The Coastal Arts Center of Orange Beach

When it comes to passion for local art, natural splendor, and human creativity, there aren't many places along the Alabama and Florida Gulf Coasts like the Coastal Arts Center of Orange Beach. "It's not your typical museum or gallery space," said center director, Desiree Hodge, of the 10,000 sq. ft, two-story municipal art center. "There’s a tremendous love for the arts here in Orange Beach, and the Coastal Arts Center is another way for everyone to get involved with our thriving local scene!"

According to Hodge, when the city purchased the future site of The Coastal Arts Center from the previous owners in 2005, one of the main stipulations was that the property would always be available to the city for public use. Keeping this promise, the arts center and the bordering waterfront park are free public spaces: perfect for day trips, family outings, and exploring new creative interests through numerous classes for adults and children.

"While it broke our hearts to tear down the original house on this property, there was no way around it due to foundation damage," she said, noting how they at least kept the A-frame columns and antebellum facade while redesigning the interior into a contemporary showroom. "The interior is a beautiful modern gallery, featuring an open floorplan and tall waterfront glass windows overlooking Wolf Bay, which really adds to the charm," she said.

Regarding the art selection process for the gallery, the only rule is that artists must be full-time Gulf Coast residents, resulting in a diverse showcase of artists from Pensacola to the Mississippi coast, each offering a unique perspective on nearshore living. “The most common question guests ask about the art is if the artists are local," the director admitted. "It means a lot when we can answer confidently yes! Plus, having our artists nearby makes replacing sold artwork a non-issue," she remarked, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a vibrant inventory and well-rounded gallery.

Hodge also said the submission process is straightforward, explaining how interested creators can submit online through the Center's website. "We get a lot of people asking how to get their work into the gallery. Annually, we review those submissions of new potential artists in the fall and then ask for three original pieces to be reviewed by two of our qualified in-house staff and one paid outside juror, which keeps things unbiased."

The showroom includes various art mediums, from traditional fine art to newer art forms such as multimedia and more abstract projects. "The gallery is diverse by design, be it in realistic beach scenes or impressionist watercolors," the director expressed, likening the artwork to the natural diversity of our Gulf Coast home. However, she wants potential artists to know that glass and clay works are not accepted, as these are created daily by the four resident artists in-house. "Our gift shop is stocked with one-of-a-kind local creations made by our amazingly talented artists!"

"First and foremost, our function is quality of life for the city, our guests, and our local artists," Hodge concluded, going on to address celebrating local art, culture, and creativity that is both accessible to our community and area visitors as primary factors in what makes the center so special.

"We love what we do, and it shows."