Discussion to preview ‘Arts in Action’ exhibit

DeKALB – “Arts in Action” is a project developed to explore the history of Black and Latino history in DeKalb County through historical research and a collaboration with contemporary artists.

Nine visual artists and five poets were selected for the initial project. While an online exhibit was launched in March 2021, an in-person exhibit is scheduled for May 21-July 2. Get a behind-the-scenes perspective of this project during the Thursday, May 5, Brown Bag/Local Lore program.

As art offers a means to express complex themes, personal histories and emotional experiences, the artists provided a way to begin these difficult conversations. During the program, Michelle Donahoe, executive director at the DeKalb County History Center, and Brian Reis, executive director at the Ellwood House, will discuss how the two institutions developed the project “Arts in Action” to convey history meaningfully, support artists, and invite analytical discussion. They will explore how the project got started, the in-person exhibit, and future plans.

The grand opening of the in-person “Arts in Action” exhibit will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, May 21, at the Ellwood House Museum.

“We are very excited to invite everyone to this in-person display,” Donahoe said in a news release. “The online version was powerful, but it is a very different experience to see the artwork in a gallery along with the panels showing some different perspectives about our local history.”

”We hope that this project will continue conversations initiated during the summer of 2020 and contribute to community healing,” Reis said in the release.

The May 5 Brown Bag Lunch/Local Lore program will be a hybrid talk hosted at the Ellwood House Museum, 420 Linden Place. To register, visit dekalbcountyhistory.org and scroll down to “Upcoming Events” to register for the in-person or online option. The program is free and open to the public.

For more information, call 815-895-5762 or email info@dekalbcountyhistory.org. The lecture series is sponsored by the Mary E. Stevens Concert and Lecture fund.