Toni Toney describes her new show as “a love letter to the kids who dream big; even when the world tries to shrink them.” Inspired by her work with adjudicated youth in Montgomery, “Chalk Dreams Outside the Lines” comprises large-scale paintings depicting young boys engaged in thought and activity and smaller works based on children's crayon drawings.Toni Toney is a visual artist whose layered portraits and mixed media works explore themes of identity, memory, and transformation. An opening reception will take place on Friday, November 7.

Exhibition Statement

"This work honors imagination, freedom, and the stories we carry from childhood into adulthood. The large paintings show boys in quiet moments of reflection, stillness, and strength. In between, smaller pieces feature actual crayon drawings made by kids; drawings that were almost thrown away. I saved them, added to them, and gave them new life on canvas. Together, these works remind us that every scribble, every doodle, every daydream has value. This show is for the child who sees the world in color. For the adult who forgot how. For anyone who’s ever been told to stay inside the lines and chose not to." - Toni Toney

About the Artist

Drawing from personal experience and cultural reflection, Toni Toney's work speaks to the inner child, the overlooked, and the everyday moments that shape who we become. In addition to her studio practice, Toni teaches art to adjudicated youth at the Mount Meigs campus of the Alabama department of youth services, an environment that continually deepens her commitment to storytelling and creative empowerment. She earned her undergraduate degree from Troy University and her Masters in Art Education from Auburn University at Montgomery (AUM).

The Birmingham Public Library (BPL) is excited to host artist Cindy Free's first solo exhibition. Volumes in Bronze: A Sculptor’s Library of Moments features works created from 2022 to the present, including several new sculptures. Free's rendition of the Sugar Plum Fairy, a character from The Nutcracker ballet, is one of the bronzes that will be unveiled at the opening reception. The reception will take place at the Central Library on Tuesday, December 16, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., immediately following BPL's Holiday Open House.

Inspired by her experience as a ballet dancer and the founding artistic and executive director of Birmingham Ballet, Free began “The Nutcracker Collection” in 2023. Each year she adds another bronze to the series. In addition to Sugar Plum Fairy, Free’s exhibition showcases 17 sculptures of figures such as the Greek goddess Athena, a mermaid, and dancers engaged in a pas de deux.

Sketches, clay studies, and molds will be on view next to Free’s finished bronzes to show visitors the multiple steps involved in creating a bronze sculpture. The artist’s intention is to illustrate “how ideas take shape—how a fleeting feeling can become a permanent work of art.”

There will also be an interactive component of Free’s installation. Visitors are invited to take part in The Guestbook of Moments, sharing memories or stories they might preserve in bronze, thereby forming a living dialogue between art and community. “My hope is that this exhibition inspires reflection, curiosity, and a deeper appreciation for the ways we can tell our stories—without words, but through form,” says Free.

About the Artist
Cindy Free is a figurative sculptor whose works are rooted in romantic realism. Her sculptures weave precise detail with a sense of movement, transforming fleeting expressions into enduring form. Using the lost wax method, she creates figures that feel on the verge of taking a breath, offering intimate glimpses of spirit and movement suspended in time.

Free’s work has been featured in juried shows and gallery exhibitions, in addition to figurimg among many private collections. She teaches classes for UAB’s ArtPlay and other community arts programs. As a member of the Birmingham Arts Alliance and the National Society of Arts and Letters, Cindy supports and advocates for artists across disciplines. She continues to expand the presence of figurative sculpture in the South—bridging classical tradition and living expression.

Learn more about Cindy Free on her website at cindyfree.com and on Instagram @cindyfreesculptures. Volumes in Bronze: A Sculptor’s Library of Moments is part of BPL's Art for Everyone exhibition series, made possible by a grant from the Alabama State Council on the Arts.

When infertility threatens mankind with extinction and the last child born has perished, a disillusioned bureaucrat (Clive Owen) becomes the unlikely champion in the fight for the survival of Earth's population; He must face down his own demons and protect the planet's last remaining hope from danger.

After being laid off and humiliated by a ruthless job market, a veteran paper mill manager descends into violence in a desperate bid to reclaim his dignity.

Members of Birmingham’s Swamp Poppas band join us when they are able. All musicians are welcome and encouraged to bring their instruments and join in a casual jam. Dancers are encouraged to bring friends that dance. We will stream music before/after the jam. True Story Brewing has a full bar, food, and space to gather. Please join us!

Join the Alabama Symphony Orchestra and conductor Carlos Izcaray for The Farewell Symphony — an evening centered on two remarkable works: Schubert’s “Unfinished” Symphony and Haydn’s “Farewell” Symphony.

