The longer I work at the Arts Center, the more I run into people who tell me “oh yes, I’ve been to the Arts Center. It’s a great place. Lots of good stuff going on there!†Oddly, they don’t know about our monthly program called Lunch with the Arts. In short, on the third Wednesday of each month, we invite a different artist, author, performer, or other person of note to come in during lunchtime and lecture, demonstrate, or perform in whatever way he or she sees fit. It’s a nice little mid-day dose of art and culture that can expand your horizons, break up your routine, and just generally make your hump day better. I always enjoy Lunch with the Arts because it’s usually catered by Melton’s Deli, a local eatery with dynamite chicken salad and homemade cookies. I think this gerbil says it better than I could.
This past Wednesday Lunch with the Arts hosted George Ella Lyon, a native Kentuckian and prolific writer of memoirs, novels, poetry, and children’s books who shared some of her sources of inspiration and some of her work with us over lunch. The presentation was low-key and relaxed, humorous, informative, and touching. I learned about a local author that I otherwise wouldn’t have, got a glimpse into life in Appalachia, and most importantly, escaped my work-day grind to think about something outside of my email inbox or the latest sticky note to-do list. Especially important in a day and age where many people spend all day looking at a computer monitor or otherwise cocooned in an office building is the opportunity to connect with other people in the community in a meaningful way—to share an enlightening, entertaining, and artistic experience.
So if you’re in Danville on the third Wednesday of the month and you’re making plans for lunch, think about coming to the Arts Center. Instead of complaining about work with a colleague at Subway or mindlessly checking your phone at the Hub, you can be absorbing and appreciating a creative endeavor and the person behind it, connecting to people in your community, and getting your daily dose of creativity and imagination. What are you waiting for?
