Local Highlight: Spring Hill Arts Center

by The Alliance //
The SHAC street sign is just the sign on Main Street, guiding the community to our gallery.
The Spring Hill Art Center’s sign on Main Street, guiding the community to the gallery.

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards’ national office in New York City is dedicated to growing and supporting our Affiliate Partners across the country. Our Affiliate Partners are doing great work in their communities, and we love hearing about their outreach efforts, their students, and their programs. This month, we shine the spotlight on the Spring Hill Art Center, which manages the Natchez Trace Art Region and the Natchez Trace Writing Region of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Here’s what the Spring Hill Art Center had to say about Awards activity in their region:

The Spring Hill Arts Center (SHAC) is very excited for their first year as an Affiliate Partner for the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. SHAC manages the Natchez Trace Arts Region and the Natchez Trace Writing Region which cover Maury County in Tennessee. All students in grades 7–12 are welcome to submit their work. Drs. Daniel and Tanya Scherr, both college professors, will be the committee co-chairs for this year’s program. It is SHAC’s hope to extend this program into other connecting counties in future years.

Some of SHAC's Teen Volunteers in SHAC's art gallery, named after two of their founding members, Charles and Lunella Snoek.
Some of SHAC’s Teen Volunteers in SHAC’s art gallery, named after two of their founding members, Charles and Lunella Snoek.

 

SHAC is celebrating its 20th year serving the city of Spring Hill and other nearby communities. Our vision is to ensure that Spring Hill, TN has a vibrant, vital arts environment. Our Mission is to foster awareness, appreciation, and development of the literary, visual, and performing arts in our community. SHAC is a 100% volunteer 501(c)3 organization, guided by a strong and dedicated Board of Directors.

Artist Bob Jones on Oct. 10 donated the first commissioned art piece to the City of Spring Hill as part of the new Artist in Residence program. Pictured: Spring Hill City Administrator Victor Lay, Rippavilla Board of Directors Chairman Corrine Tomlinson, Rippavilla Board Member Greg Bearden, SHAC Board member and Artist Bob Jones, Mayor Rick Graham, Rippavilla Director of Operations Kate Wilson, and SHAC Board President Dr. Tanya M. Scherr.
Artist Bob Jones donated the first commissioned art piece to the City of Spring Hill as part of the new Artist in Residence program. Pictured: Spring Hill City Administrator Victor Lay, Rippavilla Board of Directors Chairman Corrine Tomlinson, Rippavilla Board Member Greg Bearden, SHAC Board member and Artist Bob Jones, Mayor Rick Graham, Rippavilla Director of Operations Kate Wilson, and SHAC Board President Dr. Tanya M. Scherr.

SHAC is responsible for bringing the city’s annual art walk to fruition, and also recently created Spring Hill’s first Artist in Residence program, where local artists can display their art work in the historical Rippavilla Plantation Mansion.

 

Participants in SHAC's Thriller Flash Mob.
Participants in SHAC’s Thriller Flash Mob.

In addition to these two items, SHAC also has a writer’s group that meets several times a month and a teen volunteer group that completes service projects on a monthly basis. They just wrapped up a community effort where SHAC executed multiple Thriller Dance Flash mobs in the month of October in several venues across town and also hosted an Annual Recycled Arts Contest at the city’s Earth Day event. Most recently, SHAC was commissioned to create a unique interactive, participatory piece of art for the annual Mayor’s Ball for the City of Spring Hill. Their artists created their version of Starry Night, calling it Starry Spring Hill, incorporating local historical property and businesses into a stunning mural to remain on display in the city.

Members of SHAC's writers group.
Members of SHAC’s writer’s group.

“Our goal is to integrate the arts into the community, creating and supporting programs and events which reach all different age groups,” says SHAC’s Board President, Dr. Tanya Scherr. “Our Board of Directors unanimously feels that becoming a Scholastic Awards Affiliate Partner aligns perfectly with our mission, and allows us to support artistic creativity in the up and coming generation of artists in our community.”

SHAC is actively working to secure sponsors for the event and is accepting applications for jurors. Please see the SHAC website for more information.

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are proud to work with organizations like the Spring Hill Art Center to help talented students receive recognition for their creative efforts. By partnering together, the Spring Hill Art Center and the Scholastic Awards give our youth the support they need to become lasting members of their art and writing communities.