Underwritten by DTE Energy, CHASE, Community Foundation for Muskegon County, and the Roger and Peggy Schwer Fund of the Community Foundation for Muskegon County.This major exhibition showcases the story of American Impressionism through the historic core of the MMA's collections, and to further illustrate the narrative, also features a wealth of American artworks from other public and private collections in Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana.Adult Admission:$4.00 (Free on Thursdays)Children 17 & under: FreeStudents with ID: Free 

U-call-its: $1: 8-9 p.m.$2: 9-10 p.m.$3: 10-11 p.m.Entertainment by DJ Wildman. 1/2 price appetizers 8-11 p.m.

# 2008 West Michigan Area Show# July 12-August 30 One of the area's largest juried shows, this annual exhibition presents examples of the best art produced in a 14-county region of West Michigan.

One of the area's largest juried shows, this annual exhibition presents examples of the best art produced in a 14-county region of West Michigan.Free admission

The public is welcomed to take part in this 3-D archery opportunity. There is open shoot, league optional along with 30 3-D targets set along a 2-track in the woods, stakes for children, youth & adults. Come join the Archery fun!

The 80th Regional Exhibition is presented by Muskegon Summer Celebration and Esurance. Media sponsor is Blue Lake Public Radio.Large juried show of paintings, glass, sculpture, prints, photography, fiber art, ceramics and more by West Michigan artists in the state's longest running regional exhibition.Artists: For information about submitting work for Regional Exhibition jurying May 8-10, please visit muskegonartmuseum.org. For placement on entry form mailing list, e-mail amartin@mpsk12.net

# A Corporate Wasteland: Photographs by David Lewis# May 31-July 26 A collection of photos illustrating the rise and fall of the American industrial complex through its majestic factories and other facilities.

A Traveler's DiaryFerdinand Richardt's Drawings of America 1855-1859June 27 - September 7, 2008When thirty-six year old Ferdinand Richardt set foot in New York in July 1855, he was already a successful professional artist in his native Denmark. He enjoyed a noteworthy reputation during the Golden Age of Danish painting and was patronized by the Danish royal family. His paintings were included in the annual exhibitions of the Royal Danish Art Academy in Copenhagen.Between 1855 and 1859 Richardt traveled throughout eastern North America executing hundreds of drawings and paintings on a wide variety of subjects. The phenomenon of tourism, then expanding at an amazing rate in America, attracted Richardt to the country's rivers, mountains, spas and resort hotels, and to the people who gathered there, as well as to America's cities and new architecture.When Richardt returned to Denmark in 1859, he took his American drawings with him. They returned to America again in 1873 when Richardt and his family sailed into New York harbor to make America their permanent home. While anchored in the harbor, the ship caught fire and many of the drawings were damaged. A recent conservation project has resulted in this first comprehensive exhibition of fifty-five of Richardt's meticulously executed drawings of America extending south to Virginia and Kentucky and west to the Niagara frontier and Minnesota. The drawings are remarkable examples of 19th-century draftsmanship because of the quality of their execution and the documentation they provide of pre-Civil War America.The exhibition is organized by Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute Museum of Art from the Justine and Frank Keller Collection and is presented in Grand Rapids in conjunction with the loan of Ferdinand Richardt's Niagara, a monumental painting from the Manoogian Collection.

AMERICA: BLACK AND WHITEGORDON PARKS PHOTOGRAPHYOrganized byGrand Rapids Art MuseumJune 27-October 12, 2008

Rotating Art Exhibit at the Coopersville Farm Museum Description:We hope you will take the time to experience the same sense of wonder Jerry feels every time he looks through his lens as he attempts to capture the beauty, grace and playfulness of horses, mules, donkeys, livestock, pets and other natural wonders. Jerry Johnson’s are will be on display April 26-July 25 at the Coopersville Farm Museum.

The discipline of Ballet or dance technique in general, is known to be a wonderful workout. “Ballerina Legs” is a class that targets the whole body, providing strength, flexibility and awareness of correct posture utilizing ballet exercises. You will learn how to use your core for better balance, as well as lengthen and re-shape the line of your thigh muscles. You will be able to have an elegant body tone, and build cardiovascular stamina. And, no worries if you have no dance background, this class is suitable for everyoneJoin Laura weekly!Laura Armenta has been a professional dancer and choreographer with over 20 years of experience as a performer and dance educator.

