The Imperial Centre for the Arts & Sciences free and no-fee programs for Spring 2019 are listed below.
The Imperial Centre, located at 270 Gay Street, Rocky Mount, North Carolina, offers a variety of programs, workshops, and special events. The facilities include a theater, science center, arts center, planetarium, and gallery exhibits.
Programs with a fee may offer a discounted members-rate and a rate for general public.
For paid classes and more information, visit imperialcentre.org. Online registration is available; or register by calling 252.972.1266; or stop by, see the center for yourself, and register in person.
Free events are marked in red.
Spring Programs
Note that programs may have a limit on the number of participants.
Make+Take
Every Wednesday in April 2019 @ 12:15-1:15pm
Fee is $5 per person. Open to all ages.
Take a break from your day and create art! This lunchtime mini-workshop explores different materials and techniques, and each participant will leave with a unique object and experience. All materials are provided. Pre-registration is suggested, drop-ins welcome.
Mommy+Me Arts
Fridays in March 9, 16, 24, and 30, 2019 @ 10:30-11:15am
Fee is $5 per person. Ages 2 to 3.
Children and caregivers explore a variety of art materials, experience new textures, improve fine motor skills, and enjoy being creative in a group setting. Each lesson is planned to expose the children to an element of art, new art material, and basic art skills. All materials are provided. Pre-registration is suggested, drop-ins welcome.
Art Saturdays
Every-other Saturday, Jan. through May 18, 2019 @ 11am-1pm
Free. Held in the Art Gallery and Art Education Building
Join us to experiment with different types of art! Travel around the Imperial Centre, observe sculpture, paintings, drawings, photographs, architecture, and many more artist-made objects, and then make your own! All materials are provided. Registration is not required, drop-ins of age 4 and up welcome.
Family Sundays
Every-other Sunday, Jan. through May 26, 2019 @ 2-4pm
Free. An afternoon full of family-friendly activities.
Drop into the gallery for art making, interactive play, gallery sketching, or go on your own exhibition tour! All materials are provided. Registration is not required, drop-ins of age 3 and up with accompanying adults welcome.
Talk & Draw
Friday, April 12, 2019 @ noon-1pm
Free.
Join an artist and lecturer to explore art in two different ways. First, listen to a brief talk then respond by making your own work in this short, artist-led drawing session. All materials are provided. Pre-registration is suggested, drop-ins welcome. Rain date is May 17.
First Fridays
March 2, April 6, and May 4, 2019
Free entry days for all ages with special events and themes each month.
Workshops
Yoga in the Galleries
Tuesdays, Jan. through May 29, 2019 @ 5:30-6:30pm
Fee is $5 per person, per session. Ages 16 and up.
Join us every Tuesday for an after-hours yoga experience among the art exhibits. Bring your yoga mat and get ready to unwind. Registration is not required, drop-ins welcome.
Knot Art: Macrame Workshop
Saturday, March 9, 2019 @ noon-4pm
Fee is $15/city resident, $22/non-resident.
Learn the art of knot making! Create a wall hanging while practicing different macrame knots and creating design, texture, and pattern within your piece. No prior experience is necessary. Age 10+. All materials included. No prior experience needed. Registration is required by March 5.
Paint Yourself! Portrait Workshop
Saturdays, March 23 and 30, 2019 @ noon-5pm
Fee is $50 city resident/75 non-resident.
This 2-session workshop encourages all to experiment with paint and observation. Learn the techniques of applying paint, color mixing, along with shape and light to create your own portrait. All materials provided; no experience necessary. Ages 11+. All materials included. No prior experience needed. Registration is required by March 20.
Clay Flower Pots: Family Workshop
Saturday, March 30, 2019 @ noon-3pm
Fee is $17 per family.
Work together to create a special clay flower pot! Build with clay using coiling techniques and decorate your pot with color. Age 7+. All materials included. No prior experience needed. Registration is required by March 27.
Clay Sculpture Workshop
Saturday, March 23, 2019 @ 10am-2:30pm
Fee is $24/city resident, $36/non-resident.
Experiment with clay sculpture! Create an original 3- dimensional relief sculpture through using special tools, color, and pattern. Age 12+. All materials included. No prior experience needed. Registration is required by March 27.
Jazz Funk: Master Class
Saturday, April 6, 2019 @ 2-5pm
Jazz funk is a face-paced hip-hop influenced dance style that stretches the boundaries of traditional jazz dance. This class focuses on body control, fluidity, self-expression, jazz technique, rhythmic pace as well as some forms of tumbling. Age 14+. No prior experience is necessary. Registration is required by April 1.