Schubert’s Symphony No. 8 is one of music’s most intriguing mysteries. With only two movements instead of the usual four, it feels suspended in time — hauntingly beautiful and strangely complete in its incompleteness. It’s music that lingers with you long after the final note.

The evening closes with Haydn’s Symphony No. 45, a work as clever as it is moving. As the piece draws to an end, the musicians begin leaving the stage one by one, extinguishing their candles as they go. It was Haydn’s ingenious way of hinting to his employer that perhaps the season had run its course. The effect is both touching and delightfully subversive.

This is a concert about endings — the unfinished ones, the poignant ones, the ones that surprise us. It’s music that speaks to what it means to be human. We hope you’ll join us.

Thanks to our concert sponsors Dr. Thomas Broker and Dr. Louise Chow.

This classic suspense film finds New York City ad executive Roger O. Thornhill (Cary Grant) pursued by ruthless spy Phillip Vandamm (James Mason) after Thornhill is mistaken for a government agent. Hunted relentlessly by Vandamm's associates, the harried Thornhill ends up on a cross-country journey, meeting the beautiful and mysterious Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Saint) along the way. Soon Vandamm's henchmen close in on Thornhill, resulting in a number of iconic action sequences.

Welcome to another year of the monthly Sidewalk Film 101 series at the Sidewalk Film Center + Cinema. This year, we’ll be focusing on big-screen spectacles – movies that you must see on the big screen. Along with supplemental readings and resources to contextualize each featured film, Thursday evening screenings will include a special introduction.

The Art for Everyone visual arts series at the Birmingham Public Library kicks off the new year with a solo show by watercolorist Sophie McVicar Tate. "Gathered Sanctuary" opens on Friday, January 23, in the Central Library's Fourth Floor Gallery. Inspired by scientific illustration and religious iconography, McVicar Tate’s ethereal depictions of animals reflect a holistic, sometimes contradictory interpretation of the natural world.

A reception for the artist will take place on Friday, February 13, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. To learn more about McVicar Tate and her work, visit her website at https://www.sophiemcvicar.co/. The Art for Everyone exhibition series is made possible in part by a grant from the Alabama State Council on the Arts awarded to the Friends Foundation of BPL.

Phoenix secretary Marion Crane (Janet Leigh), on the lam after stealing $40,000 from her employer in order to run away with her boyfriend, Sam Loomis (John Gavin), is overcome by exhaustion during a heavy rainstorm. Traveling on the back roads to avoid the police, she stops for the night at the ramshackle Bates Motel and meets the polite but highly strung proprietor Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), a young man with an interest in taxidermy and a difficult relationship with his mother.

An ex-police officer who suffers from an intense fear of heights is hired to prevent an old friend's wife from committing suicide, but all is not as it seems.

Dancing into Success is a free, day-long experience designed to support dancers as they explore pathways beyond the studio. The event brings together college dance programs, industry professionals, and community partners to share insight on careers in dance, higher education opportunities, and the skills needed to thrive on and off the stage.

Through panel discussions, interactive sessions, and direct access to mentors and resources, participants gain practical guidance on training, funding, career planning, and professional development. Open to students, educators, and emerging artists, Dancing into Success offers an inspiring space to learn, connect, and envision what’s next.

City Center Art is Space One Eleven’s afterschool studio art program for students of all skill levels and is designed to build visual communication skills and foster creative thinking. Throughout the semester, young artists learn the elements of art and principles of design, strengthen foundation skills, and further their understanding of art criticism, art theory, and art history.

Teaching artists balance instruction between creating and responding—young artists make, discuss, and write about their work—thereby facilitating a transformative learning experience for young artists.

Space One Eleven’s philosophy is to provide an environment in which young artists can learn, create, explore, and forge their own path into the world of art. All CCA young artists participate in the end of year exhibition and open house at the end of the Spring Semester.

Students are welcome to join the art class any time during the school year if seats are available. Class cost will be pro-rated for those who join later in the semester.

Come write nature-based poetry with local poet and master naturalist H. M. Cotton. Half of the workshop will be dedicated to attuning your awareness to the surrounding natural world and using those observations to write poetic lines. In the second half of the workshop, Halley will teach participants how to make mini-zines that showcase their eco-poetry. Supplies will be provided. Participants are encouraged to bring their own paper art tools and collage materials if they wish.

H. M. Cotton is the managing editor of Birmingham Poetry Review, contributing editor for NELLE, and production manager for both journals. Her writing appears in places such as Raleigh Review, storySouth, and Terrain.Org. She is an Alabama Master Naturalist, MFA student at Warren Wilson, and teaches at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. As a 2023 Alabama State Council on the Arts poetry fellow, she kayaked 180-miles of the Cahaba River and details the adventure at thecahabaproject.substack.com.

