Join us for the opening reception of the Contemporary Fiber Exhibit at the Berea Arts Council! Explore a vibrant collection of innovative works that push the boundaries of traditional fiber art, showcasing diverse techniques, materials, and artistic visions. With intricate textiles, this exhibit promises a fresh perspective on a timeless art form. Mingle with fellow art enthusiasts, enjoy light refreshments, and celebrate the incredible talent on display. This is an evening you won't want to miss!

Join the creator of The Appalachian Spirit, Emily LaDouceur, for an evening of storytelling as she shares the experience of creating the first Appalachian-themed card deck for healing and self-development.

$5 Cover at the door (all goes to the Berea Arts Council)
Students get in FREE

Decks, Tees, Stickers, and more will be available to purchase

Come enjoy some soulful music performed by Marcus Wilkerson, who will be putting on a show at the Berea Arts Council on May 24th! Doors open at 6:30pm and music starts at 7pm. Admission is totally free thanks to the generosity of the National Endowment for the Arts.

Dive into the exquisite art of Japanese bookbinding with a special workshop led by Susan Bradish! Craft a stunning, large-format (8.5" x 12") hardcover book featuring a unique hinged spine and traditional Japanese stab binding techniques. This 5-hour immersive experience, from noon to 5 pm, provides all the necessary materials for you to create a beautiful and functional keepsake. Limited to 10 students, this $105 workshop ensures personalized instruction and a truly memorable crafting journey.

Grow Your Garden, Grow Our Community!

The Berea Arts Council is hosting its annual plant sale, 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. Bring your contributions to the Berea Arts Council gallery on Friday, May 16th, between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM.

Find New Treasures: Discover new additions for your garden at our plant sale on Saturday, May 17th, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM 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 for everyone" possible in our community. Thank you for your support!

Celebrate spring with an evening of art, community, and local creativity. Explore the finest handmade works as you stroll along Chestnut Street and through the Artisan Village, visiting some of Berea’s most beloved art spaces.

Participating Locations:

• Berea Arts Council

• Maddox Made Studio

• Top Drawer Gallery

• Fire & Fern Glass Studio

STOP AND GET A TASTY TREAT FROM THE GHS Chuck Wagon Old Fashioned Soda

Come out and support local artists, discover unique pieces, and enjoy the welcoming atmosphere of our vibrant arts community. Shopping local makes a difference—both for the makers and for the cultural life of our town.

At this workshop, participants will learn how to make yarn from old T-shirts! Roberts-Long will take participants through every step of the process. No supplies are required for participants to bring to this workshop, although we do ask that if you have T-shirts you have been waiting to take to Goodwill, bring them with you! We should have enough T-shirts for every participant, but will be able to use them no matter what. Come learn a creative way to upcycle your T-shirts!

Although this workshop is FREE, space is limited, so pre-registration is required

Saturday, April 26th, 2025

Starts at 7:00pm

Berea Arts Council (map)

FREE Admission!

Carissa Turpin, an Eastern Kentucky-born educator with 16 years of experience, is the author of the Moonbeam Award-winning middle grade novel, Doomsday Dani. She earned her MFA from EKU and now teaches middle school language arts in Louisville. Come to the Berea Arts Council on April 26th to hear a reading of one of her works!

Doors open at 6:30pm.

Join us for the opening reception of Young at Art at the Berea Arts Council. This exhibition highlights the creativity and talent of young artists in our community, showcasing a diverse range of work from emerging voices. Enjoy an evening of art, conversation, and light refreshments as we celebrate the next generation of artists.

Come support and be inspired by these young creators

Join us on April 12th at the Berea Arts Council for a night of spontaneous laughter and side-splitting entertainment. Enjoy improv comedy at its finest! $5 admission fee at the door.

Doors open at 6:30pm.
Starts at 7pm

Admission: FREE!

See Berea College’s Bluegrass Ensemble Live at the Berea Arts Council!

