We’re also thrilled to share that we’ve acquired the ByHand Gallery in Fountain Square Mall and will be moving into the space next month! This is a huge step forward for us, and we can’t wait to bring even more art exhibitions, collaborations, and events to this timeless space. We’re excited to seeing you there!

Next month, we’ve got a multiple events lined up at the Arts Alliance Center from a monthly exhibition, arts reception, and poetry workshop. There’s something for everyone, and we’d love for you to join us. It’s an exciting year ahead, and we can’t wait to celebrate with you!

Upcoming Events with the Arts Alliance

Flying Leaves & Dancing Shapes by Irina Shishova – Flex Space

Saturday, February 1 – Thursday, February 27

We are thrilled to announce the upcoming exhibition Flying Leaves & Dancing Shapes by Irina Shishova, a talented artist whose work captures the vibrant energy and beauty of the world around us. Born in Moscow and now a Bloomington resident, Irina’s artistic journey spans diverse media, from oils and watercolors to pencils and acrylics. With a passion for human figure drawing and landscapes, Irina’s art is deeply influenced by her travels across Europe, Asia, and the U.S., as well as her love for hiking and camping. This exhibition promises to be a stunning collection of dynamic, expressive pieces that will leave you inspired by the shapes and colors that flow through Irina’s work.

Flying Leaves & Dancing Shapes will be on display at the Arts Alliance Center’s Flex Space from February 1–27. We invite you to join us for the opening reception on Saturday, February 8 from 3–5 pm, where you can meet the artist, explore her captivating work, and engage with fellow arts advocates. We hope to see you there for an afternoon of art, conversation, and celebration!

Write Your Own Love Poems Workshop – Flex Space

Sunday, February 2, 2:00-4:00 pm

Join us on February 2nd from 2-4 PM at the Arts Alliance Center for a special workshop led by Juliana Crespo. With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, this intimate and creative workshop offers a chance to express your love through the art of poetry. Whether you’re writing for a partner, a friend, a beloved pet, or even yourself, Juliana will guide you through the process of crafting heartfelt, original love poems. Together, you’ll explore the nuances of love, uncovering what it truly means to you, and learn practical tools to translate those emotions into poetic form.

Throughout the workshop, you’ll receive personalized, one-on-one support to help shape your poems and refine your voice. This guided experience will create a nurturing space for creativity and self-expression. The $40 fee includes all materials and personalized instruction, but be sure to reserve your spot as space is limited. To register, simply email or text Juliana at 812-581-344 or juliana.marcelle.crespo@gmail.com. Come celebrate the power of love and poetry in a supportive community setting at the Arts Alliance Center!

Arts Alliance Acquires the By Hand Gallery

We are honored to continue the gallery’s legacy, still displaying and selling the work of its members. This change adds a second gallery space for the Arts Alliance, creating an even more significant hub for arts in Bloomington. The owners of By Hand Gallery, Linda Knudson and Suzanne Halvorson, are retiring but are excited to pass the torch to AAGB, thanking their loyal patrons for years of support.

With the change in management, the downtown gallery will remain dedicated to offering high-quality, hand-crafted art in a variety of mediums, ensuring it stays a welcoming space for both artists and visitors. AAGB is thrilled to continue the gallery’s tradition while expanding its role in the region’s cultural landscape.

Begin the New Year with the Arts Alliance!

Arts Alliance Center Artist: Kendall Reeves

He grew up attending tractor shows and taking Sunday drives with his parents, where he saw many of the things he now photographs when they were still operating. Today, he captures them in their current state, embracing their imperfections. Kendall’s photographic process is meticulous, using multiple exposures to capture every detail from the brightest highlights to the deepest shadows. The result is work that is rich in color, depth, and texture, with each image carefully processed, printed, and framed by Kendall himself to ensure the highest quality in every piece.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Green Border | International Art House Series

Thurs Jan 23rd, 7:00-9:30pm (EDT)

IU Cinema

• In the treacherous and swampy forests that make up the so-called “green border” between Belarus and Poland, refugees from the Middle East and Africa are lured by government propaganda promising easy passage to the European Union. Unable to cross into Europe and unable to turn back, they find themselves trapped in a rapidly escalating geopolitical stand-off. Thirty years after Europa Europa, three-time Academy Award-nominee Agnieszka Holland brings a masterful eye for realism and deep compassion to this blistering critique of a humanitarian calamity that continues to unfold. [152 min; drama; Polish, Arabic, and French with English subtitles]

Linda Meyer-Wright, 1946-2023 – In Retrospect (Reception)

Fri Jan 24th, 4:00-7:00pm (EDT)

Cancer Support Community

• Linda was an original Bloomington Watercolor Society Signature Member and a popular teacher who influenced a long list of student artists. She was extremely creative and prolific in many mediums, but this exhibit features primarily watercolors! Her art is reflective of her humor and wit and her very vivid imagination, making it a fun and happy show. Hosted by her sister Joanie Meyer, it will feature 32 large, beautifully framed works of art. These paintings have not been recently displayed, prior to this exhibit. You will also have the opportunity to purchase smaller, unframed paintings in various mediums from her studio. All artwork is offered at very reasonable prices and supports the art programs of the Cancer Support Community. Please join Joanie and friends at the reception on Friday, January 24 – Linda’s birthday. There will be cake!!

