In October, Create Birmingham, in partnership with narrative studio 1504, Navigate Affordable Housing Partners, and sculptor Joe Minter, will produce Joe Minter is Here, a groundbreaking exhibition featuring 20-30 of Mr. Minter’s pieces inside of Titusville’s historic, Marc Steel Building.

This site is significant to Joe Minter’s family history and Birmingham’s industrial history, as well as the lives of other prominent artists in Mr. Minter’s peer group, including artist and musician Lonnie Holley and artist Thornton Dial. The exhibit will be developed collaboratively by 1504 and Mr. Minter, with creative support from curator Matt Arnett and Mr. Holley.

Mr. Minter has lived in the Titusville community for more than fifty years where he has created the sprawling African Village in America on the half-acre property around his home. Part sculpture garden and part memorial, this art environment is filled with sculptures made from scrap metal and found materials. Its theme is recognition of African American history from the first arrivals of captured Africans through slavery to the convict labor system and the Civil Rights Movement to the systemic racism and violence that persists today.
Mr. Minter’s pieces have been in major US exhibitions and are in the collections of the National Gallery of Art, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Birmingham Museum of Art. While he has been the subject of solo shows elsewhere, Joe Minter is Here will be the first exhibit in Birmingham that focuses solely on his work.

The sculptures will be shown alongside new audio and film components created by 1504 that will contextualize the importance of Mr. Minter’s work. Free public programs will take place throughout the October exhibit.

Join Create Birmingham and 1504 on Saturday, October 12th, for Titusville Is Here, a free community celebration taking place at the Marc Steel Building. That day will feature free food provided by Travis Chicago Style, vendors, voter registration, and family activities provided by Ikidd Readers, Fairy Godd Shoppers, and the Birmingham Museum of Art. Those attending will also have the opportunity to view the groundbreaking exhibit, Joe Minter Is Here.

About the exhibit

“Joe Minter Is Here” is a community-based art installation of never-before-exhibited work by the visionary artist and ambassador for peace, Joe Minter (b. 1943).

For decades, people have traveled from around the world to visit his sacred art environment, “African Village in America,” where he has used discarded materials to chronicle the Black experience. Today, his work can be found in the most prestigious collections in the country, from The Metropolitan Museum of Art to the National Gallery, but this will be his first solo show in his hometown amidst a milestone year in which he was named an inaugural recipient of the national Ruth Award.

Located inside a historic warehouse in his Titusville neighborhood, this immersive exhibit will be a landmark moment to celebrate Joe Minter, introduce his story to new generations, and highlight the importance of preserving cultural heritage.

To learn more about Joe Minter, visit here.

Exhibition Times:

October 3 - 20

Thursdays – Saturdays: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

Sundays: 1:00 - 5:00 pm

Additional Programs:

Thursday, October 17 (2:00 - 4:00 pm): Self-Guided Tours of Joe Minter's African Village in America, with Dr. Katherine Jentleson (High Museum of Art); 931 Nassau Ave. SW, Birmingham, AL 35211

Friday, October 18 (6:00 - 7:00 pm): Cultural Heritage Panel featuring conservators and curators from the Birmingham Museum of Art, High Museum of Art, Tuskegee University, and the Kohler Arts Center

Friday, October 4, 11, and 18: Guided field trips and group tours for youth and adults, featuring art activities led by The Birmingham Museum of Art
[Contact Viola@createbirmingham.org for scheduling]

Acknowledgements:

Produced by 1504 and presented by Create Birmingham, in partnership with Navigate Affordable Housing Partners. Made possible by the National Endowment for the Arts, Alabama Humanities Alliance, SouthArts, Jefferson County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Regions Foundation, Joseph S. Bruno Charitable Foundation, Carole E. Clarke (Birmingham City District 8 Councilor), The Kelly Hotel, and the Birmingham Museum of Art. Cover photo by Andi Rice.

The closing weekend of the exhibition will feature a panel discussion open to the general public in conjunction with the biennial symposium of the Association of Historians of American Art (AHAA).

