Statewide walking tours begin in April
Southern Living: Birmingham among Best Cities in the South
Birmingham attraction named among the 100 Greatest American Music Venues
Zagat praises Alabama Barbecue
Try the ‘tiny house’ lifestyle at Roland Cooper State Park
NASA announces teams from across the world to compete in rover challenge at U.S. Space & Rocket Center
Yellowhammer Brewing in Huntsville to break ground on $1.2 million expansion
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Rosenbaum House is one of Alabama’s finest gems
How Muscle Shoals Sound is going back to the future
Alabama restaurant chain Baumhower’s to open new Mobile location
Longtime director to retire from Birmingham Museum of Art
Alabama Tourism Workshop- April 12
“Partner Pointer” for the tourism industry website
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Statewide walking tours begin in April
Some 28 towns across Alabama will be on display during Saturday mornings in April as part of the Alabama Tourism Department’s April Walking Tours.
A variety of community leaders will lead the free tours through the historic districts or courthouse square areas of their hometowns. The hour-long tours will start at 10 a.m. on April 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29.
Towns and starting places for the April Walking Tours are: Athens, Athens Visitor Center; Attalla, Gazebo at 4th St. and 5th Ave.; Bayou La Batre, Mariner Park; Birmingham, Birmingham Civil Rights Institute; Courtland, Courtland Heritage Museum; Cullman, Cullman County Museum; Daleville, Chamber of Commerce; Decatur, Old State Bank Building; Elba, Chamber of Commerce; Enterprise, The Rawls Hotel; Eutaw, Prairie Avenue; Fairhope, Fairhope Welcome Center; Florence, various locations; Foley, Welcome Center.
Huntsville, Confectionary Shop at Constitution Village (April 1 & 8 only); Livingston, McConnell Field on University of West Alabama campus; Madison, Madison Roundhouse (April 15 & 22 only); Mobile, Welcome Center at The History Museum of Mobile; Montgomery; Montgomery Area Visitor Center; Mooresville, Post Office; Moulton, Lawrence County Archives; Pell City, City Hall; Prattville, Prattaugan Museum; Selma, Selma-Dallas County Library; Sheffield, Sheffield Municipal Building; Shelby, Iron Works Park; Troy, Pike County Chamber of Commerce; Tuscumbia, ColdWater Bookstore.
The tours are being coordinated by Brian Jones with the Alabama Tourism Department. “Alabama is the only state in the nation to hold statewide, simultaneous walking tours. These walking tours are a great way to get out and enjoy the spring weather and find out about the history of our state. More than 32,000 people have participated in the walking tours since the beginning of the program 14 years ago and they keep increasing in popularity every year,” Jones said.
More information about the April Walking Tours is available on the Alabama Tourism Department website at www.alabama.travel.
Southern Living: Birmingham among Best Cities in the South
From the article in the Birmingham Business Journal:
The Magic City has earned yet another accolade from a major publication – this time from an outlet in its own backyard.
Southern Living named Birmingham among its list of The South’s Best Cities for 2017. Birmingham ranked 10th on the List.
Charleston, S.C.; Savannah, Ga.; and New Orleans, La.; topped the list, in that order. Atlanta and Nashville also joined Birmingham on the list, which was compiled by Birmingham-based Southern Living.
Here’s what Southern Living said about its hometown:
“A new generation of Birmingham residents have committed themselves to putting the magic back in their city, and it has never been more visible than now—especially downtown, where a sprawling park, a new food hall, apartment buildings, cocktail bars, and creative start-ups coalesce.”
Southern Living is the latest major publication to highlight Birmingham, a list that includes a recent glowing profile in The Washington Post.
For the complete article please see http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/news/2017/03/20/southern-living-birmingham-among-best-cities-in.html?ana=e_ae_set2&s=article_du&ed=2017-03-20&u=yR6EzMegYo3HiugBPpPOQfL%2Bby3&t=1490041300&j=77698711
Birmingham attraction named among the 100 Greatest American Music Venues
From the article by Tim Steere in the Birmingham Business Journal:
Consequence of Sound, a popular online music publication, has named Saturn Birmingham one of the 100 Greatest American Music Venues.
