This afternoon excursion offers two connected perspectives on the past, present, and future of Memphis’s visual arts landscape. The visit begins with Memphis Art Museum (MAM) in the Mid-South, a conversation with Executive Director Zoe Kahr about the MAM’s evolving role in the region, its relationship to the city’s artistic community, and the possibilities emerging as the institution prepares for its next chapter.
Participants will then join Memphis artist, Memphis College of Art alumna, and museum docent Adrienne Kornelson for a guided tour of Memphis College of Art, 1936–2020: An Enduring Legacy. Although the college closed in 2020 after 84 years, its influence remains deeply embedded in Memphis and extends far beyond the region through the artists, educators, and creative networks it helped shape.
Featuring work by 90 faculty members, administrators, and graduates across a wide range of media, the exhibition reflects on the college’s role in the cultural and economic life of Memphis and its close historical relationship with the museum. Presented as the final exhibition in the museum’s original Overton Park home, it offers an especially meaningful opportunity to consider how cultural institutions carry forward the legacies of the communities they have helped form.
The afternoon concludes with time for independent exploration and a private happy hour in the museum’s Terrace Room. Tea, soft drinks, and reception refreshments are included.
Hosted by: Memphis Art Museum
Expectations: This cultural tour includes transportation by bus, and tea, soft drinks, and reception refreshments are included. Participants should expect periods of walking, standing, boarding and exiting the bus, and moving between indoor and outdoor spaces. Routes may include stairs, uneven surfaces, or varying distances between stops. GIA and our local partners will work to keep the group connected and ensure that all participants can engage meaningfully in the tour. Please share any mobility, seating, transportation, or other access needs with our team at GIAAccess2026@gmail.com.
Cost: $50