A Sojourn to Spain with Ramón y Cajal: Fulbright España Senior Research Fellowship Awarded to Dawn Hunter

The prestigious Fulbright España Senior Research Fellowship had been awarded to Dawn Hunter, an associate professor in the School of Visual Art and Design at the University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC.

The award is in support of her new series of drawings and paintings titled Aesthetic Instincts: the Intersection of Art and Science in the life of Santiago Ramón y Cajal. This new body of artwork is an immersive, comprehensive biographical project that, through visual art, examines and represents the life of Santiago Ramón y Cajal (May 1, 1852 – October 17, 1934). Ramón y Cajal was a Spanish scientist and the first person to demonstrate that the nervous system was made up of individual units (neurons) that were independent of one another but linked together at points of functional contact called synapses. Ramón y Cajal illustrated the results of his studies with elegant drawings of neurons that he proposed work independently or collectively, and that each individual unit can participate simultaneously in individual or multiple neuron functions. Ramón y Cajal was a 1906 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine that was awarded jointly to another neuroscientist, Camillo Golgi “in recognition of their work on the structure of the nervous system,” however, their research was mutually exclusive and embraced opposing theses. Santiago Ramón y Cajal is considered by many to be the father of modern neuroscience.

Dawn Hunter, “Portrait of Cajal in Pyramidal Neurons”, ink and pen on paper, 2015

Hunter said: “It is an honor to receive such a tremendous life-changing opportunity. I am immensely thankful to everyone at my University, the NIH and the Instituto Cajal who have helped me in the development and realization of this project. I am particularly grateful the Dr. Jim Augustine for believing in the vision of my idea and encouraging me to invest in this creative endeavor. Cajal was such a fascinating and inspiring individual. I look forward to deepening my understanding of him and his work through this upcoming sojourn in Spain.”

Dawn Hunter, detail from “Cajal Inventory: Silveriahead”, heart and spine, graphite, ink and acrylic on paper, 11″ x 14,” 2016

While in Spain, Hunter will continue the development of her creative project by researching the archives of the Cajal Legacy of the Cajal Institute or Instituto Cajal. The Cajal Legacy contains many items bequeathed to the Instituto Cajal, which includes some research items like microscopes, manuscripts, medals, as well as Cajal’s scientific drawings and photographs. The Instituto Cajal is the oldest neurobiology research center in Spain which belongs to the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). The Cajal Institute originates from the Laboratorio de Investigaciones Biológicas, founded in 1900 by order of King Alfonso XIII in honor of the Moscow Prize awarded to Santiago Ramón y Cajal.

Dr. Juan De Carlos, the curator of the Cajal Legacy, invited Hunter to apply for a Fulbright at the Instituto Cajal after meeting her and seeing her speak at a professional meeting hosted by the National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD. NINDS Senior Investigator, Jeff Diamond, invited Hunter to deliver a presentation at the first international symposium honoring Cajal, October 2015 held at the NIH. Hunter also participated in the second international conference, May 2017 held at the Instituto Cajal, Madrid, Spain.

Dawn Hunter with Cajal Inventory exhibition, May 2017, Instituto Cajal, Madrid Spain – exhibition was held as part of the 2nd Collaborative International Symposium honor Cajal coordinated by the National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD and the Instituto Cajal, Madrid, Spain.

Fulbright Scholar awards are made possible through funds appropriated annually by the US Congress, contributions from partner countries and the private sector. The Fulbright program aims to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and people of other nations.

Dawn Hunter pursued her undergraduate studies at the Kansas City Art Institute (BFA), Parsons School of Design, and the Yale Norfolk Summer School of Art & Music. As a Regents Fellow, she received her MFA from the University of California, Davis. She has participated in numerous solo and multiple artist exhibitions throughout the United States, Europe, and Australia. Additionally, she has also received many awards and grants for her artwork, most notably, a Starr Foundation Fellowship, enabling her to be the first American woman to serve as Artist-in-Residence at the Royal Academy of Art, London. A selection of seven artworks from her series, Aesthetic Instincts: the Intersection of Art and Science in the life of Santiago Ramón y Cajal, are currently on display alongside several original scientific drawings completed by Cajal at the John Porter Neuroscience Research Center at the National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD. NINDS Senior Investigator, Jeff Diamond curated the exhibition.

