Arts Fell on Alabama

The Freedom Quilting Bee Legacy: Home is Where the Quilts Are

Sheila Smith, treasurer of the Freedom Quilting Bee Legacy, reflects on a childhood growing up among quilts and quilters in Wilcox County, AL. This episode was first produced by Deb Boykin and intern Ren Carroll in 2023.

Ardith Goodwin: The Land of Ardithian

Mobile-based artist and writer Ardith Goodwin takes on us a fantastical journey to Mardi Bay and the City of Elibom, and explains how her decade-long painting project turned into a middle-grade fantasy series. 

Courtney Bennett: The Pendleton Hydrant Trail

Courtney Bennett, director of Main Street Montevallo, explains how the city uses art--and fire hydrants--to empower citizens to make a mark on their community.

Tyler Jones: Helping a Place Tell Its Story

Tyler Jones, director of the Birmingham-based narrative studio 1504, describes the creative process behind a new, collaborative installation of artist Joe Minter's work in Titusville.

Elvie Schooley: One With the Beat of the DRUM

Elvie Schooley, executive director of DRUM, The Program, shares how she teaches healthy communication and decision-making to kids and adults through West African cultural arts.

Charlotte Pence: Mobile's Inaugural Poet Laureate

Dr. Charlotte Pence, the city of Mobile's inaugural poet laureate, shows us what is possible with a piece of paper, a pencil, and paying attention to what's happening in your own backyard.

Salaam Green: Birmingham's Inaugural Poet Laureate (extended version)

The city of Birmingham's inaugural poet laureate, Salaam Green, recites her mayoral proclamation poem, "What Must We Do 'Birmingham'." 

Salaam Green: Birmingham's Inaugural Poet Laureate

The city of Birmingham's inaugural poet laureate, Salaam Green, reads an excerpt of her mayoral proclamation poem, "What Must We Do 'Birmingham'." 

Diane Hall: A Career in Stitches

Lifelong seamstress Diane Hall shares how the sewing skills she learned growing up formed the foundation for a fulfilling and creative career as a seamstress for the Florence, AL-based sustainable fashion brand, Alabama Chanin.
Katie Kooper interviewed Diane in 2021 as part of Project Threadways' initiative to document the rich textile industry history of northwest Alabama.

Miki Jinno: Blooming in Birmingham

Ikebana artist Miki Jinno explains the meditative art of traditional Japanese flower arranging and how getting to know Alabama's flowers helped her start to feel at home in a new place.

Zanice Bond: Patching Together Life After Loss

Dr. Zanice Bond, associate professor of English at Tuskegee University, describes how her family has made use of "memory quilts" to honor and remember loved ones who have died.

Firehouse Community Arts: Singing a New Song

Taylor Cunningham, a music student at Birmingham's Firehouse Community Arts Center, shares how learning to rock out with new friends taught him how to play instruments and find his own voice.