Accessibility: A portion of this program will be held in the nature center meeting room or pavilion (weather-dependent), and another portion will be held outside on paved areas and can be on dirt trails with minimal uphill and downhill changes and small rocks and roots. Seating and indoor restrooms are available in both the nature center and the pavilion. The nature center and pavilion are wheelchair accessible.

Please wear weather-appropriate clothing and comfortable walking shoes, and bring a water bottle.

Join us for our family matinee series on select Saturday and Sunday mornings. Come cozy in your PJs and from 10am - 2pm enjoy light breakfast options for the whole family, plus a Bloody Mary and Mimosa bar for the grown-ups.

Film Synopsis: Diego, Manny and Sid return in this sequel to the hit animated movie Ice Age. This time around, the deep freeze is over, and the ice-covered earth is starting to melt, which will destroy the trio’s cherished valley. The impending disaster prompts them to reunite and warn all the other beasts about the desperate situation

Whether you’re a confident performer or just singing for fun, expect great music, a lively crowd, and a relaxed atmosphere that makes it easy to jump in and enjoy the night. Come with friends or come solo, either way you're in for a great time. Food & drinks available.

A wealthy San Francisco socialite pursues a potential boyfriend to a small Northern California town that slowly takes a turn for the bizarre when birds of all kinds suddenly begin to attack people.

Join us Sunday, January 25th from 2-5pm for the Magic Moments Magic Show and family-friendly pre-party. Enjoy face painting, balloon art, a photo booth, and more before taking your seats for the show! As seen on “Penn & Teller: Fool Us!,” world-class magician David Garrard brings his special brand of magic to Birmingham’s Historic Lyric Theatre. All proceeds benefit Magic Moments, the only wish-granting organization devoted exclusively to children in Alabama diagnosed with chronic life-threatening and acute life-altering medical conditions.

The Alabama Screendance Festival at Sidewalk Cinema is where movement meets the magic of film. This dynamic program brings dance off the stage and onto the screen, showcasing short films created specifically for the camera, where choreography, cinematography, editing, and sound come together as one art form.

From intimate solos captured in close-up to bold ensemble works set in unexpected locations, Screendance invites audiences to experience dance in new, cinematic ways. The camera becomes a creative partner, revealing details, perspectives, and emotional depth impossible to see from a theater seat. Each film is a world of its own, visually striking, emotionally resonant, and endlessly inventive.

This screening celebrates innovation, storytelling, and the power of movement to connect us across disciplines. Whether you’re a dance lover, film enthusiast, or simply curious about something new, Screendance offers a fresh, immersive experience that lives at the intersection of art, motion, and imagination.

Join us at Sidewalk Film Cinema and Festival for an evening where bodies tell stories, cameras dance, and film comes alive through movement.

Sidewalk’s Book + Film Club unites movie and book lovers for a monthly film screening. Each session is $35 and the includes book, film screening, and discussion. Select the $15 option for access to the film screening and post film discussion. Dates, descriptions, and registration deadlines below.

Registration Deadline to have books picked up: Friday, January 9th. Books will be mailed within 72 hours of this date.

Registration Deadline to have books picked up: Monday, January 19th. Books can be picked up from our Box Office during our regular operating hours Thursday & Friday from 2pm til Close and on Saturday & Sunday from 10:30am until close.

Book: Writing with Hitchcock: The Collaboration of Alfred Hitchcock and John Michael Hayes by Steven DeRosa

In spring 1953, the great director Alfred Hitchcock made the pivotal decision to take a chance and work with a young writer, John Michael Hayes. The four films Hitchcock made with Hayes over the next several years Rear Window, To Catch a Thief, The Trouble with Harry, and The Man Who Knew Too Much represented an extraordinary change of style. Each was distinguished by a combination of glamorous stars, sophisticated dialogue, and inventive plots, and resulted in some of Hitchcock's most distinctive and intimate work, based in large part on Hayes's exceptional scripts.

Film: Rear Window (1954) dir. Alfred Hitchcock

A bored photographer recovering from a broken leg passes the time by watching his neighbors and begins to suspect one of them of murder.

You can be part of the only business event of Caps Company UK, where quality meets creativity in headwear. Find our new collections of custom caps, and find contacts with professionals in the industry. Since the materials used are of high quality, and the design is made special to the brand, feel how we can make brands shine. Connect, work in groups and be inspired with new cap solutions designed to make a difference and fashion.

Brazil, 1977. Marcelo, a technology expert in his early 40s, is on the run. Hoping to reunite with his son, he travels to Recife during Carnival but soon realizes that the city is not the safe haven he was expecting.

Winner of two Golden Globes, including Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama.