Ackland Events

Drawing in the Galleries
2023-06-10 10:00 - 12:00, 2023-05-20 10:00 - 12:00, 2023-04-29 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Ackland Art Museum, 101 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States
Join us as we resume our popular Drawing in the Galleries program this month during Studio Saturday! Amanda Hughes leads participants in a creative exploration of a particular object in the Ackland’s collection. Participants all draw from one object using their own gallery-safe materials (paper/notebooks and dry media like crayons and pencils), then discuss what they’ve noticed through the process of drawing. All levels are welcome.

2nd Friday ArtWalk: Wine, Food, and Local Art
2023-06-09 18:00 - 21:00
For this very special 2nd Friday ArtWalk, the Ackland has partnered with Melanated Wine and the Underground Collective to curate an evening of wine, food, and local art connecting with and celebrating the Museum’s current exhibition Unsettled Things: Art from an African American South.
WINE & FOOD EXPERIENCE by MELANATED WINE
Prepare your taste buds for a sensory journey featuring exquisite wine, food, and art pairings selected by renowned local winery Melanated Wine. The $25 Wine Experience ticket includes four wines from Melanated Wine that have been carefully chosen to complement specific artists or artworks, plus delectable dishes from the talented Chef Anevia from Triple A Catering:

– Red Blend (Cabernet Franc/Syrah) paired with Spiced Beef Crostini
– White Blend (Unoaked Chardonnay/Riesling) paired with Caramelized Onion & Brie Tart
– Blackberry Wine paired with Sweet & Spicy Meatballs
– White Sangria paired with Bruschetta

Each wine and food pairing will be accompanied by a detailed informational sheet, guiding you through the unique flavors and stories behind each selection. Additional a la carte options will be offered at the event, including single servings of the delightful food for $10 per dish as well as a selection of wines available by the glass, with prices varying based on the type of wine. A table menu will be provided, so you can make your perfect wine selection.
Wine Experience tickets are available now for pre-sale (scroll down to purchase!). Only a limited number will be sold on-site. Don’t miss out on this remarkable opportunity to celebrate Black art and creativity while savoring the finest wines and delicious bites provided by Melanated Wine and Triple A Catering.
ART & CRAFT VENDORS with THE UNDERGROUND COLLECTIVE
In addition to the Wine Experience, the Underground Collective is proud to curate a pop-up of unique art and craft vendors with a creative twist that will enhance your experience of the current exhibition Unsettled Things: Art from an African American South. Vendor offerings will be directly connected to the art of the African American past, present, and future. Music will be provided by DJ Mayor.
The Underground Collective (UGC) is a creative agency that offers event curation, event planning and production, cultural branding, and project management to clients seeking to create cultural connections and deepen community engagement. Dedicated to all things socially conscious in Hip-Hop culture and the community, UGC has raised social awareness through the cultural arts for over 10+ years, collaborating with various partners across North Carolina. UGC has a proven track record of quality programming, effective partnerships, and dynamic campaigns that center on the artistic contributions of communities of color.

Tour: Unsettled Things: Art from an African American South
2023-06-09 13:30 - 14:00, 2023-06-01 13:30 - 14:00, 2023-05-26 13:30 - 14:00, 2023-05-18 13:30 - 14:00, 2023-05-12 13:30 - 14:00, 2023-05-04 13:30 - 14:00, 2023-04-28 13:30 - 14:00
Participate in a 30-minute guided conversational tour as we look closely at works on view at the Ackland. Today’s tour will include works in our current exhibition Unsettled Things: Art from an African American South.
Find the full schedule of tours and topics here.
Register for a free ticket to the tour below.

Art Adventures (Afternoon Session)
2023-05-20 13:00 - 14:30
In this art-inspired, hands-on art-making class for six- to nine-year-olds, participants will create their own masterpieces inspired by works of art at the Ackland. Classes are led by instructor Allison Tierney.
Cost: $5; Free for Ackland Members at the Household Level and above. Register below. Each session limited to ten participants.

