Bicentennial Art Center & Museum

Gallery Hours

10:00 am - 4:00 pm Tuesday thru Friday
Closed Saturday thru Monday
See Current Exhibit for Reception date which is held on a Friday

Group tours of the exhibits and facilities are available by calling the Art Center
No Admission Charge

217-466-8130
217-466-8130 fax

Closed Mondays, New Year's Day, Easter Sunday, July 4th, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve Day

CURRENT EXHIBIT
May 11 - June 8, 2012

Main Floor Galleries:

16th Annual "Paint Illinois" Juried Exhibition

Reception: Friday, May 18, 2012 ~ 5 - 6:30pm

If you would like to be notified of additional upcoming events and activities, Subscribe to our mailing list and receive a periodic e-mail!

Members Only Exhibit

The Paris Art Center is pleased to announce that we will be holding our first "Members Only" exhibit, June 15 - July 20!

This exhibit will be open to all current members of the Art Center, and each member may enter up to 2 pieces of artwork in any of the following mediums: oil, watercolor, acrylic, mixed media, photography, ceramics, quilting, apparel, woodworking, basket weaving, beadworking - you name it!

This is a wonderful opportunity for any and all members to really strut their stuff! It doesn't matter if you're just getting started or have been creating art your whole life long, whether you have an art degree or are self-taught!

Not a member yet? No problem! Simply visit our Membership Page to view the different levels of membership offered and to find the right one for you! Student memberships start at just $5 a year!

If you are interested in participating in this exhibit, please contact the Art Center at (217) 466-8130 before May 15th to be added to the list of exhibitors. We do ask that all 2-dimensional work (any wall-hanging artwork) be wired for hanging - no sawtooths or universal clips, please.

Reception: Friday, June 15, 2012 ~ 5 - 6:30pm

If you would like to be notified of additional upcoming events and activities, Subscribe to our mailing list and receive a periodic e-mail!

Summer Classes at the Art Center!

The new 2012 Summer Class Schedule for the Paris Art Center is now up! Visit the Classes Page to view this year's line-up of learning opportunities!

There is something for everyone - from knitting to drawing to art journaling to clay classes and more!

LENDING LIBRARY IMPROVEMENTS

The Art Center's upstairs Lending Library is undergoing some updating and is in need of a number of items to aid in organizing.

Needed Items:

Book Dividers/Bookends Some Found, More Needed! ~ 2 Bookcases (chest heighth, preferably matching) ~ Storage Baskets ~ Small Tabletop Display Easels ~ 2 Upholstered Chairs ~ Wooden Chairs (2 or 3)

If anyone has any of the above listed items, and would like to donate (or loan them!) to the Art Center, please contact Susan at the Art Center: (217) 466-8130.

Many Thanks in Advance!

RUMMAGE SALE

The Art Center is planning on holding a Spring Rummage sale for 2012, though as of yet the date(s) is/are unknown. Stay tuned for further updates!

The Bicentennial Art Center & Museum (Art Center) is located at 132 South Central Avenue in Paris, Illinois, one block south of the Courthouse square on Illinois Highway 1 South. Paris, in the heart of the Illinois prairie, is the county seat of Edgar County in east central Illinois, about 9 miles from the Illinois/Indiana border; approximately 27 miles from Terre Haute.

On the map, Paris is located on Illinois State Highway 1 from the north and south, Highway 150 from the east and Highways 16 and 133 from the west. See Map which may take a few seconds to load.

The Art Center, a non-profit organization, offers a full range of art activities and programs to the residents and artists of the region including exhibitions, classes and workshops, tours to other art centers and events, community outreach programs, and, scholarships for talented youth. The Art Center maintains a permanent collection, the nucleus of which are the paintings by Alice Baber, a native of Edgar County, who achieved international recognition in 1960's and 70's. Other collection pieces include paintings, drawings, prints, and three-dimensional pieces by artists with national and regional reputations.

All programs, activities and memberships are open to the public regardless of race, gender, age, education or disability. There is no admission charge to view the exhibitions. Memberships are available at varying levels of support and are renewable annually.

Exhibitions: The Art Center's five galleries feature changing exhibitions throughout the year of work by artists with international, national, regional and area recognition. Among the exhibitions are Annual Shows that are judged competitions calling for entries from artists throughout the Midwest.

Classes and Workshops: A full line of classes and workshops are offered throughout the year for individuals whose interest and skill levels vary from beginners to advanced and whose ages range from children age 4 on up through adults.

Community Outreach Program: The Art Center joined forces with the Paris Community School District, area businesses, organizations and individuals to establish the "Partners In Education" - art enrichment program. The program provides art education experiences related to classroom learning for 1,000 elementary and middle school students who would otherwise have no exposure to the visual arts.

Scholarships: Each spring scholarships are awarded to talented graduating high school seniors or college/university students working toward a career in the visual or performing arts. Applications are available upon request from the Art Center. Persons applying are requested to fill out an application and submit that along with a portfolio and/or video/cassette of their work. Scholarships are awarded at the discretion of a qualified judge with art education experience.

Membership: Membership in the Art Center is open to the public at varying levels of support and is renewable annually. Members receive the Center's newsletter covering scheduled programs and activities; discounts on class and workshop registrations and exhibition entry fees; and, early notification of social events and tours.

Tours: The Art Center arranges group tours to outstanding exhibitions at other art centers and museums throughout the Midwest.

The mission of the Art Center is to generate enthusiastic participation in and support of the arts and to provide opportunities that increase awareness, understanding, and appreciation of and participation in the arts.

Program and activities are funded through memberships, businesses, patrons, and a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.

If you would like to be receive a periodic e-mail on activities then Subscribe to our mailing list

You can also contact the Art Center Director, Susan Stafford, at parisartcenter@frontier.com