Mary Evans
While students were chilling over winter break, the Oxford art scene was still buzzing with activities. Kicking things off, the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council hosted its annual Holiday Ornament Auction at The Powerhouse.
Beginning almost 50 years ago, the original ornament auction was held as a small gathering in people’s homes. Over the years, the event has grown, finding its new home in the Powerhouse in 2007. This year, 114 artists from Mississippi participated.
“While the auction is always fun, we always try to have some sort of element of surprise or something different,” YAC Director Wayne Andrews said.
This season, the ornament auction was featured on national television: Fox Business’ “Small Town Christmas,” which aired on Dec. 16, 2023.
Proceeds fund the YAC’s year-round programming for community concerts, festivals, touring events, the circus and other diverse artistic events.
The End of All Music record store brought Memphis soul to the Square by hosting the Stax Museum of American Soul Music’s first “Holiday Soul Mobile.” Honoring the Stax Museum’s 20th Anniversary, this traveling exhibit featured merchandise designed by Memphis artist Mia Saine, special guest appearances and a live vinyl DJ booth.
In partnership with the Bob Abrahamian collection, the exhibit featured an epic collection of 35,000 soul music records from Chicago’s South Side in the 1960s and 1970s along with other artifacts.
CASA of North Mississippi hosted its first CASAblanca Gala at The Powerhouse on Dec. 31, 2023. CASA of North Mississippi advocates for abused and neglected children through the service of trained, court-appointed volunteers in the North Mississippi region.
The Gala kicked off with an extravagant dinner, lively dancing, lavish casino games and a cash bar. All proceeds fund CASA’s mission.
Presented by Theatre Oxford, “The Exonerated” took center stage at The Powerhouse on Saturday, Jan. 6. The award-winning show told six true stories of death row survivors. Carefully curated from interviews, letters, transcripts, case files and public records, the narratives shed light on the flaws in the justice system by focusing on the personal struggles of individuals who were wrongfully convicted.
To enhance the audience’s experience, organizers arranged a Q&A session with Tucker Carrington, founder of the Mississippi Innocence Project. This session delved into the legal aspects surrounding the stories, offering a deeper perspective on the performance.
A few local artistic events set for mid-January were canceled due to extreme weather conditions.
Ford Center Director Julia Aubrey announced the postponement of “My Fair Lady,” originally scheduled for Jan. 16 at 7:30 p.m., honoring attendees’ tickets and seat assignments for the rescheduled show.
The icy conditions also impacted the YAC’s 14th Annual Oxford Fiber Festival, as the festivities set for Jan. 19 and 20 were relocated to an online format.