The symposium will attract scholars from around the country for presentations at the Birmingham Museum of Art and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. On Friday afternoon, a special site-specific panel will take place at the historic Marc Steel warehouse, hosting the “Joe Minter is Here” exhibit.

The session is titled: "Joe Minter’s African Village in America and the Paths for the Preservation of Art Environments." Moderated by Jade Powers (Birmingham Museum of Art), the conversation will feature Katherine Jentleson (High Museum of Art), LaStarsha McGarity (Tuskegee University), and Laura Bickford (Kohler Arts Center).

At a moment when much of Joe Minter’s art environment and personal collection face uncertain futures and environmental decay, this conversation has an urgent backdrop for one of Birmingham’s, and the country’s, cultural treasures.

While free to attend, the panel has limited capacity and program attendees must reserve tickets.

About the exhibit:
“Joe Minter Is Here” is a community-based art installation of never-before-exhibited work by the visionary artist and ambassador for peace, Joe Minter (b. 1943).

For decades, people have traveled from around the world to visit his sacred art environment, “African Village in America,” where he has used discarded materials to chronicle the Black experience. Today, his work can be found in the most prestigious collections in the country, from The Metropolitan Museum of Art to the National Gallery, but this will be his first solo show in his hometown, amidst a milestone year in which he was named an inaugural recipient of the national Ruth Award.

Located inside a historic warehouse in his Titusville neighborhood, this immersive exhibit will be a landmark moment to celebrate Joe Minter, introduce his story to new generations, and highlight the importance of preserving cultural heritage.

To learn more about Joe Minter, visit here.

Exhibition Times:
October 3 - 20
Thursdays – Saturdays: 10 - 6
Sundays: 1 - 5

Additional Programs:
- Thursday, October 3 (5:30-7:30pm): Opening ceremony to celebrate Joe Minter, featuring Imani Perry and a special performance by Lonnie Holley [Click here for tickets]
- Saturday, October 12 (11am-3pm): Titusville Community Marketplace and Public Forum
- Guided field trips and group tours for youth and adults will be hosted on Friday October 4, 11, and 18. Interested in a group visit? Contact Viola@createbirmingham.com.

Acknowledgements:
Produced by 1504 and presented by Create Birmingham, in partnership with Navigate Affordable Housing Partners. Made possible by the National Endowment for the Arts, SouthArts, Alabama Humanities Alliance, and the Bruno Foundation.

For additional questions about the exhibition or programming, contact Tyler Jones (tyler@1504.co).

Join Film Birmingham alongside local crew and filmmakers to get hands-on technical skill training. You'll navigate from department to department to get in-the-moment training from industry and subject matter experts. We'll have local Birmingham based crew members answering your questions and demonstrating your role as a production assistant, making your first and future days on set easier to navigate.

This workshop will show you what it takes to succeed while preparing you for your first day on set or your transition from a dayplayer to a core crew member. Whether you want to work as an office PA, set PA, or production assistant in another department, this workshop will teach you everything you need to know to feel confident in your ability to do the job.

But this workshop isn’t just for PAs. It’s for anyone . If you're interested in getting started in the film industry, this workshop will let you sample different departments and get a taste of life on a film set. All the same protocols, terminology, and hiring practices exist no matter where you start your career.

A taste of what you'll learn:

• How to set a C-Stand
• Where to place sand bags
• How to set a craft services table
• How to read a call sheet
• Walkie Talkie codes
• Set protocol

Thank you to Workplay for hosting this workshop!

Birmingham365 is your go-to platform for promoting events across the Greater Birmingham area, offering unmatched exposure with over 25,000 monthly visitors. This webinar will teach you how to navigate the platform and maximize your reach by sharing your events effectively.

We'll cover everything from setting up your profile to submitting events that capture your attention. You'll learn how to ensure your events are easily discovered and gain practical insights on boosting community engagement. After this webinar, you'll be ready to use Birmingham365 to its fullest potential.

By the end of this session, you will:

Know how to create and manage your Birmingham365 account
Understand best practices for event submissions
Be able to leverage the platform's features to increase visibility
Confidently use Birmingham365 to promote your organization’s events
The webinar runs promptly from 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM on Wednesday. Please allow yourself time to log in and get settled.

Birmingham365 is your go-to platform for promoting events across the Greater Birmingham area, offering unmatched exposure with over 25,000 monthly visitors. This webinar will teach you how to navigate the platform and maximize your reach by sharing your events effectively.

We'll cover everything from setting up your profile to submitting events that capture your attention. You'll learn how to ensure your events are easily discovered and gain practical insights on boosting community engagement. After this webinar, you'll be ready to use Birmingham365 to its fullest potential.

By the end of this session, you will:

Know how to create and manage your Birmingham365 account
Understand best practices for event submissions
Be able to leverage the platform's features to increase visibility
Confidently use Birmingham365 to promote your organization’s events
The webinar runs promptly from 12:30 - 1:30 PM. on Wednesday. Please allow yourself time to log in and get settled.

Join Create Birmingham on Friday November 8th at East Village Arts for another Coffee with Creatives!

Our in-person morning meet-up with Birmingham’s creative community will take place from 8:30 AM – 10 AM and is free to the public. During this meet-up, attendees brew new ideas, forge collaborations, and hear insight from artists, entrepreneurs, and community leaders.

Practical goal setting will allow you to visualize your goal and lay out the required steps to make that happen. When setting goals, they are typically long-term outcomes. Therefore, it can be challenging to measure the tiny changes or progress toward these more extensive, more significant goals, and many people can get sidetracked or lost by not understanding how to track this progress.

By setting ‘mini goals, ’ we can see how our daily performances and processes are helping us progress towards our primary goal. Progress is much easier tracked and noticed by breaking the goal down into daily performances or specific tasks that would need to be completed to achieve the primary goal.

We'll look at our long-term goals and identify milestones to help keep us on track. We'll determine actionable items, leaving you with a plan to move you and your venture forward. After this workshop, you'll

• Have a clear purpose and direction
• Be able to visualize what you want and how to chase after it
• Be able to assess progress
• Be much more likely to achieve a result

This event is free to attend. If you would like lunch, you can bring one or purchase it in advance for $7 by selecting the option below. The last day to order lunch is November 8.

• Ousler Chicken Salad Sandwich Box Lunch
• Ousler Pimento Cheese Sandwich Box Lunch
• Ousler Egg Salad Sandwich Box Lunch
• All box lunches include a sandwich, a bag of chips, and a brownie.

Water will be provided.

( Refund requests can only be made until 48 hours before the event. Absorbed fees will not be refunded.)

The workshop runs promptly from 11:00 am - 1:00 pm. Please allow yourself time to park, come in, and get settled.

Practical goal setting will allow you to visualize your goal and lay out the required steps to make that happen. When setting goals, they are typically long-term outcomes. Therefore, it can be challenging to measure the tiny changes or progress toward these more extensive, more significant goals, and many people can get sidetracked or lost by not understanding how to track this progress.

By setting ‘mini goals, ’ we can see how our daily performances and processes are helping us progress towards our primary goal. Progress is much easier tracked and noticed by breaking the goal down into daily performances or specific tasks that would need to be completed to achieve the primary goal.

We'll look at our long-term goals and identify milestones to help keep us on track. We'll determine actionable items, leaving you with a plan to move you and your venture forward. After this workshop, you'll

• Have a clear purpose and direction
• Be able to visualize what you want and how to chase after it
• Be able to assess progress
• Be much more likely to achieve a result

The workshop runs promptly from 9:00 - 10:30 am. Please allow yourself time to log in and get settled.

Each month join us in the lobby to network with other filmmakers, local crew, industry professionals, and creatives. Come out, grab a drink, and network! Stick around afterward for Sidewalk's Monthly Movie Trivia at 8pm.