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Wednesday, January 11, 2023Okaloosa Arts Alliance Announces Board of Directors
The Okaloosa Arts Alliance (OAA) announces the Board of Directors for the current fiscal year. The Executive Board of Directors are President Bill Head, Colonel (Ret), USAF, MSC; Vice President Marlayna Goosby, Grow Your Gift Conservatory of Music; Treasurer Susan Kneller, Chair of the OAA Grants Committee; and Secretary Becky Belcher with the Arts & Design Society. The Board of Directors are James K. Baughman Sr., Author; Jeanette Shires, Mattie Kelly Arts Center at Northwest Florida State College &
Monday, October 24, 2022Northwest Florida Ballet's 43rd Annual Production of The Nutcracker
The Northwest Florida Ballet (NFB) proudly presents The Nutcracker on Fri. and Sat., Nov. 18 and 19 at 7:30 p.m. and Sun., Nov. 20 at 2:30 p.m. at the Mattie Kelly Arts Center. In its forty-third year, NFB’s The Nutcracker remains the only full-length version of the classic holiday fairytale in the area and features live musical accompaniment by the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra (NFSO) under the direction of NFB Music Director David Ott. “Returning to the Mattie Kelly Arts Center stage is always
Thursday, July 14, 2022Northwest Florida Ballet Announces 22/23 Season
The Northwest Florida Ballet (NFB) 2022-2023 season is set to include four incredible world-class productions, including two main stage productions at the Mattie Kelly Arts Center featuring the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra and two free outdoor performances. NFB’s 53rd season kicks off with The Ugly Duckling, performed by Lightwire Theater on Sat., Oct. 1, at 7:30 p.m. in Grand Boulevard at Sandestin’s Grand Park. This audience favorite brings a classic tale to the modern stage in an
Wednesday, May 25, 202230th Annual Emerald Coast National Juried Exhibition
The Mattie Kelly Art Center at Northwest Florida State College welcomes visual artists of all styles and media to apply for the 30th Annual Emerald Coast National Juried Exhibition. The exhibition is an open call without a set theme and features working artists from all over the country. This year's guest judge will be Viet Le, Ph.D., MFA—an accomplished international artist and scholar based at the California College of Arts. Selected artists will exhibit in the 1500-square-foot McIlroy Gallery, with
Tuesday, May 17, 2022Emerald Coast Autism Center Breaks Ground on Second Facility - Emerald Coast Learning Center
On Wednesday, June 8, 2022, starting at 5 p.m., Emerald Coast Autism Center will host a public Groundbreaking Event for Emerald Coast Learning Center, a new building located directly next to Emerald Coast Autism Center on the campus of Northwest Florida State College (NWFSC) in Niceville, FL. This second facility will provide a safe, structured learning environment for the nonprofit's Transition to Work (TTW) program and its academic classrooms. The new building plans include a 20,000-square-foot building
Thursday, April 28, 2022Northwest Florida Ballet Trainee & Pre-Professional Program Auditions on May 14
Northwest Florida Ballet (NFB) Company Trainee and Pre-Professional Program (PPP) auditions will take place on May 14, at the main building in downtown Fort Walton Beach. Trainee auditions will take place from 9-10:30 a.m., and auditions for the PPP and Company programs will be conducted from 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Company auditions are open to students entering the eighth grade and up with no less than six years of formal ballet training and two years of pointe experience for female dancers. NFB’s
Tuesday, February 22, 2022Winter Arts Social to Benefit Okaloosa Arts Alliance
The Okaloosa Arts Alliance invites you to the 2022 Winter Arts Social on Sunday, Feb. 27, from 2-4 p.m., at the Mattie Kelly Arts Center Art Galleries at Northwest Florida State College located at 100 E College Blvd, Niceville, FL 32578. Join friends and art supporters for live entertainment by Grow Your Gift Conservatory of Music students and the Fort Walton Beach High School Drama Club and enjoy hors d'oeuvres and wine donated by Bloor Door Consulting, Niceville Publix, and Becky Belcher. The
Tuesday, June 22, 2021Emerald Coast Autism Center Partners with Northwest Florida State College for Transition to Work
Chris showed up to the Mattie Kelly Arts Center (MKAC) with a gleam in his eye. It was his second time to train as an usher for a ballet recital, and he already knew what to do. “I got my jacket. I need a nametag. I’m ready!” said the 15-year-old as he got prepared in the cloak closet at the MKAC. Chris is one of seven students from the Emerald Coast Autism Center participating in the new program, Transition to Work, funded by the Florida Department of Education. “We are actually the second location in
Monday, June 07, 2021Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra Names New Conductor
The Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra (NFSO), housed at the Mattie Kelly Arts Center in Niceville, has a new conductor. After 18 months of meticulous searching, Todd Craven has been named NFSO Music Director and Conductor right in time for the orchestra’s 35th season. “We are pleased to announce Todd Craven as our new NFSO conductor,” said Dr. Devin Stephenson, Northwest Florida State College President. “Todd brings a wealth of successful experiences and musicianship to the Orchestra and to this
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Friday, April 16, 2021Local Artist Completes Mosaics of College Logo and Seal for Northwest Florida State College
After months of dedication, creativity and grout, two new mosaics are completed and installed in the President’s Office Suite of Northwest Florida State College thanks to local artist Sarah Hawkins. Hawkins was commissioned to create the mosaics in early 2020. The mosaics are made in the colors of Northwest Florida State College’s logo; red, black and white. The first art piece is an interpretation of the logo called “Swoosh,” and the second is a version of the College seal called “Educatio Optima.” Some