Get ready for an evening of incredible music! The Berea College Bluegrass Ensemble, a professional string band with an eclectic blend of sounds, is coming to the Berea Arts Council.

Expect a lively performance featuring traditional Appalachian songs, bluegrass gospel, fiddle tunes, and old-time country music. They'll be playing songs by Ola Belle Reed, Jean Ritchie, Bill Monroe, Willie Nelson, and more!

This talented group of Berea College students, led by Sam Gleaves, carries on a rich tradition founded by Al White of the McLain Family Band. With seven CDs and international tours under their belt, you won't want to miss this show!

Featuring: Logan Anglin (bass), Chesnie Barnes (guitar), Teyo Baskin-Brussell (fiddle), Dustin Burnette (guitar), Sam Gleaves (banjo), Olivia Martinez (vocals), Jacob Mudd (mandolin), and Maggie Neal (mandolin).

Come out and support these amazing musicians!

In this powerful drama, five women enter a mysterious room at key moments in history to mend the thread of time. Through real Kentucky stories and moments of grace, we see how women's strength has quietly shaped our world—one stitch at a time.

Get ready for an unforgettable performance with Sparky & Rhonda Rucker! With over 50 years of storytelling and music, they bring history to life through blues, folk, spirituals, and captivating tales. From toe-tapping tunes to powerful stories of resilience, their performances educate, entertain, and inspire.

Catch them live and experience the magic of music and storytelling like never before!

Council with a fun and relaxing Paint & Sip event! Join local artist Lisa Jones on March 22nd from 3-5 PM as she guides you through acrylic painting techniques to create your own beautiful floral masterpiece on a 16x20” canvas—perfect to take home and show off!

No experience? No problem! Lisa will provide step-by-step instructions, and we’ll have plenty of good vibes, great company, and your favorite beverages to sip while you paint. Get your tickets here.

Susan, a Mohawk from the Kahnawake Reserve in Quebec, will share how Indigenous peoples have traditionally used music, dance, storytelling, and visual arts to convey their deep connection to the Earth. Experience her powerful performance and gain valuable insights into these rich cultural traditions. Admission is absolutely free!

The Berea Arts Council is proud to be hosting another traveling exhibit in partnership with the Kentucky Arts Council. Team Kentucky, the Kentucky Arts Council, the Kentucky Native American Heritage Commission and the Kentucky Heritage Council worked together to invite American Indians living in Kentucky to share their visual art. A panel of American Indians and experts on Native American heritage selected works to include and the result is this amazing collection.

As required by law and custom, the Native Reflections exhibit labels indicate whether an artist is an enrolled member of a state- or federally-recognized tribe, or if they are not currently enrolled or recognized. Each artist is listed as either “Enrolled Member” or “Native Inspired.”

To learn more about how American Indian people receive or apply for enrolled status, contact the Kentucky Heritage Council or find links and resources at http://heritage.ky.gov.

This year, Stepping Out for Art features a Mardi Gras-themed celebration, a silent and exciting live auction with Kent Gilbert showcasing unique art by local artists, a delicious dinner catered by Honeysuckle, and the presentation of the Berea Art Awards, honoring creativity and community contributions.

This is your chance to support the arts while enjoying an evening filled with great food, incredible art, and a vibrant atmosphere celebrating everything we love about Berea.

Tickets are going fast—secure yours now and be part of the excitement. We can’t wait to see you there!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2025-stepping-out-for-art-mardi-gras-tickets-1138275315109?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl

Tickets can also be purchased in our gallery, and invites will be mailed out soon!

A HUGE thank you to our sponsors who have supported our event, and our generous donating artists for their contributions that makes this fundraiser possible.

Make a date with yourself to attend the Mewz Valentine Event. An evening of music and mental health awareness. Refill your cup with musical guest Brando Vanschoyck in an atmosphere made to help you Tune In and Chill Out. All are welcome, bring a friend or make a new one...

