Cultural Activities Center | CAC

You're invited to Play in the Clay tonight with Kicheko Sykes at 6:30 PM! Learn the basics of handbuilding while having fun. The class includes clay, kiln firings, and glaze, all for $35. BYOB

Creativity is in full bloom this summer at the Cultural Activities Center! From live music and hands-on art workshops to family-friendly events, science adventures, and inspiring community exhibits. There’s something for everyone at the CAC. ✨ EVENTS: Play in the Clay with Kicheko Sykes – This Friday! May 15 | 6:30 PM | $35 Texas Music Series featuring Kelly Willis May 22 | 7:30 PM | $55 Monet Master Study with Spencer Welch June 3 | more details to come Splash into Summer – on June 6th - join us for a day of family fun! Mad Science Workshop | 3 PM – 5 PM | $55 Dinner & Concert | 6 PM | $35 The Peterson Brothers | 6:30 PM | $10 Kids Art Contest Registration is OPEN •July–August 2026 Art Exhibition •Submission Deadline: June 15 at 4 PM •Artwork Drop-Off: June 24–25 •Artwork Pick-Up: August 20–21 Central Texas Film Society of the CAC Presents: Wicked Sing-Along Double Feature July 25 | 1 PM & 4 PM Enjoy a magical day with concessions, themed fun, and Wicked-inspired experiments from 12 PM – 2 PM before the sing-along begins. Art is everywhere this summer at the CAC. Come be a part of the creativity! To learn more, purchase tickets and register for camp visit our website: / @discovertemple

As part of the Art is Everywhere: HEALING chapter, we are excited to highlight Betsi Chamlee's solo exhibition in the McCreary Gallery and warmly invite you to join us tonight. Healing is both an art and a journey, found in connection, creativity, reflection, and the spaces that help us feel restored. Artist Statement CAC exhibit May 8, 2026 | 5PM - 7PM The Chamlee family were founding members of the Cultural Activities Center in 1959. Literally, I have been involved in this Center since I was two years old. I have shown many pieces of art of my own and my students for more than thirty years; I have never had the honor of my own show in one gallery. I was especially honored to show in the McCreary Gallery as I knew Mr. and Mrs. McCreary, their child, Raye Virginia Allen (co-founder of the CAC) and went to school with and am still close friends with their grandchildren. Raye claimed we have six generations of friendship in Central Texas. Truly, a family affair. Performing and Visual Arts Director, Kandace Harris, told me the theme of these current exhibits is Healing. I have always believed in and taught the healing power of Art whether it is visual, performance and/or written. Creating Art teaches choice in a typically safe environment. Art provides an outlet for expression in a way that doesn’t have the usual boundaries of our society. Artist Heal Thyself is the title of this exhibit, and also, would be a good epitaph for me. As I’ve told many students … Be Safe, Be Smart. Keep Art in your Heart. Maybe that is my epitaph :) Betsi Chamlee

FRIDAY NIGHT at the Cultural Activities Center! Explore the vibrant creativity and culture of our region during our Open Exhibition. May 8th | 5–7 PM | Free to the public Saulsbury Gallery: The Wild Southwest View works by Susan L. Sistrunk-Dungan, Doreen Plott, and Mary Hanna, with art ranging from ceramics to metal detailing. Enjoy a live classical guitar performance by Frank Exum, enriching your gallery experience. Howard Gallery: Bell Fine Art Association Discover works by accomplished local artists, including Debbie Pope, Nancy McGowan, Kendra Shafer, Jeanne Logsdon, Pamela Kanaby, Albert Waite, Sheron Driessner, and Karen Cringle. Highlights include connecting with artists and celebrating our community’s creativity through art and live performance. Mark your calendar and join us for a memorable evening!