The new list included several iconic spots like Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheater and San Francisco’s The Fillmore. Saturn was the 50th ranked establishment on the list.
Saturn opened in 2015, making it one of the newest venues on Consequence of Sound’s list. Here’s what the publication had to say about one of the Magic City’s top spots to catch a show:
One of the newest venues on our list, Birmingham, Alabama’s Saturn gets extra credit for one very specific goal: to be the first music venue to release its own album. But Saturn’s great for reasons that go well beyond a neat ambient sound project. Alabama native (and musician) Brian Teasley partnered with Bowery Presents to create a killer venue with details designed to delight.
Want coffee? Sure, they’ve got Stumptown and donuts from We Have Donuts for good measure. Want a cocktail? The same coffee joint that poured the brew can craft a potent elixir. Want to stroll down a musical memory lane? Keep an eye out for their Real Alabama Music Hall of Fame. There’s plenty to see and taste, but what you’ll hear is what really counts: music from a diverse roster of local and national acts, each of whom helps the thriving Birmingham scene thrive that much more.
Saturn was the only Alabama venue to make the list.
For the complete article please see http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/news/2017/03/21/birmingham-attraction-named-among-the-100-greatest.html?ana=e_me_set3&s=newsletter&ed=2017-03-22&u=yR6EzMegYo3HiugBPpPOQfL%2Bby3&t=1490191368&j=77716441
Zagat praises Alabama Barbecue
Zagat recently released a four-minute video featuring a tour of several of the state’s famed barbecue joints on their quest to find out what defines Alabama barbecue.
“Alabama is home to more barbecue restaurants per capita than any other state, and its pit masters are extremely confident their state offers the best barbecue in America.” – Zagat
Many of the state’s barbecue legends are featured in the video: Van Sykes of Bob Sykes Bar-B-Que in Bessemer; Betsy McAtee, CEO of Dreamland; Wade Reich, of Butts to Go in Pell City; and David Maluff, owner of Full Moon Bar-B-Que.
The video has already received more than 75,000 views in less than 2 weeks.
To view the video see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-Cjv635m4w.
Try the ‘tiny house’ lifestyle at Roland Cooper State Park
From the article by Joe Songer on AL.com:
The “tiny house” craze is sweeping the country as folks look to downsize and declutter their lives and living space. Many are also looking to save money on utility bills while saving time on cleaning and upkeep of larger homes. But finding a smaller space to try before making a financial commitment on a “tiny house” is tough.
Not anymore. Roland Cooper State Park near Camden, Alabama has four, brand new “tiny house” cabins ready to rent by the day, week or month. The 408 square foot cabins, sleep 4-6 people and rent for $98.00 per day with discounts for weekly and monthly rental.
Two floor plans
There are two floor plans available. Three of the cabins have two bedrooms and sleeps six people. There is a master bedroom with a queen bed. The other bedroom has two sets of bunks and sleeps four people.
One of the “tiny house” cabins is ADA compliant. It has one bedroom with two queen beds and has a wheelchair friendly bathroom and shower. All the doorways are wide enough for wheelchair mobility. This cabin also has a wheelchair ramp to the main entrance.
All the cabins have a full kitchen with a gas range, microwave oven, coffee maker and fridge with an ice maker. No more running out of ice while camping!
The kitchen is fully stocked with dishes, pots and pans and utensils. Both have a dinette area with TV and all the units have central heat and AC.
All bath and bedroom linens are provided. The bathrooms in both units feature a big shower (no bathtub).
The exterior of the “tiny house” cabins are a composite material with a metal roof. There is a deck available to sit outside and enjoy the views. One of the units has a beautiful lake view from its deck.
The cabins are sprinkled throughout the existing RV campground so all the hook-ups were readily available.
Reservation for the “tiny house” cabins can be made by contacting Roland Cooper State Park (http://www.alapark.com/roland-cooper-state-park)
So if you want to give the “tiny house” experience a try, this is your chance.
