Alabama

Alabama Contemporary Art Center set to take art to streets during renovation

Published

2 years ago

June 21, 2024

Alabama Contemporary Art Center set to take art to streets during renovation

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) – The Alabama Contemporary Art Center in downtown Mobile is set to undergo a major renovation come the end of the year. While it’s forcing them to temporarily close their doors — it’s also testing their adaptability — as they prepare to take the art to the streets — not just here in the Port City — but around the state.

As the only contemporary art museum in the state — the Alabama Contemporary Art Center is full of imagination come to life.

“For us — art is how you not only build your cultural and community identity — but how you drive it for,” said Elizabet Elliott, Alabama Contemporary Art Center Executive Director.

The center (at 301 Conti Street) is set to undergo a major renovation — along with the building its connected to at 304 Government Street. The multi-million dollar job is expected to take years. While the non-profit museum will have to close during the renovations — don’t expect the art to stop.

“So a lot of museums who go through a renovation or redevelopment will sort of just sit on their hands and minimize programming and wait — and that just didn’t feel right to us,” said Elliott.

Elliott explains over the last six months they’ve been coming up with a new “transient model” — taking the one of a kind exhibitions to partner sites. Look for the art to pop up in vacant restaurants and warehouses — and even derelict buildings.

“What we found on projects like this is that it expands the whole community’s imagination — it helps transform a space that we might be embarrassed about as a community because of blight or neglect into something where new things are possible and it re-energizes development and community energy,” said Elliott.

Calling it the “Wild West of Curating” — this moving feast of art and culture will expand their reach to university, museum, and art partners around the state. Stakeholders say they’re excited about this untraditional plan and new exposure.

“The vision is representative within the context of the mission and vision as a spirit thing that’s come to life that still maintains a close hold on that mission and vision but represents an opportunity to take it to other communities with energy and vibrancy,” said Dr. Raoul Richardson.

They’re planning on three years of construction — but preparing for up to five years. The museum is set to close November 1st — and they’ll launch new program with first major exhibition in January 2025.

The big take away here is they’ve realized they’re mission to bring art and culture to the community is not defined by the space they occupy. To receive updates you can follow them on social media and sign up for their newsletter.

Original News Release:

Alabama Contemporary is embarking on an ambitious redevelopment project that will ultimately make the contemporary art museum more sustainable, increase impact and generate more equitable opportunities for artists across the state of Alabama. Over the last 3 years ACAC has been working with Farris Properties to collaborate on a development plan that leverages and builds on ACAC’s organizational success to even greater impact for the City of Mobile. Although the full scale and details of the development are not yet public, this will include a major renovation to build out the long unoccupied 304 Government Street, as well as upgrade key spaces within the contemporary art museum at 301 Conti Street. In order to facilitate this plan, ACAC will move our programming out of the building.

In 2025 we are shifting into a transient model – taking exhibitions and activations directly to different partner sites and underserved areas in our city and statewide. As the only Contemporary Art Museum in the State, the program plan (linked below) will fulfill its mission through an exhibition and program schedule that bolsters the work of fellow art museums and organizations across Alabama, and creates new artist opportunities in parts of the community that are underserved.

Alabama Contemporary Executive Director, Elizabet Elliott states:

The most powerful thing we do as a museum is to support creative practice directly, and facilitate new work that drives Alabama’s cultural identity forward. By partnering with other organizations, big and small, we can leverage what we are best at – seeding growth in the creative economy, being good stewards of risk, and creating healthy spaces for dialogue – to extend and build on the mission of partner organizations.

Current partners include major museums and local community centers alike, with programming in 2025 to hit the Wiregrass Museum of Art in Dothan, The International Art Center’s Huo Bao Zhu Gallery at Troy University, The Wallace Center for Art and Reconciliation in Harpersville, The Paul R. Jones Museum at University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, and Coleman Center for the Arts in York, AL. Each year will bring new institutional partners on board over the next 3 years, in tandem with the critical work of refining a Museum space built to support the front line of contemporary practice.

In Mobile, ACAC will be a moveable feast that occupies multiple sites, both traditional and non-traditional through partnerships with the Mobile Museum of Art, Mobile Arts Council, Historic Avenue Cultural Center, and many more. Additionally visitors can look for projects that occupy derelict buildings, vacant restaurants, living rooms, and bars throughout the city.

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Alabama

New Alabama law to set screen time limits for kids in day care, pre-K and kindergarten

Published

56 minutes ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

New Alabama law to set screen time limits for kids in day care, pre-K and kindergarten

The Healthy Early Development and Screen Time Act was signed on Wednesday, March 4, by Governor Kay Ivey to introduce limits on children’s screen time access in Alabama.

The Act is one of Ivey’s 2026 legislative priorities.

“Video screen access in classrooms can boost learning skills among our young children, but too much screen exposure can also be detrimental, harming critical social and cognitive development,” Ivey said. “The Healthy Early Development and Screen Time Act ensures our youngest students are provided a healthy balance of screen time and traditional learning in order to protect social and emotional development.”

Under the Healthy Early Development and Screen Time Act, the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education will be required to work with the Department of Human Resources and the State Department of Education to develop guidelines for screen-based media.

Guidelines will be implemented in early childhood education programs like day care centers, day care homes, night care facilities, pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and group day care homes. The Act was sponsored by Representative Jeana Ross and Senator Donnie Chesteen.

“House Bill 78 establishes clear, research-based expectations for how technology is used in early childhood settings,” said Ross. “The goal is not to eliminate technology, but to ensure its use is developmentally appropriate and never replaces the hands-on learning and human interaction young children need most. By setting thoughtful guardrails and aligning classroom practices with the best available research on early brain development, this legislation supports educators, protects the quality of early learning and reinforces our commitment to giving Alabama’s youngest students the strongest possible start.”