Celebrating a Win for the Arts in Central Texas! The Cultural Activities Center is proud to celebrate the incredible achievement of the Chisholm Trail Chorus, Central Texas’s premier women’s a cappella group. At a recent regional competition in Houston, this talented ensemble earned: • First Place Division A • Third Place Overall • Most Improved Chorus • Merit Certificate for Community Performances This recognition reflects their dedication to musical excellence and their impact across our region. Founded in Temple in 1982 and directed by Carol Scherer, the Chisholm Trail Chorus brings jazz vocals, choreographed pop, and award-winning four-part harmony to audiences throughout Central Texas. As part of Sweet Adelines International, they are connected to a global network of more than 21,000 women committed to the art of a cappella singing. Interested in joining? All women who love to sing are invited to attend a Thursday night rehearsal right here at the CAC. Auditions are ongoing throughout the year. Learn more:

Get Your Hands in the Clay at the CAC! From beginner basics to advanced techniques, our upcoming ceramics and pottery classes offer something for every skill level. Whether you are just starting out or ready to refine your craft, now is the time to create. Featured Classes Advanced Ceramics with Paul Grimm Starts May 7 | Thursdays | 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM For experienced students ready to expand their wheel-throwing and slab-building skills $125 Beginning Clay with Amy Starts May 9 | Saturdays | 12 PM – 2 PM Learn the fundamentals of clay, including wheel throwing, trimming, and glazing 5-week session | Materials and firings included $145 Pottery with Durinda: Handbuilding Starts May 12 | Tuesdays | 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM Create functional and decorative pieces using handbuilding techniques Beginner to intermediate | 5-week session $155 Pottery with Paul: Wheel Starts May 12 | Tuesdays | 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM Develop your skills on the wheel with guided instruction Beginner to intermediate | 5-week session $155 Play in the Clay May 15 | 6:30 PM A relaxed, one-night class to explore handbuilding Includes clay, glaze, and kiln firing $35 Spots are limited and classes fill quickly. Reserve your seat today: /classes/ #culturalactivitiescenter #templetx #ceramics

Art is Everywhere: HEALING. Healing is both an art and a journey. It can be found in movement, connection, creativity, reflection, and the spaces that help us feel restored. Art is Healing explores the many ways wellness touches our lives - through self-care, community, inspiration, and experiences that nurture both body and mind. This May and June, join us as we celebrate the transformative power of healing through art, wellness, and meaningful connection. May – June | Art is Healing Exploring wellness, restoration, and the connection between creativity and well-being. • May 8 – Gallery Opening featuring painting, photographic, and ceramic artistry Saulsbury Gallery: The Wild Southwest Howard Gallery: Bell Fine Art Association Carabasi Gallery: Community Treasures Visual Arts Exhibit • June 20 – Temple Women’s Wellness Expo: The Art of WellBEing Featured Speakers: Dr. Patsy Sulak, MD & Dr. Ariane Secrest Mindful Journey with: Sara Boggan Dodd, Kandice Harris, Tammy Hebert, Anna Morris, Jazmine Sheard Contributing Sponsors: Ciaburri Brand, Dillard’s, Draughon-Miller Central Texas Regional Airport, Garcia Architects, H-E-B Tournament of Champions Charitable Trust, Lancôme, 6 News KCEN TV, Meta, Michelle Clemens, Rowan, Temple Chamber of Commerce #artiseverywhere #culturalactivitiescenter #templetx

