Pillar Arts Dispatch | Bloomington Art Events & Gallery Shows February 10, 2026
Posted In: Newsletter Archives, News, Events | Posted by: Pillar Arts
We’re looking forward to gathering as a community at our annual meeting this month on February 26 at the Arts Alliance Center from 5:30-7:00 PM. It’s a meaningful opportunity to reflect on the past year, share what we’ve been building together, and look ahead to what’s next. Members in attendance will also be able to vote for incoming and renewing board members.
There’s also a lot happening across both Pillar Arts Alliance Center and Pillar Arts By Hand in the weeks ahead. From exhibitions to programs, we’re excited to continue filling our spaces with art, conversation, and connection. We’re especially thrilled to feature Outside, Inside, In Between, a vibrant exhibition by Anne-Karine Bley at Pillar Arts By Hand.
As always, none of this work happens without community support. If you’re interested in getting more involved with Pillar Arts, we’d love to have you. Your time and energy help keep the arts accessible and thriving here in Bloomington.
JOIN PILLAR ARTS
Becoming a Pillar Arts member is a meaningful way to stay connected to Bloomington’s arts community while directly supporting local artists. Membership offers opportunities to share your work, build relationships with fellow creatives and supporters, and take part in a collaborative network. Artists also receive reduced fees for utilizing our performance space.
Membership is open to everyone, whether you’re an artist or just a supporter. If you believe in the power of the arts, joining helps sustain programs, exhibitions, and performances throughout South Central Indiana. Your support plays a vital role in creating space for creativity to grow and be celebrated. We’d love to welcome you as a member and continue building a thriving, inclusive arts community together.
CURRENT HAPPENINGS
Intro to Bellydance with Donna Carlton
Join us at the Arts Alliance Center for a month-long creative dance series led by Donna Carlton!
Whether you’re an experienced dancer or just getting started, this class will help you grow and learn the basics of bellydance.
Pillar Arts Alliance Center
Thurs Feb 12-Thurs March 12
Bloomington, IN
Learn More about Donna Carlton
Outside, Inside, In Between by Anne-Karine Bley
Come visit us during the month of February at Pillar Arts By Hand for an amazing exhibition by Anne-Karine Bley.
Her pieces range from thoughtful still-lifes to vibrant plain air paintings.
Pillar Arts By Hand
Mon Feb 2-Fri March 27
Bloomington, IN
Learn More about Anne-Karine Bley
High school student art show by young, local talent
This month we are proud to welcome incredible artwork from local high school students.
The exhibition will be featured in the Arts Alliance Center throughout February, and we can’t wait to see you there!
Pillar Arts Alliance Center
Thurs Jan 29-Sun March 1
Bloomington, IN
Pillar Arts Annual Meeting
We are excited for this year’s annual meeting at Pillar Arts Alliance Center.
Join us to review the last year, enjoy light refreshments, and connect with fellow artists and arts advocates!
Pillar Arts Alliance Center
Thurs Feb 26, 5:30-7:00 PM
Bloomington, IN
GET INVOLVED
PILLAR ARTS ALLIANCE CENTER
We’re seeking volunteers to greet guests, share about the artwork, and support daily operations at Pillar Arts Alliance Center.
No experience needed, just a positive attitude and willingness to learn.
If you’re interested, please reach out and a member of our team will be in touch.
PILLAR ARTS MARKETING TEAM
Do you have experience in Canva, design, or social media?
Pillar Arts is looking for skilled marketing volunteers to support our outreach efforts. If that sounds like you, please get in touch and our team will follow up.
MEMBER SPOTLIGHTS
AUDREY WILLIAMS
Audrey Williams is a Bloomington-based musician and educator dedicated to making music accessible, welcoming, and joyful for learners of all ages. With over a decade of teaching experience, she offers instruction across violin, cello, double bass, and fiddle, and is a core member of Bloomington’s musical community through her work with local orchestras and ensembles.
Beyond private lessons, Audrey co-founded and co-directs New Horizons Bloomington, an adult beginner orchestra that invites people to start (or return to) music in a supportive, community-centered setting. Whether through teaching, performing, fiddling workshops, or community jams, her work is rooted in connection and bringing people together through shared music-making and lifelong learning.
JAKE KUJAVA
Jake Kujava is a Bloomington-based cartoon artist and painter whose work draws inspiration from comic books, old movies, and science fiction. With a background in art and history, his pieces blend storytelling and visual rhythm to create what he describes as “liquid poetry,” where meaning deepens the longer you look.
Working in a style he calls Naturalistic Expressionism, Jake begins each piece with realism before abstracting and simplifying it into something more essential. His paintings and comics often feature people and animals, exploring their relationships with each other and their environments through expressive forms and carefully tuned color palettes that shift with mood and emotion.
SHOUTOUTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Trades District Mural: Call for Proposals
Photo by Bloomington Arts Commission
Indiana University has partnered with the Kiln Collective, the Mill, and the City of Bloomington to find a community artist or artist team to create a signature outdoor mural in Bloomington’s Trades District.
The mural site totals 648 square feet, with a project budget of $16,000. Proposals are due by February 25, 2025, and submissions should be emailed as a PDF to econdev@iu.edu.
View Guidelines and Learn More About the Project
Climate Co-Lab as Inquiry Call for Artists
Photo by Artists for Climate Awareness
Artists for Climate Awareness is presenting a juried exhibition this April at the Pillar Arts Alliance Center. The show calls for 2-D and 3-D artworks that explore climate and environmental issues through creative expression.
Artists of all backgrounds are invited to submit work digitally by March 1, with selected pieces featured as part of Earth Month programming and opportunities for awards.
View Guidelines and Learn More About the Exhibition
Call for Artists & Scientists Collaboration
Photo by Artists for Climate Awareness
Artists for Climate Awareness and partners are seeking artists to participate in the inaugural Brushes for a Better Planet CoLab, a collaborative art-and-research hackathon focused on climate justice. Selected artists will work with local environmental researchers to co-create original artworks, which will be exhibited at the Pillar Arts Alliance Center as part of Climate CoLab: Art as Inquiry in April.
View Guidelines and Connect with the Organization
Callout for Artists: Mothra Madness
Artwork by Chris McVillain
Calling all artists! Godzilla Weekend: Mothra Madness returns this June 12–13 at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater. This event celebrates kaiju culture while giving local artists the chance to showcase and sell their work.
Artists must create fully original interpretations inspired by Mothra, Godzilla, or other Toho kaiju. If you love kaiju and bold imagination, this is your moment to be part of the madness.
View Guidelines and Connect with the Organization
PILLAR ARTS BY HAND
There’s something extra special about stopping by Pillar Arts By Hand during the Valentine’s Day season. The gallery is full of thoughtful work—from ceramics and textiles to paintings, prints, and sculptures—perfect for finding a meaningful, one-of-a-kind gift (or a little something for yourself). Visit us there to slow down, reflect, and fall in love with handmade art.
Alongside the gallery, we’re also featuring Outside, Inside, In Between, an exhibition by Anne-Karine Bley, showcasing intricate still lifes and vibrant plein air paintings.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
FROM DEEP W/ FILMMAKER | CINEMATIC SPORTS DOCUMENTARY: HISTORY, POLITICS, AESTHETICSTues Feb 10, 7-8:30 PM, IU Cinema BLOOMINGTON – Brett Kashmere’s From Deep is an experimental documentary that explores basketball’s cultural impact in the U.S., blending archival footage, mixtape aesthetics, and social commentary. The film offers a thoughtful look at the game’s history and significance, particularly within African American communities.
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THE PRINCESS BRIDE (1987): VALENTINE’S DAY SPECIALSat Feb 14, 7-9 PM, Buskirk-Chumley Theater BLOOMINGTON – Spend the evening enjoying this beloved film on the big screen in one of Bloomington’s most iconic venues—perfect for a nostalgic, laugh-filled night out with friends or someone special. |
GUITARS, BOLEROS, Y AMORSun Feb 15, 4-5:30 PM, Unitarian Universalist Church BLOOMINGTON – Celebrate the season of love with Bloomington Chamber Singers in Guitar, Boleros, Y Amor! Enjoy a romantic journey through Spain and Mexico with Brazilian guitar, piano duets, and beautiful choral harmonies. Tickets are available in person or via live stream! |
COLUMBUS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PRESENTS “LOVE IS IN THE AIR”Sun Feb 15, 3:30-5 PM, The Commons COLUMBUS – Experience the highs and lows of love through music with selections from West Side Story, My Funny Valentine, Berlioz, and Bizet. The concert also honors the Laura Showalter Youth Concerto Competition winner. Tickets: $15 adults, $10 seniors/students, free for kids 12 and under. |
OPEN MIC NIGHTWed Feb 18, 8-10 PM, The Comedy Attic BLOOMINGTON – Explore Bloomington’s vibrant comedy scene every Wednesday at the Comedy Attic! Catch hilarious original sets or sign up to perform by emailing comedyattic@gmail.com. Newcomers, bring a few friends to cheer you on. |
AFTER THE STORM PRESENTS “CONSTELLATIONS”Thurs Feb 19-Sun Feb 22, Various times, Waldron Firebay BLOOMINGTON – This production unfolds into a powerful story of love, loss, and reconnection, told through shifting timelines that follow a couple from first dates to heartbreak and beyond. It offers a deeply human look at navigating life’s hardest moments together. |
