As we’re in the midst of membership renewal season we want to remind you to take advantage of our special seasonal offer: from now through the end of the year when you sign up or renew your membership, it will be active through the end of 2025.

Lastly—our annual Holiday Arts and Crafts Fair is only a week and a half away, and today is the last day to apply as a vendor. If that sounds like something you’d be interested in, apply now! We can’t wait to see you there and celebrate the holiday magic together.

Upcoming Events with the Arts Alliance

Holiday Arts & Crafts Festival – Flex Space

Save the date! The Arts Alliance of Greater Bloomington’s annual Holiday Craft Fair is just around the corner, bringing holiday festivity to every weekend from Thanksgiving through December. Join us at the Arts Alliance Center to explore one-of-a-kind, handcrafted gifts perfect for the your loved ones. There’s no better place to find unique treasures for family and friends, all created by local artists.

Event Dates:

• Thanksgiving Weekend: November 29 – December 1
• December 7 – December 8
• December 14 – December 15
• December 21 – December 22

Whether you’re looking for a special gift or simply enjoying the holiday spirit, the Holiday Craft Fair offers an amazing experience filled with creativity and community.

Vendors:

The deadline to apply as a vendor is Wednesday, November 20, so be sure to apply today! Vendors can apply for one or multiple weekends.

Booth Fees:

• Thanksgiving Weekend: $65 for AAGB Members | $75 for Non-Members
• Saturday/Sunday: $50 for AAGB Members | $60 for Non-Members

For more information or to apply, email Sarah Asher at aac@bloomingtonarts.org or click here. Celebrate the season with us and support the arts in our community!

Arts Alliance Center Artist: Ruth Y Lau

Ruth’s artistic practice is characterized by her willingness to explore a wide range of materials and styles. From black-and-white works to watercolor and acrylics, her portfolio showcases remarkable versatility. She enjoys experimenting with different media, including incorporating Chinese and Tibetan cultural themes into her abstract works. Ruth’s recent exploration of classical music has also influenced her art, leading to a series of abstract pieces inspired by the sounds and emotions of music. Ruth’s evolving artistic journey reflects her openness to change and growth, with each piece offering a unique insight into her creative process and personal experiences.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Grease 2 | Sequelibrium

Thurs Nov 21st, 7:00-9:00pm (EDT)

IU Cinema

• Directed by Patricia Birch, who snagged a Tony nod for her choreography on the original Greasestage production, Grease 2 sees more musical, comedic, and romantic hijinks ensue at Rydell High School as Sandy’s English cousin, Michael (Maxwell Caulfield), joins the school as a British exchange student. He immediately starts crushing hard on the new leader of the Pink Ladies, Stephanie Zinone (Michelle Pfeiffer, in only her second film role), and, in an attempt to be the cool rider Stephanie desires, Michael dons a black-leather jacket and buys a motorcycle and must also contend with the jealousy of Stephanie’s ex, the new leader of the T-Birds (Adrian Zmed). The ensemble cast is rounded out with the incredible likes of Lorna Luft, Tab Hunter, Sid Caesar, Connie Stevens, Eve Arden, Didi Cohn, Pamela Adlon, and Christopher McDonald. [115 min; comedy, musical, romance; English]

The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band

Fri Nov 22nd, 7:30-10:30 (EDT)

Buskirk-Chumley Theater

• Straight Outta Brown County Indiana! The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band is back for a hometown party! The latest album from Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band was written by candlelight and then recorded using the best technology available . . . in the 1950s. But listeners won’t find another album as relevant, electrifying and timely as Dance Songs for Hard Times. Dance Songs for Hard Times conveys the hopes and fears of pandemic living. Rev. Peyton, the Big Damn Band’s vocalist and world-class fingerstyle guitarist, details bleak financial challenges on the songs “Ways and Means” and “Dirty Hustlin’.” He pines for in-person reunions with loved ones on “No Tellin’ When,” and he pleads for celestial relief on the album-closing “Come Down Angels.”

‘Champagne Dreams’ & Annual Raffle Drawing

Sat Nov 23rd, 1:00-4:00pm (EDT)

Brown County Art Guild

• The Brown County Art Guild presents Champagne Dreams – Fine Art & Artisan Sale on November 23, 2024, from 1 PM to 4 PM. Immerse yourself in a festive atmosphere filled with new art & gorgeous artisan creations. Piano melodies played by Clara Stanley & treats provided by Tasty Plate. The Annual Raffle Drawing takes place at 3 PM, featuring a watercolor painting “Two Umbrellas – Paris Autumn Rain” by Guild Artist Member Zhen-Zhong Duan. This is a unique opportunity to take home a breathtaking piece of art!