For the complete article please see http://www.al.com/outdoors/index.ssf/2017/03/tiny_house_cabins_open_at_rola.html
NASA announces teams from across the world to compete in rover challenge at U.S. Space & Rocket Center
From the article in Space Coast Daily:
Nearly 100 high school and college teams from across the globe will put their skills to the test March 30 to April 1 during NASA’s Human Exploration Rover Challenge at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville.
Participating teams come from all over the world including 23 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and several different countries, such as Brazil, Germany, India and Mexico.
The challenge highlights NASA’s goals for future exploration to Mars and beyond. Inspired by the lunar roving vehicles of the Apollo moon missions, the competition challenges students to solve engineering problems, while emphasizing NASA’s commitment to inspiring new generations of scientists, engineers and explorers.
Rover Challenge is hosted by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville and the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, and is managed by Marshall’s Academic Affairs Office.
Student teams are required to design, build, test and race human-powered rovers, driven by one male and one female team member.
The nearly three-quarter-mile course boasts 17 grueling obstacles that simulate terrain found on Mars, as well as other planets, moons and asteroids throughout the solar system.
Teams race to finish the course with the fastest times to win prizes in several competitive divisions. The event concludes with an awards ceremony, where corporate sponsors will present awards for best design, rookie team and other accomplishments.
“The NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge team and its innovative partners are extremely excited to host this engineering design competition,” said Diedra Williams, acting manager of Marshall’s Academic Affairs Office.
“The Rover Challenge allows for young talent to work together to solve complex engineering problems that include design, construction and testing. It is great fun – but also reflects the real-world complexity of problem solving with practical, hands-on experience. We look forward to seeing the enthusiasm and inventive ideas they bring to the competition.”
This year’s race has a new optional feature called the “Drive Trail Technology Challenge.” Teams can develop reliable systems such as belts, drive shafts or direct drives to replace commonly used chains. Cash awards will be given for best overall performance.
Major corporate sponsors include the Boeing Co.; Lockheed Martin Corp.; Jacobs Engineering; Aerojet Rocketdyne; and Northrop Grumman Corp., all with operations in Huntsville.
For the complete article please see http://spacecoastdaily.com/2017/03/nasa-announces-teams-from-across-the-world-for-2017-human-exploration-rover-challenge/
Yellowhammer Brewing in Huntsville to break ground on $1.2 million expansion
From the article by Lucy Berry on AL.com:
Major growth is on the horizon for one of Huntsville’s most popular breweries.
Yellowhammer Brewing will break ground this evening on 8,000 square feet of new production space, an event hall, a biergarten for small concerts and private parties, and a small-scale distillery to serve the taproom and provide take-home beverages to customers.
The $1.2 million project comes more than a year after Yellowhammer moved to the former Stone Middle School property, now known as Campus No. 805. General Manager Ethan Couch said they are ready to maximize on what they can do at the location near Straight to Ale and Rock N Roll Sushi.
“We want Yellowhammer to be a fixture for Huntsville for generations to come,” he said. “As long as Huntsville keeps growing, we will keep growing.”
The addition will be on the back of Yellowhammer’s current building on 2600 Clinton Avenue and extend to Hall Avenue. Couch said business will continue as usual at the brewery despite ongoing renovations in west Huntsville.
Couch expects to create 5-10 on-site jobs and several more in the field over the next year as a result of the expansion.
The brewery hopes to close in on 50 jobs total by late 2018.
Spokeswoman Joyce Skinner said the project shows Yellowhammer’s commitment to Campus No. 805.
“Announcing Yellowhammer’s expansion demonstrates that we are becoming a destination in Huntsville and our tenants are fully vested in making the Campus a success,” she said. “It’s also not just about the Campus but about all the developments that are coming to the west Huntsville area.”
The Huntsville City Council voted last month to add an Arts and Entertainment District at Campus No. 805 and a few other properties east along Clinton Avenue. The district, which went into effect March 5, is the fourth in Huntsville to allow patrons to drink alcohol outdoors during designated hours.