$16/city resident, $24/non-resident
Clay Sculpture: Family Workshop
Saturday, April 13, 2019 @ noon-3pm
Fee is $17 per family.
Together parents and children learn the basics of hand-building with clay to create functional and whimsical pieces. Sculpt, fire, glaze, and embellish fun and fantastical future family heirlooms. Age 4+. All materials included. No prior experience needed. Registration is required by April 10.
Intro to Abstract Painting
Saturday, April 20, 2019 @ noon-5pm
Fee is $25 city resident/$50 non-resident.
Be expressive and free with paint! Learn a range of techniques and experiment with color, value and shape to create a unique composition. All materials included. No prior experience needed. Registration is required by April 17.
Intro to Watercolor Workshop
Saturdays, May 4 and 11, 2019 @ noon-5pm
Fee is $50 city resident/75 non-resident.
Study the language of watercolor painting! Explore techniques, materials, and the elements of art to build a foundational understanding of the medium and create a contemporary still life. All materials provided or bring your own tools and sketchbook. Age 11+. No prior experience needed. Registration is required by May 1.
Clay Flower Pots
Tuesday, May 14, 2019 @ 10am-2pm
Fee is $15/city resident, $22/non-resident.
Design and construct a clay flower pot using coiling techniques. No prior experience is necessary. Age 10+. All materials included. No prior experience needed. Registration is required by May 10.
ARTitecture: Family Workshop
Saturday, May 18, 2019 @ 1-4pm
Fee is $18 per family.
Discover the special architecture inside and out of the Imperial Centre! Learn and practice fundamentals of drawing and create your own observational artwork. Age 8+. All materials included. No prior experience needed. Registration is required by May 15.
Classes
Drawing I
Thursdays, March 7-April 11, 2019 @ 5:30-8pm
Fee is $90/city resident, $135/non-resident.
Practice the art of drawing! Experiment with techniques and discovering how to represent what you see through studies in contour drawing, perspective, positive/negative space, and value. Students develop a deeper understanding of capturing any subject as an artist or designer. Beginner to intermediate age 12+. All materials included or bring your own tools and sketchbook. Registration is required by March 4.
Handbuilding with Clay
Mondays, April 1-May 6, 2019 @ 5:30-8:30pm
Fee is $120/city-resident, $180/non-resident.
Pinch, coil, and slab! Experiment with handbuilding techniques to create a range of sculptural and functional clay pieces. Practice wedging, construction techniques, finishing and glazing. All materials provided; no experience necessary. Age 13+. All materials included. No prior experience needed. Registration is required by March 31.
Modern
Tuesdays and Thursdays, April 9-May 2, 2019 @ 5:30-7:30pm
Fee is $78/city-resident, $115/non-resident.
Express emotion and story through movement! Explore a range of modern techniques; increasing strength, flexibility and freedom of movement. All exercises and choreography take place in center floor, allowing students to explore range of movement and interpretive style. No prior modern dance experience is necessary. Age 14+. Registration is required by April 5.
Wheel Throwing
Tuesday and Thursdays, April 2-25, 2019 @ 5:30-8:30pm
Fee is $157/city-resident, $235/non-resident.
Perfect for the complete beginner to learn the basics of clay. Practice wedging, centering, trimming, and glazing. All are welcome to work at their own pace and make a variety of cylinders and bowls. Age 14+. All materials included. No prior experience needed. Registration is required by April 5.
Painting II
Tuesdays, April 9-May 21, 2019 @ 5:30-8:30pm
Fee is $103/city-resident, $154/non-resident.
Continue your study of painting! Dive deeper into painting techniques and application to still life, portraiture, and expressive works. All materials provided or bring your own tools and sketchbook; no experience necessary. Ages 14+. Registration is required by April 8.
Hip-hop
Saturdays, April 13-May 18, 2019 @ 2-4pm
Fee is $62/city-resident, $93/non-resident.
This high-energy class infuses the latest styles of street dancing, breaking, popping, and locking. Classes encourage students to step outside of the box by bringing their own individual style and personality to the movements. No prior dance experience is necessary. Age 14+. Registration is required by April 10.
Drawing II
Thursdays, April 25-May 30, 2019 @ 5:30-8pm
Fee is $90/city resident, $135/non-resident.
Designed for students who already have a grasp of basic drawing techniques, this class takes you deeper into form, structure and expression. Using pencil, charcoal, and ink, start with still life and progress to an introduction to figure drawing. All materials provided or bring your own tools and sketchbook; no experience necessary. Ages 12+. Registration is required by April 22.
Source: Tracy Grosner, Imperial Centre for the Arts and Sciences
