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Festival of the Cranes Art Exhibition

January 9 @ 8:00 am - February 23 @ 8:00 pm
Free

We are pleased to announce the return of the annual juried Festival of the Cranes Art Exhibit in our Walking Gallery. The show will be held in conjunction with the Friends of Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge Association’s annual Festival of the Cranes, which will take place January 9-11 in Decatur. The exhibit will be free and open to the public.

 

To celebrate, the ACA will be open with special weekend hours:

  • Saturday, January 10: 9:00 am – 4:30 pm
  • Sunday, January 11: 9:00 am – 4:30 pm

 

All students, faculty, staff, adjuncts, and alumni of Athens State University, Calhoun Community College, and the Alabama Center for the Arts were eligible to enter the juried show. This year, 34 pieces of artwork by 21 artists will be featured in the show. All pieces of artwork featured in the exhibit were inspired by nature, whooping cranes, sandhill cranes, and other nature-related subjects. The exhibit will remain open until February 23.

*ACA will also host special speakers/presentations in our Visual and Performing Arts bldgs. View the schedule of all events at www.friendsofwheelernwr.org/foc-2026.

In addition to the art exhibits, the ACA will be hosting other Festival of the Cranes activities from January 10-11. Events include:

  • SALAMANDRINA art exhibit featuring artist Gary Chapman in the Main Gallery
  • Make & Take Art Activity by ACA Art Faculty – Paper Plate Birds and Thumbprint Critters (come and go activity on Sat.)
  • Christopher Joe Presentation (Black Belt Birding/Ecotourism)
  • Paul Bannick (Woodpeckers and an award winning nature photographer)
  • Lee Hedgepeth (climate/environmental issues)
  • Southern Exposure Film Festival
  • Amber Coger, “Cranes Can Dance?” (family friendly)
  • International Crane Foundation (ICF) Crane Behaviors
  • Timothy Joe (Art demonstration)
  • Jimmy Stiles (Reptiles)
  • Dr. Andy Caven (ICF)
  • Jessie Taylor (crane habitat)
  • Forsberg Photography Workshop
  • Crane Painting Class/Workshop with Tracy Roberts McCann (Pre-registration required)

Events are free and open to the public with the exception of Tracy Roberts McCann’s painting class. A full schedule of events can be found at https://www.friendsofwheelernwr.org/events.

For more information about the 2026 Festival of the Cranes, please visit https://www.friendsofwheelernwr.org/foc-2026 or the Festival of the Cranes Facebook page, Festival of the Cranes at Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge.

 

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