Skinner said many tenants have seen an uptick in foot traffic since the Butler Green Arts and Entertainment District went live.
“I think it’s really encouraging people to walk around the Campus and see what all there is to do,” she said. “You don’t have to just go into one establishment.”
Campus No. 805 may soon be home to a new full-service family restaurant with patio space. Skinner hopes to announce the eatery’s name by mid-April.
X-Golf, a 4,000-square-foot virtual golf center, will be open in early May in the Student Union Building on the east end of the property. The venue will feature advanced golf technology with simulated courses of Pebble Beach, Bay Hill and others from around the world.
“The Butler Green schedule is (also) filing up for the summer season and lots of fun events will be going on in the Stone Event Center,” Skinner said.
For the complete article please see http://www.al.com/business/index.ssf/2017/03/yellowhammer_brewing_expansion.html#incart_river_index
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Rosenbaum House is one of Alabama’s finest gems
From the article by Haley Laurence on AL.com:
If it wasn’t for the sign in front of the Rosenbaum House, you probably wouldn’t notice it.
The only Frank Lloyd Wright-designed dwelling in Alabama wasn’t exactly built for curb appeal. If you’re happening to be walking or driving down the gorgeous Riverview Drive in Florence, your eyes probably aren’t going to float to the brown brick home.
But regardless of whether it catches your eye, about 7,500 people visited the home last year — and the numbers keep growing and growing. And the people come from all over: Japan. Australia. New Zealand. The list goes on.
Why do people from all over come to Northwest Alabama just to see one home? Well, it’s because it’s an architectural marvel, that’s all.
Falling in love
The Rosenbaums weren’t your typical Southern couple.
Stanley Rosenbaum attended Harvard College and, after graduating, traveled to New York City in 1938. He was interested in literature and wanted to teach, and he was networking with the city’s literary crowd when he met and fell in love with the beautiful Mildred Bookholtz, who was a model and textile artist.
They dated long-distance for a bit, then Stanley popped the question. The couple got married later that year and she moved down to Florence, where Stanley grew up. His parents, who owned motion picture theaters, offered the newlyweds $7,500 and a lot across the street from them to build them their first home together.
But they still couldn’t find anything they liked — until they talked to their New York City friend, Aaron Green, who suggested they contact Frank Lloyd Wright to build a home. (Aaron later became an apprentice for Wright.) Aaron explained that Wright had begun designing some inexpensive, single-family “starter homes” for families, and the couple was intrigued.
That’s when the Rosenbaum House was born.
Natural light and functionality
Jeff Ford knows his stuff.
The Rosenbaum House tour guide and Florence native has shown the home to countless people over the years, but that doesn’t damper his enthusiasm. When he gives me a tour on a rainy, bleak Tuesday morning, we huddle in the carport (a concept that Wright designed) in the front yard, where he tells me the facts of the home — it displays Wright’s “Usonian” period and is made of cypress wood, glass and brick — about the first unique aspect of the house:
From the front yard, we’re actually looking at the back of the home.
When we enter the home at the back/front door, at first it’s a little underwhelming — you have to turn to your right and walk through a tight hallway. But when we walk through the hallway, we get to the main room, which is just a marvel of natural light. Half of the walls are filled with floor-to-ceiling windows, and it’s just a sight. Even on a rainy, dark day, you can’t help but gravitate toward the windows.
But it’s not just the natural light that’s a star in the room. There’s a piano topped with family photos (Mildred loved music and the arts) and 48 feet of bookcases to hold all of Stanley’s books.
And there’s the furniture. Oh, you can’t forget the furniture.
Wright picked all the furniture, including the colors and fabrics, and many of the original pieces are still in there, restored. Wright strongly encouraged his clients not to change the furniture after they moved in. (Jeff says that Mildred would joke, “I’ll change the furniture when Wright dies.”)
Besides the main room, there’s also a study for Stanley (Jeff jokes that it’s “the original man cave,”), a tiny, tiny kitchen (think: small New York apartment kitchen for a recent college graduate) and three bedrooms with ample storage (and a shoe rack for Mildred).