Tuesday, April 06, 2021NWFSC Arnie Hart Juried Student Art Exhibition Winners Announced
The winners of the annual Arnie Hart Juried Student Art Exhibition at Northwest Florida State College were recently announced. The student art exhibition, as well as the annual NWFSC Faculty Exhibition, is currently on display through May 7, 2021, at the Mattie Kelly Arts Center Galleries. Jean Hart, wife of the late NWFSC art instructor Arnie Hart, provides an annual gift to help fund the Arnie Hart Juried Student Exhibition. Hart, popular and influential for his “cracked pottery” style, taught at
Monday, March 29, 2021Local Man Donates Painting to Mattie Kelly Arts Center
During the lockdown months of 2020, retired pharmacist Johnny Pope of Shalimar decided to get back into his long lost passion of painting. His inspiration? The sculpture of the seven dancers in the fountain at the Mattie Kelly Arts Center. “We had a ballet over here and my little granddaughter was in it and she started strolling around the fountain, and I started taking pictures and I said, ‘My God, that would make a beautiful painting,’” Pope said. After creating an oil painting of the fountain for an
Tuesday, March 09, 2021Mattie Kelly Art Center Galleries at Northwest Florida State College has Partnered with Florida Department of State on Statewide Initiative
Florida Secretary of State Laurel M. Lee and the Florida Department of State announced the fifth annual “March of Museums” celebrating the variety and versatility of museums in Florida and the important services those museums provide to their communities. The initiative includes partner museums and cultural institutions throughout Florida that showcase the vast and diverse array of museums that populate the Sunshine State. The 2021 celebration focuses on celebrating the ingenuity and creativity of museums
Tuesday, January 26, 2021Mattie Kelly Arts Center Announces Sarah Knobel Exhibition
Mattie Kelly Art Center Galleries at Northwest Florida State College is pleased to present its newest exhibition opening Friday, Jan. 22. The exhibit will be on display through March 5. This solo exhibition is composed of the artist's traditional works of highly-staged digital photographic installations about nature and technology; for example, building materials as seen in Mass Foam #3, created with wall insulation. The artist will also debut three large-scale collage responses about humanity and nature
Monday, November 09, 2020Mattie Kelly Arts Center Galleries Announces the Opening of Fall Exhibition
Mattie Kelly Art Center Galleries at Northwest Florida State College is pleased to announce our fall exhibitions from the College’s esteemed permanent collection. (See photo on right) The Delightful Mount. 17 ½ x 13 ½ inches. Woodblock print on paper. Salvador Dalí, Generous gift of Dottie Blacker to the Northwest Florida State College Permanent Collection. Salvador Dalí, The Divine Comedy: In 1950, the Italian government commissioned the iconic surrealist artist Dalí to illustrate Dante Alighieri's
Friday, October 23, 2020The Okaloosa Arts Alliance Announces Board of Directors for 2020-21
The Okaloosa Arts Alliance (OAA) announces the Board of Directors for the 2020-2021 fiscal year. The Executive Board of Directors are: President Bill Head, Colonel (Ret), USAF, MSC; Vice President Ken Hair with Children in Crisis; Treasurer Susan Kneller, Chair of the OAA Grants Committee; and Secretary-Becky Belcher with the Arts & Design Society. The Board of Directors are Karen Reid with Young Philosopher’s Society, Nellie Bogar with the Youth Village, Chris Reid - musician, Ursel Behnken with the German
Friday, October 23, 2020Northwest Florida Ballet Launches 2020 Keep Dancing Membership Drive
The Northwest Florida Ballet (NFB) 2020 Keep Dancing Membership Drive will take place now through Dec. 4, to mitigate the financial impact of COVID-19 on the organization. This fundraising effort provides patrons with the opportunity to join at two levels and receive benefits, including access to archived productions plus discounts on 2021-2022 season subscriptions. NFB, like many non-profits and arts organizations around the country, has suffered devastating effects on funding mechanisms as the
Friday, August 28, 2020Judy-Ann Zoghby Names Learning Commons at Northwest Florida State College
With a generous pledge of $500,000, Judy-ann Zoghby has established the Zoghby Learning Commons at Northwest Florida State College. Judy-ann Zoghby began visiting the Emerald Coast with her late husband, Guy, in 1980. In the 1990s, they decided to make the Emerald Coast their permanent home when Guy retired. Ms. Zoghby is an avid supporter of the College’s Mattie Kelly Arts Center programs, with a special passion for the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra, and has participated in a wide variety of
Friday, August 28, 2020Mattie Kelly Arts Center Galleries Announces the 28th Annual Emerald Coast National Juried Fine Arts
The Mattie Kelly Art Center Galleries at Northwest Florida State College is pleased to present the 28th Annual Emerald Coast National Juried Fine Arts Exhibition. This year saw applicants from across the country in a variety of media. Overall, the applications express a strong desire for connection to the familiar. The show runs Aug. 29 - Oct. 16, 2020. Attendance is free and open to the public. To make this exhibition more broadly accessible, the exhibition is available online for the first time in its
Wednesday, May 27, 2020Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation Announces Rescheduled Concerts in the Village Line-Up
The Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation (MKAF) is pleased to announce a new 2020 Concerts in the Village lineup. With the safety and well-being of guests, artists, and staff as a top priority, MKAF asks that concertgoers adhere to the following social distancing measures. •Groups must be ten people or less•VIP tables spaced 10 feet apart•Maintain 6ft distance between your ten-person or less group and other concert attendees•If inline for food, stay 6ft behind the next person inline •Wash your hands frequently; you