Yoga of the Voice Workshop & Song-bath

Sat Nov 23rd, 7:00-8:30pm (EDT)

Nourishing Heart Yoga

• Authentic Voicework®: Yoga of the Voice – an expressive arts therapy modality that explores vocal play with a somatic approach; instilling a deeper connection between body, breath, and voice, stimulating the psycho-somatic benefits of singing. As an extension of your body and breath, singing can move your essence to flow and your authentic self to be shared with the world.

Sip & Sing

Tues Nov 26th, 7:30-8:30pm (EDT)

Davis Academy of Music

• Join us weekly on Tuesdays from 7:30 – 8:30 pm for a group adult music class focusing on singing, “Sip & Sing.” Taught by Emily Davis and other Davis Academy voice teachers, “Sip & Sing” is for students 21 and over, as one complimentary glass of wine will be provided for every participant.

Open Mic Night

Wed Nov 27th, 7:30-8:30pm (EDT)

Davis Academy of Music

• Join us at the Davis Event Center for Open Mic Nights every Wednesday from 7:30-8:30pm. Whether you’re trying out a new song or just want to have a fun night out, our Open Mic Nights are fun and kid friendly.

Celebrate the Season

Fri Nov 29th, 5:00-9:0pm (EDT)

Buskirk-Chumley Theater

• Join the BSO for a treasured tradition as we celebrate the holiday season with two concerts. Our 5pm early show is perfect for families with small children, and finishes just in time for you to watch the City’s Canopy of Lights. The second, slightly longer 8pm program will top off your evening with a festive mix of holiday music from around the world. With a new “elf” leading us as Music Director, you can expect a fresh treat or two!

Holiday Market

Sat Nov 30th, 10:00am-3:00pm (EDT)

Bloomington’s City Hall and Fernandez Plaza

• The Holiday Market is a celebration of art and community with displays, sales, and demonstrations of visual arts and fine crafts by local and regional artists held in conjunction with the Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market on Saturday, November 30 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

The Children’s Nutcracker

Sat Nov 30th, 4:30-6:30pm (EDT)

Buskirk-Chumley Theater

• Bloomington’s own Nutcracker Ballet, danced by children for children and families! This slightly abridged version of the classic Nutcracker Ballet follows Clara through her adventures after receiving a magical gift from her Uncle Drosselmeyer. Watch Clara and the Nutcracker battle the evil Mouse King, dance through a swirl of snowflakes into the night and arrive in the magical Land of the Sweets presided over by the Sugar Plum Fairy and her sweet courtiers. Was it all a dream? Or was it the magic of Uncle Drosselmeyer and his gift?

Writers Guild First Sunday Prose Reading in December

Sun Dec 1st, 4:00-5:30pm (EDT)

Juniper Art Gallery & Cafe

• Angela Jackson-Brown is an award-winning writer, poet and playwright who is an Associate Professor in the creative writing program at Indiana University in Bloomington. She also teaches in the graduate program at the Naslund-Mann Graduate School of Writing at Spalding University in Louisville, KY. She is a graduate of Troy University, Auburn University and the Naslund-Mann Graduate School of Writing at Spalding University. She has published her short fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry in journals like The Louisville Journal and the Appalachian Review. She is the author of Drinking From a Bitter Cup, House Repairs, When Stars Rain Down and The Light Always Breaks. Her novels have received starred reviews from the Library Journal and glowing reviews from Alabama Public Library, Buzzfeed, Parade Magazine, and Women’s Weekly, just to name a few. When Stars Rain Down was named a finalist for the 2021 David J. Langum, Sr. Prize in American Historical Fiction, longlisted for the Granum Foundation Award, and shortlisted for the 2022 Indiana Authors Award. In October of 2023, Angela’s novel, Homeward, a follow-up to When Stars Rain Down, was published by Harper Muse.

My Own Private Idaho | Additional Films and Guests

Tues Dec 3rd, 7:00-8:30pm (EDT)

IU Cinema

• My Own Private Idaho follows two friends, Mike and Scott (River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves), on a journey of self-discovery and survival as they navigate the streets of Portland and the landscapes of Idaho. This poignant film delves into themes of love, identity, and societal marginalization. [102 min; drama; English]