A training program will also be created by the Department of Early Childhood Education to create a baseline for the appropriate use of child screentime for teachers and staff members supervising children.

“The Healthy Early Development and Screen Time Act represents another important step in ensuring Alabama’s youngest children grow and learn in environments that prioritize human interaction, exploration and healthy development,” said Chesteen. “Building on the progress made with last year’s FOCUS Act, this legislation continues our commitment to protecting the most formative years of childhood. I am grateful to Governor Kay Ivey and my colleagues in the Legislature for recognizing the importance of this issue and working together to support Alabama families.”

The Healthy Early Development and Screen Time Act will become effective on January 1, 2027.

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Alabama

Alabama NAACP Releases 2026 Selma Jubilee Weekend Schedule

Published

13 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Alabama NAACP Releases 2026 Selma Jubilee Weekend Schedule

The Alabama State Conference of the NAACP has announced its official schedule for the 2026 NAACP-sponsored Selma Jubilee Bridge Crossing Weekend, set for March 6–8 in Montgomery and Selma.

Held under the theme “A Time for Standing,” the annual commemoration honors the Foot Soldiers of the 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery marches and recognizes the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., John Lewis and Rev. Jesse Jackson for their roles in advancing civil rights and voting access.

The three-day event will bring together national, state and local leaders, along with youth and college chapters, faith partners and community members for activities focused on reflection, education and civic engagement.

Scheduled events include a civic discussion titled “The New Civic Path” on March 6 at the Montgomery Interpretive Center at Alabama State University, followed by a Jubilee Gala that evening at Embassy Suites in Montgomery. On March 7, the Birmingham Metro Branch will host a bus trip to Selma, while a statewide civic engagement training will take place in Montgomery.

SEE ALSO: Bridge Crossing Jubilee to honor Rev. Jesse Jackson’s legacy in Selma
SEE ALSO: 16th Street Baptist Church: Keeping a Legacy Alive 63 Years Later

On March 8, participants will take part in the Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee Parade, voter activation efforts, worship services at Brown Chapel AME Church and Tabernacle Baptist Church, and the traditional bridge crossing at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

Organizers say the weekend will emphasize continued civic participation and community engagement across Alabama.

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March 6 — Alabama NAACP Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee Gala 5:30PM Embassy Suites by Hilton, 300 Tallapoosa St, Montgomery, AL 36104

March 7 — NAACP Birmingham Metro Branch Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee Bus Trip 8AM–5PM Broad Street and Water Avenue in Selma Alabama

March 7 — Alabama State NAACP Statewide Civic Engagement Training 8–4:15PM Homewood Suites, 7800 EastChase Pkwy, Montgomery, AL 36117

March 8 — Alabama State NAACP in the Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee Parade 8AM–10AM Begins at 1722 Broad St and concludes at the National Voting Rights Museum

March 8 — Alabama NAACP Statewide Bridge Crossing Jubilee Bus Trip 8AM–5PM Alabama State University, Untenese and Mobile Branch and University of Alabama, Oakwood University, Broad Street and Water Avenue, Selma

March 8 — Alabama NAACP Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee Participation in Worship Services 10AM–2PM Brown Chapel AME Church and Tabernacle Baptist Church, Selma

March 8 — Alabama NAACP Youth and College Civic Engagement Voter Activation 8AM–2PM Broad Street and Water Ave, Selma

March 8 — Alabama NAACP Statewide Bridge Crossing 11:15PM – Line up Alabama NAACP Tent on Waters Ave or at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge, Selma

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Alabama

3 Alabama players who helped their draft stock at 2026 NFL combine

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

3 Alabama players who helped their draft stock at 2026 NFL combine

Each player had a pivotal role on the Crimson Tide in 2025.

Alabama had a multitude of former players who performed at an elite level at the NFL combine this past weekend.

Former Alabama star quarterback Ty Simpson was among those who put his talents on full display in Indianapolis, as Simpson continues to emerge as a top quarterback prospect available in April’s draft.

Numerous Crimson Tide stars on both sides of the football were able to have an excellent showing at the combine as well, with each playmaker a vital component to the Tide’s success in 2025.

Here are three Alabama players who helped their draft stock rise at the NFL combine.

Ty Simpson, Quarterback

Simpson is widely regarded as the best quarterback prospect available outside of Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza. The talented redshirt junior put on an absolute show at the NFL combine, as Simpson delivered multiple perfect throws and put his talents on full display throughout Saturday’s events.

The former Alabama star is a candidate to potentially shine day one in his campaign in the NFL, as Simpson’s draft stock continues to rise prior to April.

Jam Miller, Running Back

Miller is an extremely fast and athletic running back, despite struggling in the Tide’s backfield last season. The star running back recorded an impressive 4.43u 40-yard dash time, as Miller could very easily shine in the NFL next season with consistent playing time.

Miller was nothing short of elite throughout his entire performance at the combine in Indianapolis, as the former Tide running back continues to rise in a multitude of draft rankings around the football world.

Kadyn Proctor, Offensive Tackle

Proctor played a crucial role on Alabama’s offensive line last season. The star lineman reportedly slimmed down prior to the NFL combine, as Proctor displayed elite speed and athleticism throughout Sunday’s combine in Indianapolis.

Proctor is widely expected to be a mid-to-late first round selection in April, as the talented lineman’s efforts during the combine could quickly begin to work in Proctor’s favor during next month’s draft.

The 2026 NFL draft will take place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania starting on April 23, as each Crimson Tide star will look to shine throughout their rookie campaign in the NFL.

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