By JENNIFER MAIER / Community Columnist

Mark your calendars for Saturday, Feb. 24 for the Shelby County Arts Council’s Celebration of the Arts Luncheon. The event will be held at the First Baptist Church of Columbiana.

Doors open at 10 a.m. at which time attendees can peruse a selection of art made by local artists. Lunch will start at 11 a.m. with the show to begin at noon.

Attendees will enjoy a presentation called “Sitting on Southern Porches: Stories and Songs with Sean of the South.” Sean of the South, whose real name is Sean Dietrich, is a columnist and novelist known for his stories and observations about life in the south.  Dietrich has a large following in Shelby County and has performed several times to sell-out crowds at the Shelby County Arts Council.

The show is a combined effort of the three GFCW-Alabama clubs in Shelby County: Culture Club, Vignette Club and Novella Club. The clubs rotate chairmanship, with Vignette Club the organizer for this year’s event. The highly popular event is held yearly to raise money to benefit the Shelby County Arts Council.

Funds from the event are used by the Shelby County Arts Council to fund a variety of programming throughout the year. Some programming, such as musical performances and gallery exhibits, are just a small part of the impact the arts council has on the community.

Outreach programs such as ArtAbilities, Writing Our Stories and the Juvenile Detention Center are the heart of what the arts council is about and are constantly evolving and expanding, furthering the impact of the arts council.

Emcee for the event is state Rep. Corley Ellis. Food for the event will be catered by The Fish Market.

Bruce Andrews, executive director of the Shelby County Arts Council, will provide an update about the arts council during the event. Expect to hear some exciting news about the new performing arts center that will be built in Columbiana at Old Mill Square.

Tickets are $25 and are available for purchase online at Shelbycountyartscouncil.com.