For further information e-mail to (dawnmariehunter@yahoo.com) or visit (www.dawnhunterart.com).

 

Arts Council of York County in Rock Hill, SC, Offer Tour to Winston-Salem, NC, to See Georgia O’Keeffe Exhibition – Sept. 21, 2017

The Arts Council of York County is hosting a bus trip from the Center for the Arts, 121 E. Main St., Rock Hill, SC, to the Reynolda House Museum of American Art in Winston-Salem, NC, to see the exhibit, “Georgia O’Keeffe: Living Modern”, on Thursday, Sept. 21, 2017. The bus will depart from the Center for the Arts at 9am, and will return at 5pm.

Bruce Weber (American, born 1946). “Georgia O’Keeffe”, Abiquiu, NM, 1984. Gelatin silver print, 14 x 11 in. (35.6 x 27.9 cm). Bruce Weber and Nan Bush Collection, New York. © Bruce Weber

From the Reynolda House Museum of American Art: “The Reynolda House Museum of American Art marks its centennial as an estate and its fiftieth anniversary as a museum with an exhibition of the work of Georgia O’Keeffe. “Georgia O’Keeffe: Living Modern” explores how the artist’s modern sensibility saturated her art, her life, her homes, and her carefully fashioned public (and private) personas. In addition to a number of carefully chosen paintings by O’Keeffe, and photographs of her homes, the exhibition features selected items from her personal wardrobe that highlight her preferences for compact masses, organic silhouettes, and minimal ornamentation. The Reynolda House is one of only three venues to host the exhibition, and the only venue south of New York.”

Georgia O’Keeffe (American, 1887–1986). “Ram’s Head, White Hollyhock—Hills” (Ram’s Head and White Hollyhock, NM), 1935. Oil on canvas, 30 x 36 in. (76.2 x 91.4 cm). Brooklyn Museum; Bequest of Edith and Milton Lowenthal, 1992.11.28. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum)

Tickets are $75 for members of the Arts Council, and $85 for the general public. They include transportation, and admission to the museum and the O’Keeffe exhibit. Tickets for the trip must be purchased in advance by 5pm on Friday, Sept. 15, 2017 – online at (www.yorkcountyarts.org), by phone at 803/328-2787, and in person at the Center for the Arts, 121 E. Main St., Rock Hill, SC. There will be time to shop and eat in Reynolda Village prior to the museum visit.

The Arts Council is headquartered in downtown Rock Hill, a state-recognized cultural district. For more information on Arts Council events, contact the Arts Council of York County at 803/328-2787, by e-mail at (arts@yorkcountyarts.org), or visit our webpage at (www.yorkcountyarts.org).

STARworks in Star, NC, Presents a Hot Glass, Cold Beer Event on Sept. 14, 2017

Hot Glass Cold Beer (HGCB) returns to STARworks in Star, NC, on Sept. 14, 2017, from 5:30 to 7:30pm with guest artist Amanda Patenaude.

Patenaude will lead the glassblowing demonstration. She and the STARworks Glass team will work together to create a glass raccoon.

STARworks Glass guest artist Amanda Patenaude attaches an ear to the glass raccoon she made for the February 2016 Hot Glass Cold Beer. She will create another raccoon with the assistance of the STARworks Glass team at this Hot Glass Cold Beer.

The River Wild food truck, based out of Lake Tillery, will be on site with offerings of fish tacos, burgers, fries and more.

HGCB, held on the second Thursday of every month, features beer from Four Saints Brewing Company, based in Asheboro and wine from Stony Mountain Vineyards, based in Albemarle.

All ages are invited to watch the free glassblowing demonstration. Visitors, ages 21 and older who purchase a hand-crafted STARworks drinking glass will receive a ticket for a complimentary beer or wine during the demonstration. Beer and wine may also be purchased directly at the bar.

Patenaude is a multi-media artist based out of Brooklyn, NY, where she works as a glass production manager and devotes time to her personal art practice. She uses glass and its properties to investigate issues of waste and reuse, new forms of community building and our evolving roles in the environment. Patenaude received a BFA from Illinois State University where she worked in both the glass and ceramic departments.

STARworks is a Central Park NC project. Central Park NC is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the economy of the region by focusing on the sustainable use of our natural and cultural resources.

