Hailey Rathmann

Turner Center for the Arts offers several programs and classes for youth and adults. Among these are Weekday Pottery Classes, with five weekly class times available for beginners to create using clay. Several of the Center’s repeat students shared their backgrounds and reasons for joining classes, and each expressed a common theme – that they wish they had joined the classes sooner.

The Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts and its Young Writers League (YoWL) presented the winners of the 5^th Annual “Art of Writing” Contest at a March 17 awards reception held in the art galleries.

Middle and high school students in south Georgia and the surrounding areas competed in the free contest that resulted in 156 written works focused on this year’s theme, “Courage,” and for $3,000 in cash prizes and publishing awards. Sponsors and partners for the contest include the Georgia Council for the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, Greater Valdosta United Way, Valdosta Daily Times, Snake Nation Press, and South Georgia Regional Library.

The Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts is seeking photography and guitar instructors to add to its creative team.

The Center is actively seeking a photography instructor to lead regular four-to-five-week courses. The Center is also seeking guitar instructors to expand current music programming through private lesson offerings.

Halee King, a 2^nd grade J. L. Lomax Elementary School student, has won the Turner Center for the Arts 2025 Spring into Art Invitation Design Contest. King’s work will be featured on the Center’s 38^th Annual Spring into Art Exhibition Opening Gala invitation and tickets. She will receive a free youth class, as well as free tickets to and special recognition at the Opening Gala on Monday, April 7, 6-9 p.m. The contest was open to all area students grades K-5. King’s work is on display through March 19 at the Turner Center galleries, 527 N. Patterson St., as a part of the Center’s Annual Youth Art Month Exhibition. For more information or to purchase tickets to Spring into Art, visit turnercenter.org or call 229.247.2787.

One of the Annette Howell Turner Center’s most popular programs is Ceramics. Instructor Taylor Nalley leads monthly workshops for youth and adults at the Center, and she describes how ceramics gives her community and the joy of inspiring others.

The Turner Center for the Arts is offering Glassblowing Workshops and Experiences with artist James Downey. Registration is open for ages 12+ to enroll in these beginner-friendly classes, where students receive hands-on experience as they shape molten glass. Classes are available as one-hour and 30-minute sessions on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays for the month of February only. All classes are located at the Richard Hill Glass Studio, 506 N. Ashley St., on the Turner Center’s campus.

For two years, Michelle Klein has regularly enrolled her three homeschooled children – Levi, Savanna, and Ezra – in art classes and camps at the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts. She shares how these programs involve them in unique experiences that spark their creativity.

Youth ages 5-12 received a one-day experience in art education during the holidays through the Turner Center’s 2024/2025 Youth Winter Art Camps, held on the Turner Center campus.

The Turner Center for the Arts has extended the entry deadline for the 5th Annual Art of Writing Contest to Wed., Jan. 22, 2025.