Art Adventures (Morning Session)
2023-05-20 10:30 - 12:00

Drawing for Tweens
2023-05-20 10:30 - 12:00, 2023-04-29 10:30 - 12:00
This program invites ten- to thirteen-year-olds to look at selected works in the Ackland’s collection and identify techniques that the artists used to make them. Gallery teacher Daniel Hammer demonstrates and teaches participants technical skills, which they can then apply to their own artistic creations. A mix of drawing from works on display and creating one’s own original works is offered in each session. Materials are provided.
Cost: $5; free to Ackland Members at the Household Level and above. Register below. Class sessions will be limited to 10 participants.

2nd Friday ArtWalk: Congrats, Grads!
2023-05-12 17:00 - 21:00
Planning for a graduation weekend filled with fun and celebration? The Ackland is the perfect place to add to your itinerary! Join us Friday, May 12, as we stay open until 9:00 p.m. for an evening of music, art, and Carolina camaraderie.
TRACK MEET by THE BEAT LAB
A dynamic live beatmaking showcase hosted by the UNC Beat Lab that brings together local beat makers to create an extraordinary fusion of art and music. Witness the intersection of creativity as talented producers craft mesmerizing beats in real-time, inspired by the artwork on display at the Ackland.
ART ACTIVITIES
Discover the Ackland’s collection by exploring the galleries with self-guided tours and an art-themed photobooth. Find out about Ackland Art Museum Memberships – the perfect gift for a new grad. Shop for mementos at the Ackland Museum Store, plus receive 25% off all graduation cards tonight only!
CRAFT BEER (and COOKIE!) BAR by BMC BREWING
Enjoy a craft beer and homemade cookie from the pop-up cash bar by BMC Brewing (Pittsboro, NC). BMC (aka Bite My Cookies) Brewing makes all their beer on site at their brewery with locally sourced ingredients and even bakes cookies using flour processed from spent grain obtained during the brewing process. Find out more on their website: https://bmcbrewing.com/.

Spring Fling Arts Festival
2023-05-06 11:00 - 16:00
Join the Ackland Art Museum in conjunction with the Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership, Saturday, May 6 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the first annual Spring Fling Arts Festival!
Enjoy kid-friendly arts activities on the Ackland Terrace, including printmaking with Biovarg Industries of Durham and coloring pages for the kids. Buy a gift from local artists just in time for Mother’s Day and Graduation! You’ll find paintings, prints, photography, ceramics, textiles and jewelry from local vendors, chocolate stoneware with gloss glazes by Sandi Carter, Sampada Agarwal’s unique Indian-inspired Art, nature painting and photos from Nancy Moore and Timothy Dowell, skateboard art from Ryan Lutz, Paget Fink’s lush modern illustration and collage, Little Dog Print Shop textiles and print, and many others!
While you’re here, explore the new exhibition Unsettled Things: Art from an African American South, a must-see exhibition!

Tour: One Work Wednesday
2023-05-03 13:30 - 14:00
Participate in a 30-minute guided conversational tour as we look closely at works on view at the Ackland. On Wednesday afternoons, we’ll look in-depth at a single work of art.
Find the full schedule of tours and topics here.
Register for a free ticket to the tour below.

Reception for Unsettled Things: Art from an African American South - Hosted by Triangle Friends of African American Arts
2023-04-30 14:00 - 16:00
Please join us for a reception, hosted by the Triangle Friends of African American Arts, to celebrate the Ackland’s upcoming exhibition, Unsettled Things: Art from an African American South. This special afternoon will include light refreshments, an introduction to the exhibition, spotlight discussions, and self-tour guides.
Including forty-four works by twenty-eight artists – largely drawn from the Ackland’s permanent collection — Unsettled Things: Art from an African American South explores the work of creators from the Southern United States, long overlooked and now considered major names, including Thornton Dial, Lonnie Holley, Nellie Mae Rowe, and Mose Tolliver. The themes of Life, Spirit, and Matter emerge from the subject matter, the materials used, and the artists’ own accounts of their ideas, efforts, and struggles
We will also be giving away a copy of the companion publication, The Unfinished Business of Unsettled Things: Art from an African American South, to an attendee at the event.
Parking on campus is open to the public on weekends. We recommend looking for parking in Swain Lot or Porthole Alley. Please click here for a map of university parking lots. There is also plenty of Town of Chapel Hill parking lots near the museum. Parking is free on Sundays.
We hope to see you at the reception!

