what is kentuck?
the short answer:
kentuck is a heaven of a place.
the (slightly) longer answer:
Kentuck Art Center and Festival is a hub for arts and culture with locations in both Northport and Tuscaloosa, Alabama. With 54 years of expertise, Kentuck enriches the lives of people from many different backgrounds, both locally and across the country.
kentuck's mission:
kentuck's mission is to perpetuate the arts, engage the community, and empower the artist.
what does kentuck do?
Kentuck Art Center offers year-round programs to support the arts, connect with the community, and help artists grow. Through a mix of free and paid activities like Art Nights, Boxes of Joy, and the Kentuck Festival of the Arts, we strive to make art accessible to everyone. When you support Kentuck, you play a key role in building and sustaining a vibrant arts community that enriches the cultural fabric of West Alabama. Scroll down to learn more about Kentuck’s programs and new initiatives.
program highlights
the festival
The Kentuck Festival of the Arts started in 1971 to celebrate Northport’s centennial and Southern folkways. It has since grown into a well-known art festival that attracts over 15,000 visitors and has a $5.5 million impact on the local economy.
This 2-day event features:
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270+ folk and contemporary artists
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live music
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spoken word performances
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kids' activities like tie dye, clay, drawing, paper marbling, and Chinese calligraphy
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craft demonstrations
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food trucks
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local craft beer
The Kentuck Festival is a renowned art festival recognized both locally and nationally as one of the best in the country:
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Named a top ten event to attend by the Alabama Department of Tourism
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Voted “Best of Bama” by Alabama Magazine in 2018 and 2024
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Featured in popular magazines like Smithsonian, Southern Living, and National Geographic Traveler
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Ranked 5th in the nation for classic and contemporary craft shows in 2018 by Sunshine Artist Magazine
The 54th Kentuck Festival of the Arts will be held October 11-12, 2025 at Snow Hinton Park in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. VIP Packages and Corporate Partnerships are available.
exhibitions, art nights, and art markets
Kentuck Art Center has 3 galleries on our main campus in Historic Downtown Northport, and one satellite gallery at Hotel Indigo Tuscaloosa. Check the exhibitions page to see what's on view today.
503 Main Avenue, Northport
Open 7 days a week, free admission
1922 5th Street, Northport
*Open by appointment Monday-Friday 9:30am-5:00pm; Open to the public 5-8pm during Art Nights, free admission
SoNo Gallery - Houses Kentuck's Permanent Collection and special exhibitions
1922 5th Street, Northport
*Open by appointment Monday-Friday 9:30am-5:00pm; Open to the public 5-8pm during Art Nights, free admission
Kentuck's Gallery at Hotel Indigo - an extension of Kentuck's Gallery Shop
111 Greensboro Avenue, Tuscaloosa
Open 7 days a week, free admission
Art Night is our monthly open house event celebrating art, community, and artists. These events are held the first Thursday each month from 5-8pm at Kentuck Art Center. Art Night is always free to attend and family-friendly.
You can expect:
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Exhibition opening receptions
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Artists demonstrating their process
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Educational artist talks
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Live music
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Hands-on activities for kids
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Cob oven pizza
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Open artist studios
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Bonus Activity: Kentuck's Clay Studio Drop-In Hours (5-8pm): For $20, create your next masterpiece with 2lbs of clay and glazes! We'll fire your art in the kiln the next day, and you pick it up at a later date.
Kentuck's Art Markets are monthly events where the community is encouraged to connect with local artists. Families can enjoy craft activities, play on a drum cart, and purchase local art. These events are held the third Saturday each month (locations vary) and are always free to attend. Check this page for details about this month's Art Market location.
make and learn: workshops and educational outreach
workshops
From Kids' Camps and After School Classes to Stained Glass and Wheel Throwing—Kentuck Art Center is proud to host educational art workshops for all ages. Each Saturday, you can join us for a la cARTe, which is a self-guided opportunity to create with acrylics, monotypes, collage, or drawing.
boxes of joy
Kentuck's Boxes of Joy provides art supply kits and additional arts instruction to youth in underserved communities in Tuscaloosa and Northport. Kentuck partners with several schools and organizations, including Northport Housing Authority, Tuscaloosa One Place Extended Day Program at Matthews Elementary, Benjamin Barnes YMCA, and Martin Luther King Jr Elementary to bring art supply kits to 200 children, ages 5-12. In addition to the craft kits, artists lead in-person activities that provide an opportunity for children to express themselves in a healthy, safe, positive way. Due to federal funding cuts, this program is paused until further notice. Learn more>
kentuck + benjamin barnes ymca
Kentuck partners with the Benjamin Barnes YMCA throughout the year to bring art supplies and art instruction to children participating in the day camp program at the Benjamin Barnes YMCA in Tuscaloosa's West End Community. This partnership, sponsored by University Lutheran Church, enables Kentuck to deliver more art opportunities that meet the needs of clients where they are, a crucial goal in Kentuck's strategic vision for growth.
field trips & group tours
Throughout the year, Kentuck welcomes groups of all ages to our campus. During these visits, groups have the opportunity to tour our 3 art galleries with a diverse collection of local, regional, and national art. After seeing the galleries, visitors participate in a guided artmaking activity that allows them to express creativity and imagination.
our campus - find us by the red dog
Kentuck's campus consists of five repurposed buildings and is home to eight artists' studios, three gallery spaces, three classroom spaces, Kentuck's Permanent Collection, the Courtyard of Wonders, and the Gallery Shop.
museum building:
Kentuck's main building is over 100 years old (built 1815) and has undergone a community-funded $1.2 million renovation to make the building inhabitable. Located on the corner of Fifth Street and Main Avenue, this is now home to our offices, a rotating exhibition space, and The Gallery Shop.
red dog building:
While this isn't Kentuck's main building, it certainly is the most eye-catching one on our campus and is home to one of our studio artists. Rusty, by artist Larry Godwin, has become an iconic symbol for Kentuck and a favorite landmark in Downtown Northport.
georgine clarke building:
Once a vaccum cleaner repair shop and Northport's Post Office, this building now bears the name of Kentuck's beloved founder, Georgine Clarke. The Clarke Building houses the Teer Gallery, five artists' studios, and the SoNo Gallery. The SoNo Gallery holds Kentuck's Permanent Collection and serves as a multipurpose classroom and meeting space.
artists' studios:
On any given day in Kentuck’s Courtyard of Wonders you can watch a ceramic bowl emerge from a lump of clay, a folk artist at work, or a weathervane grow from hammered metal in our blacksmith’s forge. Kentuck Art Center rents nine studio spaces to local, full‑time artists for below market value to help them make a living doing what they love.
click to enlarge campus map
tree mosaic by linda muñoz and rhys greene:
This large mosaic mural is located on the side of our Museum Building and includes so many different elements, we can't list them all! If you look closely, you'll see all sorts of colors, shapes, and textures comprised of pieces of glass, ceramics, bottles, and jewelry. If you look long enough, you'll be able to see mini pieces of art from several Kentuck artists we know and love. This mosaic has become a popular photo spot!
Can you spot one of Glenn House's famous faces? (hint: look under the tree. Click photo to enlarge).
kentuck museum association is a proud member of
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