And natural light is still a theme. Each major room in the home — the bedrooms, the study — have ceiling-to-floor windows that open so you can walk outside.
Building on
In 1946, Stanley and Mildred realized the 1,540 square feet wasn’t enough for them and their four children, so they asked Wright and his associates to design an addition, and he obliged.
Mildred got another kitchen — this time, it was much bigger — and the boys got a dormitory with bunk beds and more storage space. The family also got a guest room, another carport and a Japanese nature garden outside.
The children grew up in the house, and Mildred and Stanley became integral members of the community. Stanley fulfilled his dream of teaching when he earned a job as an upper-level English professor at the University of North Alabama, where he taught until 1979. (According to Jeff, he was “a very demanding instructor.”) He passed away in 1983.
And Mildred was a social butterfly. “If there wasn’t a club, she started it,” Jeff says. She donated a lot of time and money to several causes throughout the community, and Mildred and Stanley were supporters of the Civil Rights Movement, and helped the area desegregate with fewer problems than many other Alabama towns.
Mildred lived in the home until 1999, when she moved to a nursing home. She died in 2006, but not before reaching an agreement with the city of Florence that they could buy the home if they turned it into a museum.
Since the city restored the home, visitors have been flocking in from all over the world to see the only Wright home in the Southeast viewable to the public. Just a month ago, Jeff said, he got some memorable visitors for a tour.
“This couple came in from Japan,” he said. “They flew in to Nashville and then drove down here.
“They took a 12-16 hour flight just to see this home.”
For the complete article please see http://www.al.com/living/index.ssf/2017/03/frank_lloyd_wright_-_rosenbaum.html#incart_river_home
How Muscle Shoals Sound is going back to the future
From the article by Matt Wake on AL.com
If you’re going to install new audio and video equipment at Muscle Shoals Sound it better sound good.
It better look good, too.
Actually, it better look old.
Last year, Muscle Shoals Sound, the famous Sheffield studio where artists including the Rolling Stones, Paul Simon and the Staple Singers cut classic tracks, underwent renovations to restore the look to its ’70s prime.
When Muscle Shoals Sound was reopened for tours this January, Muscle Shoals Music Foundation director Bonnie Bak felt adding some A/V would enhance the experience for visitors. She believed it could help tell the story of Muscle Shoals Sound and of the iconic studio musicians who founded it, the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, better known now as The Swampers, thanks to a shout-out in the Lynyrd Skynyrd song “Sweet Home Alabama.”
Bak met with Mozaic Audio Video Integration CEO Michael Johnson about her idea. “He was really the only A/V guy – and I talked to many – that got excited about the project and what we could create to make this happen,” Bak says. Johnson in turn enlisted Ann Arbor, Mich. custom manufacturer Leon Speakers. Founded a little over two years ago, Mozaic is based in Madison and employs a staff of around five. They’d previously worked with Leon Speakers on commercial and residential projects and first mentioned the Shoals project to them at a Dallas trade show.
Leon Speakers was tasked with creating a custom TV to show a short video at the beginning of the Muscle Shoals Sound studio tour, custom speakers for the basement lounge and other areas, and make it all look period-correct.
“They didn’t want a TV on the wall that looked like something out of 2017,” Johnson says, “so he had some challenges to overcome to give them the TV they needed but maintained that aesthetic. We were just excited to be part of such a historic project so we were chomping at the bit for the opportunity to work on it. I was very aware of the history there. One of our employees is from Muscle Shoals. He was extremely excited. We already had Muscle Shoals Sound T-shirts and stuff even before we got involved in the project.”
To get design ideas, Johnson looked online for photos of TVs made from 1971 to 1979, a period when TVs resembled furniture. He sketched out some ideas and emailed those and photos of Muscle Shoals Sound’s decor – lots of browns and oranges and wood paneling – to Leon Speakers president/founder Noah Kaplan.
