Adults in the Austin Seniors Program at Cedar Valley Services have been exploring their creativity at the Austin ArtWorks Center for two years and the public is invited to view their artwork at a first-ever public exhibit.

The Cedar Valley Services exhibit runs March 2 through April 14 concurrent with the annual Youth Art Show which features art by students from Banfield, Neveln, Southgate and Sumner Elementaries.

The public is invited to celebrate and meet the artists at an opening reception from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, May 2 at the Austin ArtWorks Center.

Cedar Valley Services adults, community members living with disabilities, have been attending art class at the ArtWorks Center twice a month since 2016 as part of the Seniors Program which provides opportunities for community inclusion.

With instructor Jenelle Cummings, the artists have explored a variety of media including canvas painting, weaving, 3-D sculpture, jewelry making, block printing, chalk pastels, mosaic, collage and watercolor. Their best work has been selected for the exhibit.

Cedar Valley Services is a non profit agency with a mission to assist each individual with the activities of work and community living. Cedar Valley Services connects adults with disabilities to work opportunities in manufacturing and service industry. Founded in 1960, Cedar Valley Services serves over 550 people annually in southern Minnesota.

The Austin Area Commission for the Arts presents this gallery — as well as five other exhibits in 2018 — as part of their mission to harness the power of arts to improve lives and the community through quality arts experiences.

Taste of Nations

The Austin Area Commission for the Arts is proud to issue a call for entries to the Welcoming Community Exhibit at Taste of Nations 2018.

We are seeking artists and authors to submit    2D or 3D visual art or poems or short stories on a theme of “Welcoming” to be considered for a Welcoming Community Exhibit.

Submissions will be reviewed by a jury. If selected, author/artist will be invited to exhibit at the Taste of Nations event on April 21 at the National Guard Armory. There is no fee to enter or to exhibit. Entries are due March 23.

To submit visual art, send JPEG with size dimensions, title and medium to kelsey@austinareaarts.org. Including an artist’s statement, 150 words maximum, is optional.

To submit literary art, send a PDF (no more than three pages) to kelsey@austinareaarts.org. Including an author’s statement, 150 words maximum, is optional. For questions call 507-434-0934.

Interested in serving as an art or literature jury member? Contact kelsey@austinareaarts.org.