Follow us for updates and event details.
Mewz.buzzsprout.com

Tickets: $10 at the Door.
Doors: 6PM
Music: 630PM

Refreshments made available by the Berea Arts Council. Must show valid ID 21+ to purchase alcohol.

No large bags, outside food, or drinks please.
Service animals only

Join us for a romantic evening on Valentines Day at the BAC with a loved one. Quality bourbon paired with delicious Good Deeds Chocolate, made by Chris Preece.

https://bereaartscouncil.networkforgood.com/events/81910-chocolate-and-bourbon-tasting-valentines-edition

Join us for the Opening Reception on Friday, January 31st, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm to see the items generously donated by contributing artists and businesses for the silent and live auctions. Free refreshments are provided courtesy of BAC volunteers.

Experience the magic of Berea’s Holiday Gallery Hop on December 6th! From 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm, enjoy a festive evening exploring the finest local handmade art along Chestnut Street and the Artisan Village on North Broadway.

Find the perfect holiday gifts at the Berea Arts Council, Sunhouse Craft, Kentucky Guild of Artists and Craftsmen, Top Drawer Gallery, and Fire & Fern Glass Studio. Don’t miss out on tasty bites from Bert’s SpeakCheezy as you stroll through this vibrant event.

Celebrate the season and shop local!

Shop & Create local this year for Shop Small Saturday on November 30th! Our gallery will be open from 10am to 5pm, featuring the Annual Holiday Market, which features almost 30 local artists in our gallery.  Our volunteers will be ready to help you make and take home your own holiday ornaments and a whole lot of fun embellishments prepared for you. Paint, glue, stick, and glam up your own one-of-a-kind keepsake to take home!

Singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Sam Gleaves is bringing his heartfelt contemporary Appalachian music to the Berea Arts Council! This FREE ADMISSION concert offers the opportunity to hear Sam perform songs from his brand-new album, HONEST, as well as favorites both old and new, traditional and original. Doors will open at 6:30 pm and music will begin at 7 pm. Sam’s performance is made possible by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

This diverse show consists of East Kentucky artists Carla Gover and Yani Vozos, Mexican-American Dancer and musician, Paulina Vazquez, and Andean Instrument Master, Fernando Moya. The show mixes Appalachian, Andean, and Mexican music, dance, and stories. Audiences will see and hear instruments such as the banjo, Appalachian Dulcimer, guitar, charango, zampoñas and quenas (Andean flutes), various drums, and rhythms made by dancing feet. They'll hear (and maybe sing along with) traditional songs of Mexico, Kentucky, and Ecuador, sung in English and Spanish. They will see and compare flatfoot dancing from Appalachia and several styles of colorful Ballet Folklórico from Mexico. 

FREE admission at the BAC thanks to funding from our partners at the National Endowment of the Arts.

The Slave, Monk Estill is a one-man performance piece performed by native Berean Malcolm Davis, highlighting Monk Estill and his heroic deeds, unique struggle, and profound impact on the state of Kentucky. This performance is Kentucky's Black History come to life, and a powerful educational and artistic performance to bear witness to.

Join us for Second Saturday Art Talks at the Berea Arts Council! Admission is FREE for anyone! Bring something new or old that you have created to the gallery and share about it in a friendly environment. Doors open at 1:30, starts at 2pm.

https://www.facebook.com/share/kNgir5FVEip4ifeg/

On first Thursdays, join us at the BAC for "Songwriters in the Round," an intimate evening featuring 80 minutes of live original music performed by 4 local songwriters/songwriting duos spread across two 40-minute sets, with a brief intermission in between sets.

Featured performers – Jaclyn Bullock, Brett Noland, Jerry Sparks & Leah Abner, and Darren Steele

Admission is free,

The Berea Arts Council invites you to come join us for a day of celebration out at Middletown School Grounds. Featured are live performances, games, a viewing of inside the school, and a FREE meal.