Sounds From the Black Hole: Bronze // Giant Day // Geodize

Sat Jan 25th, 7:00-10:30pm (EDT)

Orbit Room

• This month Sounds From the Black Hole collaborates with Orbit Room with a lineup of experimental and psychedelic soft rock and pop. We’re stoked to feature local Chris Barth, whose projects The Impossible Shapes, Normanoak, Ejaculate, John Wilkes Booze (and countless others) have been truly inspirational. 6PM DOORS // 7PM SHOW // ALL-AGES
  PRE SALE TICKETS $12 (+$1 Service Fee) // DAY OF SHOW $15
  FOOD OR DRINK PURCHASE REQUIRED

Flowers of Ukraine w/filmmaker | Additional Films and Guests

Mon Jan 27th, 7:00-9:00pm (EDT)

IU Cinema

• A strong, independent, and anarchist woman full of humor sets out to protect her piece of land against all odds. Initially fighting off developers, Natalia’s struggle becomes even more existential with Russia’s attack on Ukraine. The film is a portrait of a woman who never gives up and brings to viewers a sense of hope. [70 min; documentary; Ukrainian with English subtitles]

Zurawski v. Texas w/Q&A | Women on Top: Legacies of Women in Global Cinema

Tues Jan 28th, 7:00-9:00pm (EDT)

IU Cinema

• The immediate repercussions of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade included a proliferation of fear and confusion in the medical community. Amid the flood of expected horror stories were unforeseen victims of the policy: families who desperately wanted children. This film is an account of a group of women—led by native Hoosier and IU alum Amanda Zurawski—who dared to fight back. [98 min; documentary; English]

The Seed of the Sacred Fig | International Art House

Thurs Jan 30th, 7:00-9:30pm (EDT)

IU Cinema

• Mohammad Rasoulof’s award-winning thriller The Seed of the Sacred Fig centers on a family thrust into the public eye when Iman is appointed as an investigating judge in Tehran. As political unrest erupts in the streets, Iman realizes that his job is even more dangerous than expected, making him increasingly paranoid and distrustful, even of his own wife Najmeh and daughters Sana and Rezvan. [168 min; crime, drama, thriller; Persian with English subtitles]

Ani DiFranco Documentary: 1-800-ON-HER-OWN

Sat Feb 1st, 7:00-8:00am (EDT)

Buskirk-Chumley Theater

• 1-800-ON-HER-OWN follows groundbreaking indie musician/feminist Ani DiFranco, founder of the first “woman-run non-corporate queer-happy” label, Righteous Babe Records, on a wild road trip from her punk-folk past to her life today as an activist and rock star. Throughout, Ani remains resolutely true to herself, no matter the cost. 1-800-ON-HER-OWN takes us on a wild cinematic road trip, from DiFranco’s punk-folk past to her life today as she reinvents herself as a passionate activist and revered rock star. Throughout the ride, she’s brutally honest, famously foul-mouthed and totally hilarious. Her daily challenges resonate as we reveal both an enduring, inspiring musical icon and a very relatable contemporary “everywoman” with her own epic fails and hard-won victories.

Fellini-Satyricon | McRobbie’s Choice

Sat Feb 1st, 7:00-9:00pm (EDT)

IU Cinema

• After his young lover, Gitone (Max Born), leaves him for another man, Encolpio (Martin Potter) decides to kill himself, but a sudden earthquake destroys his home before he has a chance to do so. Now wandering around Rome in the time of Nero, Encolpio encounters one bizarre and surreal scene after another. He’s invited to a poetry reading that ends in violence; is taken hostage by pirates; and is even forced to battle a gladiator disguised as a minotaur in a giant labyrinth. [129 min; comedy, drama; Italian with English subtitles]

Writers Guild First Sunday Prose Reading in February

Sun Feb 2nd, 4:00-5:30pm (EDT)

Juniper Art Gallery

• Join the Writers Guild as we host an afternoon of Farm Memoir. Writers Ann Robins and Linda Pickle will read from their manuscripts about life on small family farms in the mid-20th century. Open mic to follow!

Voces Novae – Our Storytelling Brains

Sun Feb 2nd, 7:00-8:00pm (EDT)

Unitarian Universalist Church

• We will explore the ways our brains connect dots, connecting us to past, future, friends, and strangers. Music by Bach/Swingle, Henry Purcell, choir members Abby Henkel Roman, Mary Craig, and Gabriel Lubell, a song from Smash, and more. Reception after concert. Free admission, donations appreciated.

Mami Wata w/Q&A|AfroFutures: Black Women and Cinematic Storytelling

Tues Feb 4th, 7:00-9:30pm (EDT)

IU Cinema

• In the oceanside village of Iyi, the revered Mama Efe acts as an intermediary between the people and the all-powerful water deity Mami Wata. But when a young boy is lost to a virus, Efe’s devoted daughter Zinwe and skeptical protégé Prisca warn Efe about unrest among the villagers. With the sudden arrival of the mysterious Jasper, a conflict erupts, leading to a violent clash of ideologies and a crisis of faith for the people of Iyi. [107 min; drama, fantasy; English and Fon with English subtitles]