When we think of arts education, we recall classes like music and art appreciation. While the Alabama Center for the Arts in Decatur offer those staples, its curriculum centers on more advanced forays into the fine, visual, and performing arts. The state-of-the-art center stands as a collaborative effort to educate about and promote the arts. Read more about this treasured community staple!
A Brief History
The Alabama Center for the Arts rests across from the iconic Princess Theatre in downtown Decatur. Both buildings serve as anchors for the Uptown Arts District, a city revitalization project with roots nearly 20 years old.
Originally a food distribution hub, the center came about through a joint venture between Calhoun Community College, Athens State University, and the City of Decatur. The center’s construction saw initial stalls, but officially opened its fine and visual arts campus in 2012. The performing arts building followed suit in 2016.
About the Center
Boasting a pair of 44,000 square foot buildings, the Alabama Center for the Arts specializes in courses geared toward the fine, visual, and performing arts. Students earn college credit for taking courses at the center—and can pursue both Associate of Science and Bachelor of Arts degrees during their stint.
At the Alabama Center for the Arts, fine and visual art classes revolve around signature curriculum: sculpture, ceramics, painting, drawing, pottery, photography, and appreciation. However, modern technology also allows for the instruction of computer graphics and teaching courses. For instance, the computer graphics track offers classes in graphic design, technical illustration, multimedia production, animation, and advertising.
Likewise, the performing arts wing mirrors its fine arts counterpart with core class offerings. These include theatre and music appreciation, music, and acting. Performing arts curriculum also branches out into more specialized disciplines such as dramatic literature, jazz, chorale, and more.
Center of Technology
As a state-of-the-art arts campus, the Alabama Center for the Arts has a facility outfitted for modern education. In addition to classrooms, the visual arts campus features a ceramics lab, three Mac IOS-backed computer labs, a 3D design and sculpture room, and more.
The performing arts side boasts a black-box studio theatre, recital hall, recording technology computer lab, piano lab, and three sound-proof practice rooms. Green rooms, along with a host of other well-suited spaces, round out the building’s suite of technological marvel.
Summary
Northern Alabama artists of all kinds have a wonderful space—and place—to call home at the Alabama Center for the Arts.
If you’re searching for a place to call home, with space aplenty, consider renting from us at Summer Courtyard. Artist or enthusiast, we’d be pleased to welcome you into the community. See how you can live life to your own tune with us! And if local life is now on the mind, be sure to browse our blog for more!