A one-time event! Fusion dance is becoming more and more popular and we invite you to spin, shake and rock your body to the best of two worlds - Latin Dance and Middle Eastern Belly Dancing! This workshop promises to be a fantastic treat of footwork, hip rotations and shimmies! No previous dance experience necessary.

WLAV-FM presents their annual Blues on the Mall series at Rosa Parks Circle in Downtown Grand Rapids. This year's schedule has: June 11 -Mike Zito, June 18 - Jimmy Dillon, June 25 - Ana Popovic, July 2 - John Nemeth, July 9 - Nick Moss, July 16 - Anthony Gomes, July 23 - Lil' Ed, July 30 - Walter Trout, August 6 - Deanna Bogart, Finale August 13- To be announced.The free series also offers a a variety of food and goods. Limited seating available, so bring your lounge chair.   

Don't miss the hands-on fun at the Grand Rapids Children's Museum Building Our World open May 8-Nov. 2, 2008! Children can scoop more than 2,000 pounds of play gravel into buckets and chutes, sort and stack hundreds of safe foam rocks, test masonry skills by laying stones, load and transport kid-sized wheelbarrows across the construction bridge, and more! Plus, they can dress up in official gear while they play and explore! Regular admission to the Children's Museum is $5.00 per person.

Presented by Nica Lalli, Art Educator, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.“What is it like to grow up in a house with no religion? What kind of experience does someone have when one is not a believer and yet comes into constant contact with religion? How can a person find out what they are when they focus primarily on what they are not? These are the questions raised in the memoir Nothing. With humor, wit and poignant insight, Nica Lalli recounts her mishaps and misadventures with religion from early childhood into her adult years. As a questioning child, unsure of her idea of God, then a teenager feeling like an outsider, and finally an adult mother confronted by her husband’s born-again Christian family and questions from her own children, Nica vividly describes her struggle to find out what kind of “something” she really is. In the end, the author finds that “nothing” is a philosophy to be embraced rather than feared. Nothing is an appealing, sensitively written story that offers hope, humor and reason to millions of similar Americans who feel alienated in an ever more religiously polarized nation.”Nica Lalli is an art educator working with the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She also writes a weekly column in the Brooklyn Paper. She is the author of Nothing: Something to Believe In her newly published and recently acclaimed memoir of growing up nonreligious. In her memoir she also explores how to relate to devout relatives, the need to “come out” as a nonbeliever, and what she does believe in, if she doesn’t believe in God.Copies of Nothing: Something to Believe In will be available for purchase at the event. Nica Lalli will be available following the event for a book signing. After the meeting, join us at Vitale’s Restaurant, 834 Leonard NE, Grand Rapids, MI to socialize. Child care is available.

Master Arts Theatre presents a popular fairytale, Cinderella, July 18 – 26, 2008. Cinderella opens the audience to the Russian, Chinese and the Native American version of the world’s most popular fairytale. Call (616) 455-1001 or (800) 455-5003 for reservations or check our website, www.masterarts.org for more information.

1/2 off all drinks starting at 11 p.m., plus live DJ and dancing

Located at the DDA Pavilion N. behind the shops on Main Street. Open every Wednesday from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m., May-October.

Enjoy summer dancin' down at the waterfront stadium in Grand Haven.  Digital Joes will play ballroom and big band music that you can groove to all night long - from cha-cha to tango, rhumba to foxtrot, reggae to swing and MORE!  A 30 minute ballroom instruction precedes the event.  Meet and network with fellow dancers!  Proceeds of the event will go to the arts & cultural programming of the Grand Haven Area Arts Council, a 501c3 registered nonprofit organization.   

Summer 2008 showcases Impressionist master Edgar Degas (1834-1917) in the extensive exhibition 'Degas in Bronze: The Complete Sculptures'. As one of the most important artists of the 19th century, the French painter and sculptor spent his entire life investigating the figure in motion through countless studies of ballerinas, racehorses and bathers. 'Degas in Bronze' offers a rare opportunity to vew the complete set of all 74 scultpures. This exhibition is organized by Joseph S. Czestochowski, International Arts, Memphis, Tennessee with the exclusive loan of work from the collection of MASP, Museu de Arte de Sao Paolo Assis Chateaubriand, Sao Paolo. Brazil.