ARTS AND CULTURAL Events ~ CCIRC

Performances & Events

The Community Church of Vero Beach offers  “Advent Organ and Poetry”on December 23, 11am – 12 pm. This program features Director of Music and Fine Arts and organist Andrew R. Galuska and readings by nationally-recognized poets from across the United States. Located at 1901 23rd Street, Vero Beach

Ballet Vero Beach in “Nutcracker for All” At Tree House Vero Beach (Accessible/Family Friendly) December 20, 5:30 pm December 22 – 2:30 & 5:30 pm. Due to overwhelming demand, performance added on December 23 at 11:30 am!

Magic of McKee Festival of Lights

Tuesday, December 21 – Thursday, December 23 Tuesday, December 28 – Thursday, December 30 6 – 8 pm Nightly

The lush tropical foliage of the Garden is illuminated with thousands of professionally-installed LED lights, lighted holiday displays and festive decorations. Visit with Santa (December 17-19), marvel at the large-scale train display (December 21-23 and December 28-30), listen to the music of the 1924 Wurlitzer Band Organ (December 16-19), enjoy performances by local entertainers (December 21-23), and watch your favorite holiday movies on a big outdoor screen.

The Garden Café will be serving special holiday treats throughout the evening events. Dates and times for the activities listed above vary. In addition to the evening events, the Garden will be hosting daily holiday-themed crafts and games during our regular Garden hours from December 1 to December 23. General admission rates apply. (The Garden will close at 5:00 pm and will reopen at 6:00 pm for the evening events. The evening events are a separate admission fee from regular admission)

Vero Beach Art Club Annex presents “Florida Treasures”

On View through January 17. Tuesday – Friday, 11 am – 3 pm, Located at 1903 14th Avenue, Vero Beach.

For its December gallery offering, the Center for Spiritual Care will feature a group show of artist members of Vero’s Friends of Contemporary Art (FOCA).

On View through December 31. The Center is located at 1550 24th St., at the corner of 16th Ave., in Vero Beach

Gallery 14 presents VISUAL POETRY: Derek Gores, Cliffton Chandler, Joan Earnhart and Maslow

On View through January 28

This multi-faceted exhibit is sure to please a multitude of tastes.

According to Derek Gores, curator of the event: “Focus will be on communicating beyond words, beyond intellect and in trusting the dream state.”

The A.E. Backus Museum & Gallery presents the special exhibition, “Made By Hand: 50 Years of Collecting from Florida CraftArt” On View through December 31

Featuring the artistic works of a selection of Florida’s most distinguished fine craft artists, including Laura Militzer Bryant, Kimberli Burns Cummings, John Eckert, Christine Federighi, Nneka Jones, John Mascoll, and Duncan McClellan.  Contemporary fine craft includes handmade ceramics, wax encaustic, fiber, glass, jewelry, metal, mixed media, and wood, beautifully created with expert craftmanship, design skills and the artists’ individual expression. Made By Hand features more than 50 works in a wide variety of media, technique and traditions. The exhibition celebrates the cultural significance of fine craft as art, showcasing the Sunshine State’s rich and varied traditions.

Made By Hand is organized by Florida CraftArt located in St. Petersburg, Florida. Formerly known as Florida Craftsmen, the organization was founded more than 70 years ago as a statewide association to recognize and document the artistic and cultural significance of Florida’s skilled crafts, and to elevate these art forms to the status they so rightly deserved.  

The Museum is located at 500 N. Indian River Drive in Historic Downtown Fort Pierce.

Nature-inspired Artist Series

The Environmental Learning Center presents the Nature-inspired Artist Series. Artwork will be on exhibit during the month of December in both galleries. Stop by during business hours (Monday-Friday 8-5pm Saturday-Sunday 8-4pm) to view the nature-inspired work of Trish Brannon and Sandra Johnson. General admission is required. Environmental Learning Center, 255 Live Oak Drive, Vero Beach

Vero Beach Museum of Art

American Perspectives: Stories from the American Folk Art Museum Collection In partnership with the Art Bridges Foundation. On view through January 2, in the Holmes and Schumann Galleries

The exhibition includes over 90 American folk art objects, spanning from paintings and pottery, to quilts, needlework, and sculpture. The fascinating artworks span the entirety of our nation’s history, offering first hand testimony to the people, places, and events of our culture. 

Art in Public Places Program sponsored by the Cultural Council of Indian River County at the IRC Administration Buildings A & B, 1801 27th St., Vero Beach. Portraits and People ~ Member Exhibit

On View through January 5

Impressions of Light Exhibit ~  Art at The Emerson Gallery.  On view through January  6.  Local photographers exhibit. Gallery hours: Monday – Friday, 10 – 3 pm. Art at the Emerson Gallery, 1590 27th Ave., Vero Beach

Art in Public Places Program sponsored by the Cultural Council of Indian River County at the Intergenerational Recreation Center

Mixed Media ~ Member Exhibit

Feature the work of: Steve Reid,  Sheila McAvoy, Yvonne Steere, Judy Burgarella, Gail Jaffe, Mark San Souci, Richard Gillmor, Tara Rovani,  Gwenn McNenney & Ella Chabot. On View through January 26

Artists Guild Gallery is a fine-art gallery featuring original art by local artist-owners. Diverse styles and mediums are represented, and the art is changed, and rotated on a monthly basis. Classes are offered in oil, watercolor, acrylics, pastels, and drawing.  Located: 1974 14th Avenue, Vero Beach

Gallery Hours: Tuesday – Friday, 11am – 3pm

Art in Public Places Program sponsored by the Cultural Council of Indian River County at the Indian River County Courthouse.

Spoken In Thread  ~ Yvonne Steere and Sheila McAvoy

On View through March 10

Artists and sisters, Sheila McAvoy and Yvonne Steere present evocative images created from fiber materials and needlecraft.

McKee Botanical Garden presents Dinosaurs Around the World: The Great Outdoors 

Through May 1, 2022.  In this specially constructed outdoor version of the popular Dinosaurs Around the World exhibition, visitors will be whisked back in time on a dinosaur adventure and a tour of an Earth that’s very different from the one we inhabit today.  Travel back to the time before the continents as we know them existed, when arid deserts covered Brazil and polar darkness was the norm in Australia! With advanced animatronics, a multi-layered narrative, cutting-edge research, in an outdoor environment surrounded by nature, you’ll experience the Age of Reptiles brought back to life!  Dinosaurs Around the World: The Great Outdoors is open daily to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am – 5 pm and Sunday from 12 pm – 5 pm. The last admission ticket is sold at 4 pm and the Children’s Garden closes at 4:30 pm. Tickets are available to purchase at McKee Botanical Garden and www.mckeegarden.org.