A self-described “vintage audio freak,” Kaplan bought two pairs of ’70s speakers and went to junk shops and scoured eBay to find materials and inspiration for the project. He purchased over a dozen different fabrics for the speakers before finally settling on two that were “properly odd and earth toned,” Leon built five pairs of speaker grills before they looked right. “We used a large checked pattern vintage radio grill for the speakers,” Kaplan says. “For the TV grill, we used the same material you see on classic Fender (guitar) amps and trimmed them both in black walnut. We had to fabricate and paint every other part.” The TV features a 40-inch screen, and while the customization around it imparted the desired ’70s look, the whole thing is only a few inches deep instead of a couple feet, and mounted on the lounge wall. State of the art 2017 electronics are inside all the speakers built for the studio.
Despite their downhome perception and country-funk grooves, The Swampers (keyboardist Barry Beckett, drummer Roger Hawkins, bassist David Hood and drummer Jimmy Johnson) were big fans of technology. Back in the day, Muscle Shoals Sound was stocked with some of the best recording equipment available. There was a cutting-edge sound system in the basement lounge. “They even had some of the first push button phones in 1969 and the first push button Coke machines that came out in the ’70s,” Bak says.
Even though they’re a Michigan company, Leon Speakers, founded 20 years ago, felt a strong connection with Muscle Shoals Sound. Kaplan had regularly performed The Stones song “Wild Horses,” which was cut at the humble studio, with his own band. About 10 years ago, a Leon Speakers ad campaign featured Leon Russell, the funky singer, pianist, producer and songwriter who recorded one of his signature songs, “Tightrope,” at Muscle Shoals Sound. “He was a true icon to us as musicians,” Kaplan says of Russell, who died in 2016. “He always stayed true to himself and was crazy prolific.”
On a whim, the company reached out to Russell, who happened to be looking for a sound system for his house at the time. Knowing this wasn’t a big company he agreed to let the company use his name and image for the ad campaign, in exchange for Leon Speakers building him their best. “We designed the finest surround system we could for him and finished it all in shades of piano white with silver trim.,” Kaplan says. “I get choked up about this now as it was such a pivotal, breakthrough moment in our history and it helped elevate our small company during tough times.”
The design process for the Muscle Shoals Sound A/V project took several months. Leon Speakers assembled a team of mechanical and electrical engineers to get the acoustics to sing and build drawings for fabricators. Senior craftsmen hand-built each component. Alabama Shakes “Sound & Color” was the first album Kaplan played on the speakers to test them and other albums used for the testing included Black Keys’ “Brothers,” a 2010 album that was recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound.
Installation for Muscle Shoals Sound’s new A/V system took about a week. From a smartphone or tablet, the system can play songs from the studio’s deep, rich catalog and play them. We get to do things like that on a daily basis but it’s not going into a facility like that,” Johnson says. “It’s kind of like painting a painting for Picasso if you’re putting music in Muscle Shoals Sound Studio.”
For the complete article please see http://www.al.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2017/02/how_muscle_shoals_sound_tours.html
Alabama restaurant chain Baumhower’s to open new location in Mobile
Editor’s note: Bob Baumhower received the state tourism partnership award for his work during The Year of Alabama Food and The Year of Alabama Parks marketing campaigns and for his continuing efforts in helping promote the state.
From the article by Michelle Matthews on AL.com:
Baumhower’s Restaurant will open a new, 7,000-square-foot location at The Shoppes at Bel Air this summer.
The sports-themed casual dining restaurant founded by former University of Alabama and Miami Dolphins football player-turned-restaurateur Bob Baumhower will join recently opened P.F. Chang’s and Grimaldi’s Pizzeria at the newly constructed streetscape along Airport Boulevard.
Baumhower’s will feature more than 70 flat-screen TVs, community seating and a covered patio area, along with a menu offering burgers, chicken wings, salads, comfort foods like chicken pot pie and pot roast and homemade desserts.
“I have enjoyed shopping and going to special events at The Shoppes at Bel Air for years,” said Bob Baumhower, chief executive officer and “head fry cook” of Aloha Hospitality, which is based in Loxley. “I have very special memories of taking my kids there to meet Santa Claus when they were young. It is so exciting to be a part of the wonderful rebirth of The Shoppes at Bel Air. We can’t wait to show the folks of Mobile our next new project.”