Ackland Student Guide Public Tour
2023-04-30 13:30 - 14:00
Join us for a 30-minute conversational tour, led by an Ackland Student Guide. Connecting two artworks through one theme, today Charlotte Breckenridge leads a discussion on the artist’s abstraction of architecture.
No reservation needed for this drop-in guided tour.

Ackland Student Guide Public Tour
2023-04-29 13:30 - 14:00
Join us for a 30-minute conversational tour, led by an Ackland Student Guide. Connecting two artworks through one theme, today Katie Church leads a discussion on pieces in the Museum’s collection.
No reservation needed for this drop-in guided tour.

Art Adventures (Afternoon Session): Cardboard Portraits Inspired by Mose Tolliver
2023-04-29 13:00 - 14:30
*This event is sold out.*
In this art-inspired, hands-on art-making class for six- to nine-year-olds, participants will create their own masterpieces inspired by works of art at the Ackland. Classes are led by instructor Allison Tierney.
Cost: $5; Free for Ackland Members at the Household Level and above. Register below. Each session limited to ten participants.

Art Adventures (Morning Session): Cardboard Portraits Inspired by Mose Tolliver
2023-04-29 10:30 - 12:00

Semester Revue
2023-04-28 14:00 - 16:00
Student Research & Responses to the Collection
Each semester, the Ackland Art Museum works with thousands of UNC-Chapel Hill students through courses and internships. Semester Revue offers a glimpse into the quality and variety of the students’ research, projects, and performances. Come learn about the collection and see it anew through their short, dynamic presentations.

Bank of America Reception for Unsettled Things
2023-04-27 17:00 - 19:00
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Guided Tour: Exploring Connections Between Art & Science
2023-04-27 13:30 - 14:00
Meet in the Ackland’s lobby for a guided conversational tour that reveals the interplay between art on view and science! The tour will be 30 minutes in length. All ages welcome and tickets are free, but space is limited to 15 participants.

Tour: One Work Wednesday
2023-04-26 13:30 - 14:00
Participate in a 30-minute guided conversational tour as we look closely at works on view at the Ackland. This Wednesday afternoon, we’ll look in-depth at Peaches by Hung Liu.

Find the full schedule of tours and topics here.
Register for a free ticket to the tour below.

Ackland Student Guide Public Tour
2023-04-23 13:30 - 14:00
Join us for a 30-minute conversational tour, led by an Ackland Student Guide. Connecting two artworks through one theme, today Katy Spears leads a discussion on pieces from the Museum’s collection.
No reservation needed for this drop-in guided tour.

Ackland Student Guide Public Tour
2023-04-22 13:30 - 14:00
Join us for a 30-minute conversational tour, led by an Ackland Student Guide. Connecting two artworks through one theme, today Isabel Wall leads a discussion pieces from the Museum’s collection.
No reservation needed for this drop-in guided tour.

Curator's Tour of Unsettled Things: Art from an African American South
2023-04-21 15:30
Join Bernard L. Herman, George B. Tindall Professor of Southern Studies and guest curator, for a tour of Unsettled Things: Art from an African American South. Unsettled Things includes forty-four works by twenty-eight artists from the southern United States long overlooked and now considered major artists, including Thornton Dial, Lonnie B. Holley, Nellie Mae Rowe, and Mose Tolliver, through three themes: Life, Spirit, and Matter. The themes emerge from recurring threads in the works’ subject matter, from shared approaches to choosing and applying materials, and from the artists’ own accounts of their ideas, efforts, and struggles. Learn about the exhibition’s three thematic groupings and several of the outstanding individual works – most drawn from the Ackland’s permanent collection — in this guided tour led by the exhibition’s curators.
Please register below for a free ticket, as space is extremely limited.
