A Short History of the Cultural Arts League

Soon after the Center for Cultural Arts opened in 1990, it became clear that volunteers were needed to help the staff fulfill the dream of creating more than just a building in which art is shown and lessons are taught. 

Receptions have to be given for exhibit openings.  Docents have to be coordinated for the children's museum.  Each year, funds have to be raised to keep the doors open.  The Center became a victim of its own success as the community quickly came to expect more and more. 

In 1996, the Cultural Arts League was formed to help the Center reach the community's ideals. Today, the League has become the Center¹s most active group of volunteers, sponsoring fundraisers, hosting receptions, serving as docents and much more.

As League members, we all work on many different types of projects:

Cultural Enrichment (docents/tour guides)
Fundraising/Auction
Membership
Cookbook
Hospitality (receptions and exhibit openings)

Meetings are held at the Center for Cultural Arts on the second Tuesday of each month. Meeting time may vary to accommodate as many members as possible.

If you are not familiar with the Cultural Arts League, read through the following questions and answers. You¹ll see that the League is an opportunity to join an enthusiastic group of volunteers while contributing to your community and involving yourself with the Arts.

Who can join? Membership is open to anyone interested in the well-being of the Center for Cultural Arts. Each League member is encouraged to be a Center member and pay annual League dues of $10. League membership is made up of community-active people of all ages who share a common interest in the Arts. What is the purpose of the Cultural Arts League? The purpose of the League is to support the Center for Cultural Arts by holding fundraisers, encouraging others to join the Center, serving as official hostesses for the Center and providing cultural enrichment.

What types of projects does the organization sponsor? Each year, the League hosts numerous exhibit openings held in honor of the artists. They sponsor fundraisers such as the annual auction, and participate in other projects like decorating the Center for Christmas and sponsoring a chair in the Etowah Youth Symphony Orchestra. Now that Center Pieces, A Cookbook from the Cultural Arts League is available, members are busy marketing the book in Gadsden and beyond.

How much time is required? There are no specific requirements. Meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month. Special functions and projectstake place throughout the year about once or twice a month. In order to earn Center membership through the League, you must volunteer 10 hours during the first six months of the year. But as with any organization, the more you are involved, the more you will gain from your membership.

Must I join right now? If you are not presently a member and would like to join us at a monthly meeting before making a commitment, we would welcome you!

Do you have your Cultural Arts League Cookbook?

This 224-page cookbook entitled Center Pieces includes more than 250 recipes tested and chosen from more than 600 submitted by some of Northeast Alabama’s finest cooks.
Chapters include breakfast and brunch, appetizers, salads, soups and sandwiches, entrees, vegetables, sides, breads and desserts.
Center Pieces is available for $20.50 plus tax at the Center for Cultural Arts. Get your copy today!!!!