredible work of our current members. Join us as we look back, celebrate the present, and kick off an exciting year ahead.

Save the date! Come join us in celebrating the season at the Berea Arts Council Christmas Concert featuring Lisa and A.J.!
Admission is $10. Doors open at 6:30 PM, and the music starts at 7:00 PM.

Join us on Friday December 12 for the BAC Annual Report. Doors open at 5:30 and the presentation begins at 6. Enjoy free refreshments provided by our board and volunteers while we share highlights from 2025 and our plans for the year ahead.

Get Ready for the BIGGEST Art Event Across Town!

You're invited to the Berea Art Crawl on Saturday, November 22nd, 2025!

This is your chance to explore the vibrant heart of Berea as 18 different galleries and businesses open their doors for a spectacular evening of creativity. And the best part? It's completely FREE!

Wander from location to location and discover incredible local art, unique crafts from talented makers, and live music that will set the mood.

Bring your friends, bring your family, and come celebrate the amazing art community right here in Berea. You won't want to miss this art-filled night!

Join us for a fun, hands-on workshop and create a one-of-a-kind Grapevine Wreath to celebrate the holiday season!

Join Terri Beard and learn to use various sizes and shapes of grapevine to build a wreath with incredible depth, dimension, and interest. Customize your creation with a beautiful selection of faux flowers, leaves, greens, moss, pinecones, and other festive embellishments. Feel free to bring any special items you want to incorporate!

Event Details:

-When: November 15th from 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
-Where: Berea Arts Council
-Duration: 3 hours
-Skill Level: All skill levels are welcome! (Just be comfortable using a glue gun).

You'll go home with a fully completed, styled wreath that's perfect for your own home or as a thoughtful, handmade gift. Plus, you'll gain the skills to keep creating! The average finished size will be 18" to 22" wide and 18" to 25" tall, and all materials are included in the $40 ticket price. We can't wait to craft with you!

Get your tickets by clicking HERE

If you want to learn more about Terri Beard's workshops, visit her website at paintpartiesplus.com

Join us on Friday December 12 for the BAC Annual Report. Doors open at 5:30 and the presentation begins at 6. Enjoy free refreshments provided by our board and volunteers while we share highlights from 2025 and our plans for the year ahead.

Got clothes that don’t quite fit? Join Erin Miller for an afternoon of simple tailoring tips to make your favorite pieces fit just right. Bring garments to work on!

https://bereaartscouncil.networkforgood.com/events/86130-basic-tailoring-techniques-with-erin-miller-at-the-student-craft-weaving-studio

Join us for a special presentation honoring the life and work of Kentucky folk artist, writer, farmer, and stone mason Herbert Lee Clark (1934–2017).

Lou DeLuca, longtime friend and editor of Clark’s writings, will share a 30–40 minute PowerPoint presentation exploring:

-Clark’s book Old Time Kentucky Farmsteading, Ways and Means (Acclaim Press)

-His wit and wisdom, gathered from the traditions of his elders

-Examples of his remarkable stone masonry and folk architecture

-Stories from their decades-long friendship in Harrisonville, KY

Illustrations in Clark’s book are by Joanne K. Guilfoil, artist and former UK/EKU professor, adding another layer of artistry to his legacy.

This event is both a tribute and a glimpse into Kentucky’s farming and folk traditions through the eyes of someone who lived them fully.

Join us at the Berea Arts Council on Saturday, October 25, 2025, for a Bluegrass Writers Studio reading featuring Dr. Whitnee Coy, an educator and writer who blends creative writing with equity-focused teaching to inspire growth, connection, and culturally sustaining learning. Doors open at 6:30pm. Free Admission!

Join us for an evening with poet J. Stephen Rhodes, celebrating his newest collection Earthen Vessels. Through intimate and evocative poems, Rhodes explores the blessings and contradictions of family life, blending memory and insight into luminous portraits of childhood and beyond.

Earthen Vessels has been praised as “the native tongue of memoir,” with each poem standing as “a finished capsule of memory brightened by insight and image.”

About the Author:
Rhodes is the author of four poetry collections and has been published in more than seventy journals. He holds a Ph.D. in Theological Studies and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing. He currently serves as Canon Poet at Grace Episcopal Cathedral in Charleston, SC.

Here's another opportunity to make a ceramic teapot with Johnathan Dazo! Participants will learn the basics of slab-construction pottery to make their own functional teapot. You will have an assortment of texture rollers to choose from, or you are welcome to bring your own tools to decorate your piece. Teapots will be fired and finished in a turquoise glaze. And you may choose to make your own ceramic handle OR add a bamboo one! All necessary materials are included in the $84 price.

Get your tickets here: https://bereaartscouncil.networkforgood.com/events/92551-make-a-functional-teapot-with-jonathan-dazo

Waste Not with Vallorie Henderson October 8th

In this 2-hour workshop, make a multi-use origami bag from repurposed fabrics. Six 18” squares are required—bring your own textiles (sheets, jeans, remnants, etc.) or choose from provided materials.

Waste Not with Vallorie Henderson October 4th

In this 2-hour workshop, make a multi-use origami bag from repurposed fabrics. Six 18” squares are required—bring your own textiles (sheets, jeans, remnants, etc.) or choose from provided materials.

Ready to get crafty this fall? Join us for a fun and creative workshop where you'll make your very own Plush Pumpkin!

In this three-hour class, artist Terri Beard will guide you through the process of covering a pumpkin form with thick, cozy yarn. You'll have a wide variety of yarn colors and decorative 'toppings' to choose from, allowing you to personalize your creation to match your home decor or create a one-of-a-kind gift.

By the end of the workshop, you'll take home a completed Plush Pumpkin measuring 10" in diameter and 6" high (plus the height of the toppings). You'll also leave with the skills to create more special and unique projects on your own.

This workshop is perfect for all skill levels, but participants should be comfortable using a glue gun. All materials are included in the $40.00 price.

Spots are limited, so reserve your spot today and get ready to add a personal touch to your fall decor!

Get your tickets here: https://bereaartscouncil.networkforgood.com/events/90343-plush-pumpkin-workshop

Two great trios, six great players and singers, one great night! Berea Arts Council presents a double bill of triple talent: 3 Men & A Banjo followed by Them Lasses. FREE ADMISSION!

Join us for the opening reception of Celebrating the Black Experience, an exhibit honoring stories, history, and creative expression. The evening will include light refreshments and a chance to gather with community as we launch this important show.

At 6:00 PM, don’t miss the Narrative Stage, sponsored by the Kentucky Arts Council, featuring Bradley Gilmore of Somerset and Donyalle Jackson of Louisville as they share their voices and experiences through powerful storytelling.

This event is free and open to the public—we invite you to come, listen, and celebrate with us. Free refreshments provided.