In addition to nine Baumhower’s Restaurant locations in Alabama, Baumhower owns the upscale Dauphin’s restaurant on the 34th floor of the Trustmark building in downtown Mobile. Dauphin’s is the only restaurant in Alabama to be named among the 100 Most Scenic Restaurants in America by OpenTable.
Baumhower also operates Bob’s Victory Grille, with locations in Auburn and Tuscaloosa.
For the complete article please see http://www.al.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2017/03/baumhowers_to_open_new_locatio.html#incart_river_home
Longtime director to retire from Birmingham Museum of Art
From the article by Stephanie Rebman in the Birmingham Business Journal:
Gail Andrews has announced she will retire from the Birmingham Museum of Art this fall.
Andrews has been the R. Hugh Daniel director for more than 20 years and has been embedded in the Birmingham arts community for more than 40 years. The board of trustees will begin a search for her replacement immediately.
“For more than 40 years, Gail Andrews has been a tireless advocate for the arts in Birmingham and the state of Alabama. Her remarkable knowledge and passion for art is matched only by her drive to enhance the lives of others; and her contributions to our institution, our community and the museum field at large are immeasurable,” James K. Outland, chairman of the museum board of trustees, said in a release. “Under Gail’s leadership, the Birmingham Museum of Art has strategically developed a vast and distinguished collection, establishing itself not only as one of the most outstanding art museums in the Southeast, but also as a critical resource for arts education in our region. Gail’s legacy will remain apparent through the phenomenal works that hang on the museum walls, and her impact will continue to enrich lives in our community for generations to come.”
Andrews first arrived in the Magic City in 1976 to be the museum’s first curator of decorative arts. In 1991, then as interim director, she managed a $21 million building expansion that increased the museum size by 50 percent. She was appointed director in 1996. During her time at the organization, the museum’s holdings has grown from 13,000 to 27,000 objects and it has acquired the Buten Wedgwood Collection. She has also spearheaded many initiatives, increased the endowment and expanded programming at the museum, which is one of the few left in the United States that has free public admission.
“It is with deep pleasure and gratitude that I reflect on my 40 years with this museum, a place I love and respect. It has given me the opportunity to work with individuals in the Museum and in the community who are wise, inspiring and great colleagues and friends,” Andrews said in a release. “We are fortunate to have a premier institution, and our ongoing challenge is to create broader and deeper engagement in our community and beyond, ensuring greater appreciation, participation and sustainability.”
For the complete article please see http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/news/2017/03/17/longtime-director-to-retire-from-birmingham-museum.html?ana=e_me_set3&s=newsletter&ed=2017-03-20&u=yR6EzMegYo3HiugBPpPOQfL%2Bby3&t=1490018193&j=77693071
Alabama Tourism Workshop- April 12
The Alabama Tourism Department will host the semi-annual Tourism Workshop in Montgomery on Wed., April 12. This workshop is for new tourism industry members, event organizers and anyone interested in enhancing tourism in the area.
For registration and additional information, please contact Rosemary Judkins at 334-242-4493 or via email at Rosemary.Judkins@tourism.alabama.gov.
“Partner Pointer” for the tourism industry website
If your location features multiple location-specific amenities, it is to your – and your prospective guests advantage – to list each separately. For example, as a hotel with a restaurant or a resort with a golf course, a separate location listing with specific descriptions – and often a unique physical address – insures you greater exposure and website visitors more relevant travel planning information. Even those multiple location listings with the same address will be individually displayed and easier for website visitors to find in their search for the perfect travel plan.
Need to polish up your partner account? Go to http://partners.alabama.travel/ today.
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Tourism Tuesdays is a free electronic newsletter produced by the Alabama Tourism Department. It contains news about the state tourism department and the Alabama tourism industry.
The newsletter can also be accessed online by going to: www.tourism.alabama.gov
To subscribe to the newsletter please contact Brian Jones at: brian.jones@tourism.alabama.gov
Alabama Tourism Department
www.alabama.travel