The Arts & Culture Alliance is pleased to present five new exhibitions at the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville, opening on Friday, October 3, 5-9 p.m. A free gathering with the exhibiting artists will also feature live music by Noah Gray, Nick Horner, and Danielle Walters.

AIA East Tennessee | Art Salon in the lower gallery. Hosted by the American Institute of Architects – East Tennessee Chapter, the Art Salon is a vibrant showcase of creativity that reaches far beyond the built environment. The Art Salon presents a rare opportunity to witness how those who shape our spaces also shape culture, ideas, and artistry in unexpected ways.

Each year, a curated collection of submissions is unveiled during a First Friday opening, inviting the community to discover and celebrate the breadth of creativity within our profession.

Nhora Ortiz: Brushstrokes of Freedom in the Atrium. Nhora Ortiz was born in Buga, Colombia, and raised in Venezuela, where she developed a deep connection to the culture, language, and community. She currently lives and works in Gatlinburg. Her work has been recognized internationally for its humanitarian values and exhibited in Venezuela, the United States, Bolivia, Colombia, Italy, South Korea, and India.

Hannah Hancock: Memory Piecing in the display case.  Hannah Hancock is a professional mixed media artist, born, raised and living in Knoxville. She has participated in numerous regional art exhibitions throughout East Tennessee and teaches at various art and craft centers in the area.
“Memory Piecing is the title of a series of works focused on exploring traditional barn quilt painting and other quilt-inspired pieces based around personal memories and life events — an ode to the arts and crafts that have shaped my personal aesthetics and visual understanding of the world, having grown up in East Tennessee. My work is an exploration of my southern roots in East Tennessee and the relationships I have cultivated as an adult.”

Noteworthy by Hanna Seggerman on the North Wall. Hanna Seggerman (b. 1996) is a multidisciplinary artist, educator, and current resident of Knoxville. She currently teaches visual art to high school students in Art 1, Advanced, and AP level coursework for Knox County Schools. Seggerman continues to create artwork from her home studio, which is exhibited locally in East Tennessee and nationwide.

Givin’ the What For curated by Michael Dickins in the upper gallery. Continued from September, Givin’ the What For takes its title from a Southern colloquialism that expresses stern disapproval or a serious reckoning. It’s a phrase rooted in confrontation, calling for accountability and highlighting the weight of one’s actions.

Givin’ the What For installation

Curated by Michael Dickins, this exhibition showcases the work of six women artists who live and work in Southern Appalachia. The artists included in this iteration are Erika Diamond (www.erikadiamond.com), J. Leigh Garcia (www.jleighgarcia.com), Katie Hargrave (www.katiehargrave.com), Stacy Kranitz (www.stacykranitz.com), Susan Alta Martin (www.susanaltamartin.com), and Liz Trader Williams (www.makemesomeart.com).

Givin’ the What For will be on exhibition through November 1, 2025.

The exhibitions will be on display from October 3 to November 1, 2025, at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. In October, the Emporium is open to the public Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. with additional hours: Sat-Sun Oct 4-5, 1-5 p.m. for the Small Press Publishers Fair; Fri Oct 10, Fri Oct 17, Thu Oct 23, and Fri Oct 31, 5-7 p.m. for Gallery 1010 openings.

Many of the works on exhibition will be for sale and may be purchased by visiting in person or the online shop at https://www.knoxalliance.store. For more information, please see https://www.knoxalliance.com or call (865) 523-7543

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