Each month, members of the Tuscaloosa and Northport communities join together to celebrate artists featured in Art Night and their work. 

Every first Thursday of the month, The Kentuck Art Center hosts Art Night from 5-8 p.m. 

The Kentuck Art Night is a free event that welcomes art lovers of all ages.

Kentuck Art Night community members get an opportunity to see art where it’s created rather than just in an exhibit. Additionally, all the programs from Kentuck Art Night originate from the Kentuck Art Festival, which features nationally and internationally acclaimed folk artists. 

Along with visual art, Kentuck’s Art Night also has pop-up shops and live music for guests to enjoy.

Exa Skinner, the director of the Kentuck Art Center, explained her role in making the monthly Art Night successful.

“I put together all the exhibitions that have their opening on Art Night,” Skinner said. “I also book the music and line up the pop-up shops. Lastly, I do all of the promotional stuff that goes through social media.”

Additionally, Skinner said Art Night in December is always one of her favorites. 

“The studio artists that work in the studio get to demonstrate and show the Tuscaloosa community what they do, and it’s such an amazing show,” Skinner said. “There are jewelry makers, metal makers, functional pottery and so much more.”

Kerry Kennedy, a studio artist from Tuscaloosa shared the purpose of Kentuck Art Night.

“The focus of Art Night is a real demonstration of artisanal quality goods for sale made right here at Kentuck by our studio artists,” Kennedy said. “We want the public to think of meaningful hand-made gifts for their loved ones while seeing where they are made as they tour our galleries and studios.”

Kennedy said the The Studio Artist Program is doing better than ever.

“The Studio Artist Program has been thriving here at Kentuck and these small-batch businesses now offer more variety than ever,” Kennedy said. “Visitors can select from pottery, metal sculpture, paintings, mixed media and hand-woven textiles as well as other goods from artists in the Kentuck Gallery.”

Mary Neill Starke, a freshman from Montgomery majoring in human environmental sciences said that she is excited about attending Art Night this month.

“Last year during December, when I was touring The University of Alabama, my dad took me took to the Art Night at the Kentuck Art Center and it made me realize how much there is to do in Tuscaloosa beyond the University of Alabama’s campus,” Starke said. “I’m really looking forward to Kentuck Art Night this December.”

Art Night is also renowned for featuring the hand-made wood-fired pizza from the Kentuck Art Center’s outdoor cob oven.

Kentuck Art Night is this Thursday Dec. 7.