MARK YOUR CALENDAR! Weekends at the CAC are about to get really good. From ballet and live music to hands-on art, science workshops, and wellness experiences, there’s something happening every weekend you won’t want to miss. Here’s what’s coming up: 🟠 Once Upon A Ballet • May 1–2, 2026 • Friday 7:00 PM | Saturday 12:30 PM & 7:00 PM • $20 Presented by Classical Ballet Conservatory at Lisa’s Dance Connection (Tickets are almost sold out) 🟠 Exhibit Opening Reception • May 8, 2026 • 5:00–7:00 PM • Free to the public • Saulsbury Gallery: The Wild Southwest • Howard Gallery: Bell Fine Art Association • Carabasi Gallery: Community Treasures Visual Arts Exhibit 🟠 Beginning Clay with Amy • Starts Saturday, May 9, 2026 • Saturdays | 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM • $145 Learn the basics of slab work, wheel throwing, trimming, and glazing. 🟠 Play in the Clay Day • May 15 | 6:00–8:00 PM | $35 Get your hands in the clay and create a pinch pot, coil piece, or something uniquely yours. Includes clay, glazing, and firing. 🟠 Texas Music Series: Kelly Willis • Friday, May 22, 2026 • 7:30 PM • $50 Presented by the Cultural Activities Center 🟠 Mad Science Workshop: Splash into Summer • Friday, June 5, 2026 • 3:00–5:00 PM • $55 per student • Ages up to 14 🟠 Splash into Summer Concert: Peterson Brothers Band • Friday, June 5, 2026 • 6:00 PM • Concert Only: $10 • Dinner + Concert: $35 (single) | $25 (group) 🟠 Annie, Kids • June 11–12, 2026 • Thursday 7:00 PM | Friday 2:00 PM & 7:00 PM • $15 adult / $10 student Presented by The Académie Musique of Central Texas 🟠 Temple Women’s Wellness Expo – The Art of WellBEing • Saturday, June 20, 2026 • Free ticketed event • Featuring Dr. Patsy Sulak & Dr. Ariane Secrest 🟠 The Jungle Book, Kids • June 27, 2026 • Saturday 2:00 PM & 7:00 PM • $15 adult / $10 student Presented by The Académie Musique of Central Texas Reserve your tickets today and experience every weekend event at the CAC! 🎟️ #cac #supportlocalarts #templetx

TODAY AT THE CAC: ✨Yoga with Wolf Moon Yoga tonight at 5:00 PM | $12 ✨Tap Dance class from 6:30–8:30 PM | $10 NEXT CLASS: ✨Fused Glass: Suncatchers or Yard Art, this Saturday, 10:00 AM with Instructor, Jill Mooney. Registration link in bio.

Kelly Willis, Austin-based Grammy-nominated country singer-songwriter, returns to the CAC with a voice as timeless as ever and a sound deeply rooted in Texas storytelling. More than a decade after her last solo release, she’s back with Back Being Blue, a collection blending lonesome lyrics with vibrant, toe-tapping energy. It’s heartfelt, honest, and everything fans have been waiting for. This isn’t just a concert. It’s a rare chance to experience an artist whose music has shaped the Texas scene for years, live and up close in the place she belongs. - Texas Music Series - Friday, May 22 at 7:30 PM - Cultural Activities Center Grab your tickets, bring someone who loves good music, and come hear a true Texas voice. Tickets are available! 🎫

🎞️TODAY | 2PM | FREE ADMISSION - Central Texas Film Society of the CAC Presentation Eero Saarinen: The Architect Who Saw the Future Step into the visionary world of one of the most influential modern architects of our time. From the iconic Gateway Arch to the sweeping lines of the TWA Flight Center, this film offers a compelling look at how bold design shapes culture, movement, and experience.

Thank you to everyone who joined us today for our Art Is Everywhere: Architecture Lunch & Learn. We are grateful to Kelly Garcia and her talented team - Anna Lucko, Elizabeth Scamardo, and Nallely Gonzalez - for leading such a thoughtful and engaging conversation. Your insight into architecture, design, and the creative process brought this experience to life in a meaningful way for our community. If you haven’t had a chance to explore it yet, the Garcia Architect Designs Exhibit will remain on view through Monday, with featured photography available for purchase. It’s a beautiful extension of today’s discussion and a chance to take a piece of the experience home. As we continue our Art Is Everywhere series, we invite you to join us as we close out the DESIGN chapter with a special film presentation: Central Texas Film Society at the CAC Eero Saarinen: The Architect Who Saw the Future Sunday, April 26 | 2 PM Free Admission We look forward to seeing you there as we continue celebrating the power of art, design, and community.