STARworks is located at 100 Russell Drive in Star, just off I-73/74 in northern Montgomery County. For more information, call 910/428-9001, or visit (www.StarworksNC.org).

New World Festival of the Arts in Manteo, NC, Announced Award Recipients

In perfect summer weather, over 75 world-class artists, with the backdrop of the Manteo, NC’s waterfront provided the ideal setting for the “36th Annual New World Festival of the Arts” on Aug. 16 and 17, 2017.

Best in Show Award Recipient Jennifer Rose Hyde. Photo courtesy of Tatum Clements.

Mixed media artist Lisa Beth Robinson, who is an assistant professor at East Carolina University in Greenville, NC, judged the show. She observed watercolor, acrylic, photography, jewelry, ceramics, wood design, leatherwork, and many other media.

Third place award recipient Gregory Bryant. Photo courtesy of Tatum Clements.

“Jurying the show presented me with difficult choices; I saw a great deal of beautiful and finely crafted work,” said Robinson. “My first consideration was, of course, the formal properties of the work: craft, skill, creativity, and concept. Beyond that, I was looking for artists who used their media in ways that exceeded the traditional boundaries of the material with an exceptional level of skill and work that appeared ripe for pushing these boundaries.”

Robinson carefully selected the following winners:
Best In Show- Jennifer Rose Hyde from Manteo, NC. (fiber/jewelry)
Second Place- Sheila Nash from Norfolk, VA, (watercolor)
Third Place- Gregory Bryant from Norfolk, VA, (jewelry)
Merit Awards: Cammie Hall from Kitty Hawk, NC, (jewelry), Cyndi Goetcheus Sarfan from Kill Devil Hills, NC, (photography), Dawn Gray Moraga from Kitty Hawk, NC. (acrylic), and Laura Frye from Washington, NC (watercolor).

Best In Show winner Jennifer Rose Hyde paints with needles and threads that compose wearable art with vibrant colors and textures. Second place winner Sheila Nash is a watercolor artist who paints on paper with transparent watercolor. Third place winner Gregory Bryant’s unique porcelain jewelry has an ancient, yet modern design. “What a nice surprise it was to get this award,” said artist Gregory Bryant. “This was my third year participating in the show. I continue to be lured by the charm, hospitality, and unique character of Manteo. I really enjoyed my customers- a great mix of locals and vacationers.”

Presented by PNC Bank for the third consecutive year, the New World Festival of the Arts is a Manteo tradition that provides awareness of current trends in the visual arts while acquainting visitors with the historic Town of Manteo.

Thank you to presenting sponsor PNC Bank, corporate sponsor SAGA Construction & Development, event partner The Town of Manteo, and show organizers Erin Johnson and Louise Sanderlin.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to help organize this show,” said jewelry artist and DCAC staff member Erin Johnson. “As a graduate of The College of the Albemarle’s fine arts program and a budding artist, this show has been a wonderful learning experience. I enjoyed working with all of the New World Festival artists and seeing their artwork.”

This project was supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

Dare County Arts Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization dedicated to supporting the arts in Dare County.

For more information about the Dare County Arts Council’s upcoming events, please call 252/473.-5558 or visit (www.DareArts.org).

 

Arts Council of York County in Rock Hill, SC, Announces Winners of “28th Annual Juried Competition”

The Arts Council of York County in Rock Hill, SC, announced the winners of the “28th Annual Juried Competition” at a free, public reception at the Center for the Arts, 121 E. Main St., Rock Hill, SC on Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017. This exhibition will be on display in the Dalton Gallery at the Center for the Arts through Sept. 10, 2017.

“Field Notes 33” by Joana Wardell

Each year, the “Annual Juried Competition” is open internationally to artists 18 and older. Only original work, created in the last two (2) years, and not previously shown at the Center for the Arts, Dalton Gallery is accepted. All forms of media are eligible, including video.

Margaret Strickland, a Charlotte based photographer, has been making portraits of family, friends, and strangers for over a decade. Born and raised in Valdosta, GA, Strickland was influenced by cultural norms of the Deep South — a foundation that would later surface as an undercurrent in her work. Strickland’s work explores concepts of gender identity and performance, expectations of the self and of society, and the confluence of these ideas in the constructed poses of intimate portraits. Her works have been shown nationally at galleries and institutions, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC, and The Mint Museum Uptown, Charlotte, NC.

