Iredell Museums selected as project site for annual MLK Make A Difference Day
December 30, 2005

STATESVILLE - Residents of Statesville will join together to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday by taking part in a community service project at Iredell Museums' Court Street Gallery Monday, January 16, beginning at 10 am.
     The Make a Difference Day community service project will involve cleaning storage areas of the museum, and making minor repairs to the Court Street Building. The project, which includes minor window repairs and the removal of an old air conditioner, will require lay people and skilled laborers alike.
     "Make a Difference Day is the most encompassing national day of helping others. It is a celebration of neighbors helping neighbors. Everyone can participate," says David Meachem, Chair of the Make a Difference Day Committee. In the words of Dr. King, "Everybody can be great because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve, you don't have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. You don't have to know about Plato and Aristotle to serve . . . You don't have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace - a soul generated by love."
     Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. believed that success is measured "by the quality of our service relationship to humanity," says William Jones, Chair of the MLK Celebration Committee. The Celebration Committee promotes the King Holiday as a community service initiative to remember, celebrate, and organize to meet the challenge of Dr. King's philosophy on public service. "There couldn't be a more appropriate opportunity to keep his "Dream" alive than on a national holiday dedicated to honor Dr. King for the issues and causes in which he gave his life," says Jones.
     To volunteer to take part in Make a Difference Day, members of the community are requested to call Iredell Museums at 704.873.4734.

MLK Week features theatrical performance sponsored by Iredell Museums
December 16, 2005

STATESVILLE - As a finale to the week-long celebration of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Iredell Museums will sponsor Theatre IV's theatrical production Songs from the Soul on Wednesday, January 18, at 6:00 PM at Shearer Hall on the Mitchell Community College Campus.
     Written and originally directed by William Dye, acclaimed Director of the Richmond Boys Choir, Songs from the Soul is not only toe-tapping entertainment, it is also a vital history lesson that teaches pride, responsibility and respect.
     "The play is a wonderful ending to our week-long celebration of Realizing the Dream in a Multicultural Community," says William Jones, chair of the Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Committee. "Just as Dr. King's courage changed the world, we will celebrate his legacy with a moving theatrical production which explores the origin of African-American music and its evolution and assimilation into American culture. We invite everyone to attend this free event and to join us in a spirit of unity to conclude our celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King's life."
     Theatre IV's musical anthology demonstrates that today's musical forms, including rap and hip-hop, have deep-seated historical roots. From Blues, Ragtime, Jazz, Swing, R&B, Soul to today's music, Songs from the Soul is a magical historical trip of how the music reflected the times and how the times influenced the heritage of African-American music.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Week opens with children's programs and art exhibit
December 16, 2005

STATESVILLE -As part of its mission to preserve, promote and provide learning experiences in culture, heritage, and the arts, Iredell Museums will offer two exciting programs on January 12 to open the Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Week.
     Children's Storyteller Obakunle Akinlana will perform African stories for grades 6 to 9 from 3:45-4:30 PM and for grades K-5 from 4:45-5:30 PM, on Thursday, January 12, 2005 at Court Street Gallery. Children will have the opportunity to hear African stories amid the unique setting of an art exhibition featuring local African American artists. Space is limited, please call 704.873.4734 for reservations.
     The Diversity of Expression art exhibition will feature the work of African American artists Ruby Marshall of Charlotte, Baxter McFarlin of Winston Salem and Shannon Alexander of Statesville from January 12 through February 24. An opening reception for the artists will be held Thursday, January 12 from 6 to 8 PM African Folk Music will be performed by Obakunle Akinlana. The reception is open to the public, free of charge.
     Both events are funded in part by the N.C. Arts Council's GRASSROOTS ARTS PROGRAM through the Iredell Arts Council.

New executive director joins Iredell Museums
September 1, 2005

STATESVILLE - Theresa Golas began her role as chief executive director of Iredell Museums September 1, 2005.
    Golas, from Ebensburg, Pennsylvania, holds a bachelor's degree in papermaking/weaving, a bachelor's degree in art history from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a master's degree in arts administration from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
    As the gallery manager at Indiana University of Pennsylvania's Kipp Gallery, Golas was responsible for the planning and installation of 21 exhibits. In 2004, Golas relocated to Chicago, where she served as Operations Coordinator for The School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
   She was named the director of finance and administration of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in 1999. As a member of the senior management team, Golas developed and implemented strategies for short and long term organizational goals, including growing endowment funds, cash reserves and facilities funds to provide for sustainability, increased programming and institutional advancement.
   Throughout her career, Golas utilized her fine arts training by working as a visiting artist in various Chicago Public Schools and demonstrated her commitment to arts education by creating and implementing a job training program for at-risk teenagers in Chicago.

McKendree Long painting added to permanent collection
Spring 2005

STATESVILLE - A painting by Statesville native Rev. McKendree Robbins Long (1888-1976) was recently purchased at action for addition to the permanent collection of Iredell Museums. The 30" x 22" piece is titled "The Family Home, Iredell County, North Carolina in the Fall." Long's famous mystery "woman in the red dress," who appears in more than fifty of his works, also appears in the newly acquired piece.

Ethnic Fair for kids vital part of Iredell County education
April 2005

STATESVILLE - "Thanks to the partnership between Iredell-Statesville and Alexander County schools and the Children's Museum [of the newly formed Iredell Museums], the heritage of unique cultures comes alive with dance, sounds and stories," says Dr. Rose Dorton, executive director of middle school curriculum with Iredell-Statesville schools. "We continue to find this experience to be rewarding for the students and teachers. This has been the best year yet."

Court Street Gallery opens
April 2005

STATESVILLE - April 3rd saw the much anticipated opening of Iredell Museums' new art gallery on Court Street in downtown Statesville. An opening reception was held from 2-5. Guests were treated to refreshments and an exciting array of paintings, many of which are for sale.
    The exhibit "Springtime in Statesville" features art from the permanent collection as well as works from guest artists, including Don Moore, founders of the Artists Guild of Statesville and from the collection of Steve Herman.
    The work of Randy Ourtz, guest speaker at Art in Bloom, was featured on Sunday and will be available for purchase at the April 7th annual Art in Bloom event at the Civic Center. "Springtime in Statesville" will be exhibited at the Court Street gallery until May 30th.

Merged museums get surprise gift
Spring 2005

STATESVILLE - The newly merged Iredell Museum of Arts & Heritage and Children's Museum of Iredell County recently received a surprise gift of $30,000 at a reception for local legislators and elected officials

Museum votes in favor of merger
September 2004

STATESVILLE - By a margin of better than 2 to 1, members of the Iredell Museum of Arts & Heritage voted Tuesday to support a merger with the Children’s Museum of Iredell County.

Read the full story in the September 14, 2004 Statesville Record & Landmark.

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