Berea has been making room for artists for a long time, and on Saturday, September 5, the Berea Arts Council will mark four decades of that work with its annual Stepping Out for Art fundraiser.
The event runs from 5 to 10 p.m. at Churchill’s, 100 Churchill Drive in Berea. The Berea Arts Council is the organizer. This year’s event is both the Council’s major fundraiser and its 40th Anniversary Celebration.
For people who have spent years visiting the Arts Council gallery at 444 Chestnut Street, taking a class, attending a concert, seeing an exhibit, or bringing a child to an arts program, the fundraiser has a fairly simple purpose. The money raised helps pay for the work that happens the rest of the year.
The Arts Council says Stepping Out for Art supports free and low-cost arts programming, exhibitions, workshops, community events, and creative opportunities for children and adults.
Dinner, auction and a 40th anniversary
The evening begins with check-in and a cocktail hour from 5 to 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 6. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. Free parking is listed for guests.
Dinner is being catered by Honeysuckle Dining and Bourbon House, the restaurant operating at Churchill’s. Honeysuckle is a Berea operation at the same 100 Churchill Drive address, so this is a genuinely local setup rather than a caterer coming in from out of town. The restaurant describes its food as Southern cooking with modern and international influences and says it provides catering for events at Churchill’s.
The 2026 event listing confirms dinner, desserts and a cash bar. It does not publish a specific menu or dietary-accommodation list for the September dinner, so guests with food allergies or special dietary needs should contact the Berea Arts Council before the event rather than assume a particular option will be available. The Council lists 859-985-9317 and info@bereaartscouncil.org for questions.
The main activity after dinner is the art auction, with both silent and live auctions featuring work donated by regional artists. The Arts Council says pieces are available for preview online and at its gallery.
The evening will also include the Berea Art Awards, recognizing contributions to the arts and the community.
This year’s dress theme is black and white. The Council specifically says it is not a black-tie requirement. Cocktail-casual or dressier black-and-white clothing is fine.
Tickets at a glance
The 2026 Eventbrite listing gives these general admission prices:
- Berea Arts Council members: $55
- Non-members: $65
Member pricing requires a current 2026 Berea Arts Council membership.
The VIP option reserves a table for eight and includes special seating, eight drink tickets, special table decor and party favors. The current 2026 public Eventbrite listing describes those benefits but does not publish a dollar amount for the VIP table. The Council directs questions to Executive Director Kiana Mahjub through the BAC office at 859-985-9317 or info@bereaartscouncil.org.
The listing also says refunds are available up to seven days before the event. It does not publish a separate ticket-sales cutoff or state that general admission tickets will be sold at the door. Because this is a seated dinner with catering, readers planning to attend should purchase in advance and confirm directly with the Arts Council if they are considering a last-minute ticket.
Getting there
Churchill’s sits in the former Churchill Weavers complex and alongside the Berea Golf Club. The property is outside the Chestnut Street gallery area, so anyone moving around town that evening should allow a little time between stops.
And the 40th anniversary gives Stepping Out for Art a little more weight this year.
I have seen that work up close. One year, Stepping Out for Art asked Spotlight Acting School to provide circus performers, and we had a fantastic time. I know this year will be just as exciting, and the work the Arts Council does for the community is far-reaching.
The Berea Arts Council identifies itself as Berea’s creative hub since 1986. Forty years later, the organization is still using the same basic formula that makes local arts work in a small town: artists make the work, audiences show up, volunteers help put it together, and fundraisers help pay for the next round of programs.
For a community that has built much of its identity around craft, music, theater and visual art, that anniversary is worth marking.
Stepping Out for Art is one evening. The programs it helps support are spread across the calendar.
That is the part worth remembering when the auction paddle goes up.
✍️ About the Author
Chad Hembree serves as the Executive Director of Spotlight Acting School, The Spotlight Playhouse, and Spotlight Performing Arts. A resident of Berea, Kentucky, and a former member of the Berea Council, he has spent decades working in community theater, arts education, and local journalism. Since 1995, he has operated BereaOnline.com, focusing on local news, civic issues, and stories that highlight community collaboration and grassroots efforts across Madison County.
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📅 Upcoming Community & Theater Events
- August 30, 2026: Family Activity: Forest Reptiles at the Berea College Forestry Outreach Center (free, 2–3 p.m.). 🐢
- September 3, 2026: Stephenson Memorial Concert featuring blues legend Tee Dee Young at Phelps-Stokes Chapel, Berea College (free, 8 p.m.). 🎵
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- September 4–6, 2026: Lexington Comic & Toy Con (Fall Edition) at Central Bank Center, Lexington. 🥶
- September 5, 2026: Stepping Out for Art, the Berea Arts Council’s 40th Anniversary Celebration at Churchill’s, Berea (5–10 p.m.). 🎨
- September 5, 2026: Miss Spoonbread Festival & Miss Berea pageants at Berea Community Gym. 👑
- September 5, 2026: Auditions for Disney’s The Aristocats KIDS (ages 4 to 11) at The Spotlight Playhouse. 🐱
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- September 18–27, 2026: Honk! Jr. (Spotlight Acting School students ages 9 to 14) at The Spotlight Playhouse. 🦢
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This article originally appeared on BereaOnline.com – your home for Madison County news, community events, and local updates.