Strickland selected 33 works out of 114 entries by 47 artists from 18 cities and 4 states to be displayed in the 28th Annual Juried Competition exhibition in the Dalton Gallery at the Center for the Arts. Awards were presented to:

AWARDS:
Gerald and Barbara Schapiro Best of Show went to “Field Notes 33” by Joana Wardell of Charlotte, NC
1st Place was given to “Inanimate Altruism” by Jacob Olsen of Rock Hill, SC
2nd Place went to “Flux Number 10” by Matthew Nielson of Florence, SC
3rd Place went to “Ultimate Lullaby” by Tabitha Ott of Columbia, SC
Honorable Mention was given to “Gold” by Jake Francek of Rock Hill, SC
Honorable Mention was also given to “Pawpaw” by Alexis Howard of Rock Hill, SC

Gallery hours are Monday-Thursday, 9am-6pm; Friday, 9am-5pm; and the 2nd and 4th weekends, Saturdays, 10am-2pm; Sundays, 2-4pm. O’Darby’s Fine Wine & Spirits is the presenting sponsor of the “28th Annual Juried Competition”.

The Arts Council is headquartered in downtown Rock Hill, a state-recognized cultural district. For more information on Arts Council events, contact the Arts Council of York County by calling 803/328-2787, by e-mail at (arts@yorkcountyarts.org), or visit the Arts Council’s webpage at (www.yorkcountyarts.org).

Arts Council of Henderson County in Hendersonville, NC, Announces Awards for 14th annual “Bring Us Your Best” Art Exhibition

The Arts Council of Henderson County in Hendersonville, NC, has announced the winning artists for its current exhibition, “Bring Us Your Best XIV”. Winners were announced at the opening reception for the exhibition on Friday, Aug. 4, 2017. “Bring Us Your Best XIV” was on display in the Blue Ridge Conference Hall of the TEDC Building on the Blue Ridge Community College campus through Friday, Aug. 18, 2017.

The awards were announced by Arts Council Board Chair, Pat McAfee, and presented by Joan Jackson, who represents the Wax Family Memorial Funds, a sponsor of the awards. The following artists received awards:

“Ascension,” 1st place 3D, by Holland Van Gores

1st Place/2-dimensional – Diane K. Southen, “Being There”
1st Place/3-dimensional – Holland Van Gores, “Ascension”
1st Place/Photography – Ken Weaver, “Blue Shell in Surf”
1st Place/Fine Craft – Jo-Ann Jensen, “Converging Spirits”
2nd Place/2-dimensional – Kate Thayer, “Water’s Wonders”
2nd Place/3-dimensional – Bonnie Joy Bardos, “Walela: Spirit Guide”
2nd Place/Photography – Deborah Anderson, “Pensive”
2nd Place/Fine Craft – Rodney H. Leftwich, “Appalachian Noah’s Ark”
3rd Place/2-dimensional – Gary Cooley, “Kate in Red”
3rd Place/3-dimensional – Janet Leazenby, “Hare Day”
3rd Place/Photography – David Simchock, “Ben’s Tune Up”
3rd Place/Fine Craft – Karen-Eve Bayne, “Umbrella Magnolia”

First place winners received $250, 2nd place winners received $150, and 3rd place winners received $100.

In addition to the above awards, Joe Criscione, President of the Board of Directors for the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Hendersonville, presented a special award of $250 to Bonnie Joy Bardos for her sculpture entitled “Walela: Spirit Guide.” This “One Planet, One World” award was selected based on how well the artwork is representative of a world community recognizing the inherent worth and dignity of all beings, the oneness and interdependence of all life. The award is sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Hendersonville.

The Starving Artist Fine Art Supplies and Custom Framing Shop awarded ten Honorable Mention awards. $25 gift cards for the Starving Artist Shop were awarded to the following artists: David Adler, William Asman, Cathryn Cooper, Susan Goodman, Hamed Mahmoodi, Bobbie Polizzi, Megan Richard, David Vandre, Ken Weaver, and Barbara Zimmerman.

Henderson County photographer, Walter Arnold, and John Patrick McAfee, author, sponsored an “Artist’s Choice” award, which was selected and announced during the opening reception. Artists who have artwork in the exhibit voted for their choice to win the Artist’s Choice award at opening reception. Hamed Mahmoodi won the $300 cash prize for his dry pigment with aquatint painting entitled “The Cellist.”

The People’s Choice Award, based on the votes of all gallery visitors, has yet to be awarded. The winner will receive a $250 gift certificate from The Starving Artist Fine Art Supply & Custom Framing Shop, and will be announced after the last day of the exhibition, August 18th. The public is invited to visit the exhibition and cast their ballots for the People’s Choice Award.

In addition to The Wax Family Memorial Funds, Bring Us Your Best XIV is also sponsored by The Starving Artist Fine Art Supplies and Custom Framing Shop, the Dr. Minor F. Watts Fund at the Community Foundation of Henderson County, and the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Hendersonville.

The Arts Council of Henderson County is a community organization that promotes, advocates for, and nurtures the arts in Henderson County and Western North Carolina. Its office is located at 401 N. Main Street, 3rd floor Hendersonville, NC 28792 (entrance on Fourth Avenue West).

The Arts Council is supported in part by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural & Cultural Resources; several funds administered by the Community Foundation of Henderson County, Henderson County Government, and Henderson County Travel and Tourism.
For more information contact the Arts Council of Henderson County at 828/693-8504 or e-mail to (acofhc@bellsouth.net). Visit our website at (www.acofhc.org).

Mint Hill Arts in Mint Hill, NC, Features Maria Elena Ferran at Monthly Meeting – Sept. 26, 2017

Mint Hill Arts is very fortunate and honored to host at its September monthly meeting Maria Elena Ferran, one of New York’s early 80’s artists. After studying painting, photography, and design at Sweet Briar College and New York’s School of Visual Arts, she entered the New York art scene. Her abstract paintings continually express themes of the human subconscious, nature, spirituality and world events.

Work by Maria Elena Ferran

The program is free and open to the public. Mark your calendars to attend this special event on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2017, from 7 to 8:30pm, at Mint Hill Arts at 11205 Lawyers Road in Mint Hill, NC.

Ferran will give a short talk and guided discussion, followed by guided exercises, focusing on human themes, movement, color, and expression. We will then work in mixed media including acrylics, spray paint, paper, and found materials that come together to create a large, collaborative group mural that will be donated to Mint Hill Arts.

The impulse and desire to communicate with each other has been a driving force in society from the very beginning of human history. Inspired by the cave paintings at Lascaux, “Cave Walls: Express, Empower, Transform,” this collaborative program is designed, for artists of all skill levels, to open up the creative mind, remove blocks, and empower and build expressive confidence with art materials while connecting with other participants through intuitive visual messaging. Developing a creative visual dialogue with others will help build both confidence and empathy, and foster an atmosphere of cooperation and community connection.

For further info call Carol A. Clayton at 704/968-4345 or e-mail to (Bizbrokercc@gmail.com).

Ackland Art Museum in Chapel Hill, NC, to Open Store within its Building – Oct. 6, 2017

The Ackland Art Museum announced today that its Museum Store, currently located on East Franklin Street in downtown Chapel Hill, NC, will relocate to inside the Museum building, opening for business on Friday, Oct. 6, 2017. The Store will be open at its current location on Franklin Street through Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017.

“It feels like a homecoming,” said Katie Ziglar, Director of the Ackland Art Museum. “We are very pleased that we can bring the Museum Store to the Museum. It is an amenity people wish for while visiting the Ackland.”

“We have valued being a part of the fabric of Franklin Street since May of 2011, and have felt very supported by the town of Chapel Hill, the Downtown Partnership, and our customers,” said Alice Southwick, store manager. “As we have always been part of the Ackland Art Museum, it does feel right to be setting up shop inside the Museum’s building. We think our customers will be very pleased.”

The new Ackland Museum Store will include more products that tie to art and exhibitions on view in the Ackland’s galleries, a move that reflects popular demand. The Store will continue to sell works of art by local, regional, and international artists.

“We look forward to being able to offer shopping at the Museum Store—which, in turn, financially supports the Ackland’s exhibitions and programs—as an experience that immediately follows visiting our galleries,” said Ziglar.

Once inside the Museum building, the Store’s hours will follow the Museum’s: Wednesday through Saturday 10am to 5pm and Sunday 1 to 5pm. Like the Museum, the Store will be open until 9pm during the Chapel Hill-Carrboro 2nd Friday ArtWalk evenings.

Featuring a year-round calendar of special exhibitions and dynamic public programs, the Ackland Art Museum—located on the historic campus of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill—encourages visitors to engage with the artistic past as well as with living artists from around the world. The Ackland’s holdings consist of more than 18,000 works of art, featuring significant collections of European masterworks, twentieth-century and contemporary art, African art, and North Carolina pottery. In addition, the Ackland has North Carolina’s premier collections of Asian art and works on paper (drawings, prints, and photographs). Its global collection of artworks from antiquity to the present makes the Ackland uniquely able to advance the teaching and research missions of the University.

The Ackland Art Museum is located at 101 South Columbia Street, just south of Franklin Street, on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus.

Admission to the Ackland Art Museum is free.

More information is available at (ackland.org).

ClearWater Artist Studios in Concord, NC, Makes A Splash with New Website

ClearWater Artist Studios, in Concord, NC, the artist haven and community hub housed in the City of Concord’s nearly century-old water works and utility operations facilities, is turning a page. A set of pages, in fact—it launches a brand-new website today. The new site is available at the same URL (www.clearwaterartists.com).

The new site features dozens of photos and a polished design to peak visitors’ curiosity and offer a more complete glimpse of what ClearWater is all about. The site features a gallery of the tenant artists, offering biographies, a sampling of each artist’s works, and contact information. Also prominent are the calendar of events, class listings, and online reservations for ClearWater’s various event spaces, along with plenty of other interactivity.

“This gives us a polished, interactive gateway to what is becoming a welcoming creative center for the community,” said Sarah Gay, Manager of ClearWater Artist Studios. She built the site over the past eight months, with some design help from resident CW artists Walter Stanford and Regina Burchett. A consultant helped define the overall design and navigation elements early in the process.

The new design of the site improves awareness of events produced by ClearWater Artist Studios, such as the annual Sun Drop Pound Cake Portrait Paint-Off, a live painting challenge enjoyed for free by audiences every February. The ongoing Guest Artist Exhibit Series is also popular, which showcases talented local or regional artists who may not be widely known yet. Each artist in turn is asked to provide an Artist Talk for the public. To date, these have attracted audiences of 20-50 people on average.

ClearWater Artist Studios hopes to increase its offering of events and classes this year, and to start bringing in guest teachers for major workshops. One such intensive, 3-day workshop, taught by Charlotte painter Robin Wellner, is already scheduled for the first weekend in October. Wellner was a Featured Painter at the 2017 Portrait Paint-Off. The new website, with its homepage slideshow to feature such upcoming events, will let people know more effectively and more consistently what creative activities they have right at their fingertips, in Concord.

Feedback on the new (www.clearwaterartists.com) is welcomed. E-mail to (clearwatermgr@gmail.com) or connect on Facebook @ClearwaterArtistStudios.

Get Your Free Tickets Now for “Smithsonian” Magazine’s Museum Day Live! Taking Place Sept. 23, 2017

Beginning today, museum-goers can head to the Museum Day Live! website to download one free ticket, good for two people, for “Smithsonian” magazine’s 13th annual Museum Day Live!. Each ticket grants the ticketholder, and one guest, free access to any participating museum on Sept. 23, 2017. One ticket is permitted per e-mail address.

This year, Museum Day Live! is partnering with Microsoft to create special interactive lesson plans using Minecraft: Education Edition. Participating museums can download the lesson plans to enhance the Museum Day Live! experience at their facility. The Minecraft: Education Edition extensions are based on Smithsonian materials and are available on the Museum Day Live! website. Following the event, Microsoft will provide schools with access to the Minecraft: Education Edition extensions.

To register, see the full list of museums, and download a free ticket please visit: (http://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumdaylive).

Smithsonian Media is comprised of its flagship publication, “Smithsonian” magazine, “Air & Space” magazine, Smithsonian Books, and the Smithsonian Media Digital Network. In addition, Smithsonian Media oversees the Smithsonian Institution’s interest in the Smithsonian Channel, a joint venture between the Smithsonian Institution and CBS/Showtime. Smithsonian Media is a division of Smithsonian Enterprises, the revenue-generating business unit of the Smithsonian Institution. The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum and research complex consisting of 20 museums and galleries, the National Zoological Park, and nine research facilities. Approximately 30 million people from around the world visit the museums annually. (smithsonian.com/si.edu)