By JOSHUA HINTON, Senior Reporter
In the mundane red and tan buildings of downtown Alva, one long green awning breaks the cycle. Underneath sits the Graceful Arts Center.
Inside the Graceful Art Center is Emma Cline, the organization’s social media manager, who is in her fourth year working for the center.
The center is trying to bring art and culture along with art education to the Alva community, Cline said.
“We offer a chance for people to experience art for free by coming into the gallery at no cost,” she said.
Cline oversees the Arts in School program, which brings local elementary school students to the center to get art education.
“That program has really grown, and I think that the schools really appreciate that,” Cline said. “It is a big part of what we are doing, and it’s totally free for them.”
Over the summer, the center conducts two art camps: one for kindergarten through sixth grade students, and another for middle schoolers.
The center is also looking to add a camp for high schoolers this summer.
“The camp is usually three days long for the younger kids,” Cline said. “We haven’t nailed down the dates for this year yet. In the past, we have had up to 40 kids per camp.”
The center brings in artists to teach adult lessons and tries to get exhibiting artists to teach workshops based on the artist’s style.
David Holland, the current exhibiting artist, is one of several artists who has hosted the workshops, which are attended by local residents.
“David Holland just did a workshop a couple of weeks ago, and that went over really well,” Cline said.
The center brings in new exhibits every month, with photo realism and western style art seeming to go over well in Alva, Cline said.
“I think my favorite exhibit is the Native American exhibit we do every September,” she said.