(Livermore, CA) A decade ago on September 6, 2006, the Bothwell Arts Center opened its doors on Eighth Street in downtown Livermore. A part of the Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center, the Bothwell was designed to be an incubator for the arts, offering affordable studios, classrooms, and open space for rehearsals, performances, and events.  Now thriving at the center of the local arts community, the Bothwell will honor its tenth anniversary on September 6, 2016 by holding the first of three free workshops for the collaborative community art project “Hang With Us.” Professional mobile sculptor Kevin Reese will work with participants to create two kinetic mobiles in the style of Alexander Calder, which will be suspended in the Bankhead Theater at 2400 First Street.

An actor and visual artist based in Washington D.C., Reese has collaborated with schools and communities across the country, working with thousands of children and adults to create nearly one hundred mobile works of public art, both indoor and outdoor. Although he is a native of the Bay Area, this will be Reese’s first installation in California.

Input for the project has been collected during events at the Bothwell and Bankhead since June. Community members of all ages have been invited to contribute ideas, drawings, or materials in response to the question, ‘What do the Arts Mean to Me?” Reese will lead free workshops on September 6, 7, and 8, working with participants to sculpt the parts and create the final pieces. A fun hands-on event, Reese encourages everyone to get involved; no art expertise is necessary and all ideas are welcome.

After the final workshop on Thursday afternoon, the two mobiles will be installed in the open areas above the Bankhead Theater lobby in time for “Brilliance at the Bankhead,” LVPAC’s Tenth Season Gala on September 10, 2016.  Once in place, “Hang With Us” will become part of the permanent art exhibit at the Visitor’s Center and Gallery. Visible from above and below, the sculpture will be a striking symbol of the support the community has provided for the visual and performing arts at the Bankhead and Bothwell.

The Bothwell Arts Center and the Bankhead Theater are operated by the Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center. Offering wide-ranging programs that provide access to the arts for the Tri-Valley community and beyond, the two are home to nine resident performing arts companies and over 40 studio artists and cultural arts instructors.  For more information about the Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center visit lvpac.org.  For more information about Kevin Reese visit schoolsculptures.com

What:    Hang with Us: A Collaborative Community Art Project

  • Free Workshops with Sculptor Kevin Reese

When:

  • Tuesday, September 6th, 3:30 – 5:00 p.m.
  • Wednesday, September 7th, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
  • Thursday, September 8th, 3:30 – 5:00 p.m.

Where:

  • Bothwell Arts Center, 2466 Eighth Street, Livermore

Cost: