bedford county arts council



OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM
Our Executive Officers are elected to office by Members of The Fly everything two years in June. The next election will occur in 2026. The Executive Board appoints all other positions on the Board of Trustees, which include Administrative Committee Chairs and Department Heads.
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The Bedford County Arts Council Board of Trustees Executive Officers
President - Jody Barnes Turner
Vice President - Jennifer Smith
2nd Vice President - Open
Treasurer - Linda Wyant
Secretary - Dianne Clanton
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Administrative Committee Chairs
Development Chair - Open
Public Relations and Marketing Chair - Jennifer "Seven" Meloy
Building Maintenance Co-Chairs - Rick Clanton and Joshua Bean
Grounds Beautification Chair - Open
Membership and Volunteer Chair - Kathy Lindvig
Community Outreach Co-chairs - Andres Gonzalez and Jennifer Gonzalez
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Department Heads
Crafts and Folk Arts Chair - Open
Heritage Chair Co-Chairs (Museum Manager) - Gene Williams and Marc Majors
Literary Arts Chair - Nicole Rodriguez
Performing Arts Chair (Theatre Manager) - Keith Davis
Visual Arts Chair (Art Gallery Manager) - Santha Koonce
Youth Arts and Youth Advisory Co-Chairs - Mary Margaret Edwards & Ashley Bell
Support Chair - Open
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Honorary Board Member - Judy Williams
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THE HISTORY OF OUR ORGANIZATION
The Bedford County Arts Council was conceived in 1976 by Carol Price when she began teaching at the Webb School as a Tennessee Arts Commission (TAC) artist-in-residence. Her community art involvement was to start The Bedford County Arts Council, and she served as the first president. By 1977, the Bedford County Arts Council was a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization with a mission to support the arts in Bedford County, TN.
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The organization exhibited the artwork of local artists at the Chamber of Commerce and local banks. Different art groups struggled independently until the early nineties when the Bedford County Arts Council members began to search for a building that could house all of the arts. The City of Shelbyville owned The Fly Manufacturing Building, which had been an apparel company founded in the 1920s. With the help of Lisa Neese, the organization was given The Fly to develop into a cultural arts center in 1992.
After a decade of neglect, the historic building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places as a significant part of Shelbyville's industrial heritage. The Bedford County Arts Council restored the building with a grant from the Tennessee Arts Commission and community support. Members of The Fly Arts Center began fundraising with "The Spotted Horse Celebration". 1993 marked the beginning of "The Fly-In For The Arts" fundraisers featuring USO Dances. The first event in The Fly building was an "Auction for the Arts".
Fundraising efforts were given a big lift in 1995 when Dorothy Fly Smith made a substantial contribution to repair the roof. Membership chairperson, Nancy June Brandon, began a very successful “Window Fundraising Campaign”. In 1997 the first "Friends of The Fly Party" was held at the arts center. Dignitaries, art & historical exhibits, artists, musicians and a delicious array of hors d’oeuvres highlighted the event. Next came the first of the "Masquerade Ball" fundraisers, and in 2000 and 2001 Ken & Sandra Crowell spearheaded successful Golf Tournaments.
Through fundraising efforts, grants and donations, The Fly continues to be an asset to the community of Bedford County. The Fly Arts Center now functions as the home base for the Bedford County Arts Council and houses The Fly Community Theatre, the Bedford County Museum and The Fly Art Gallery. The building is also used for festivals, live music events, community meetings, arts classes and as a private event space.
In 2027 The Fly building will celebrate 100 years as a vital part of Bedford County's local history and cultural heritage. A special 50/100 event is currently being planned by the Bedford County Arts Council to commemorate both their home's 100th anniversary and the 50th year of their non-profit organization's existence.