Troy University has used the occasion of its International Arts Center reaching a 10-year mark to highlight the facility’s role in presenting art, culture and community activities. The center, located in the Janice Hawkins Cultural Arts Park dedicated in 2016, maintains a mission to advance creativity, research and cultural exchange while fostering community engagement and personal well-being, according to the university’s website. Through initiatives and partnerships the IAC connects diverse audiences to artistic experiences that inspire learning, discovery, innovation and shared understanding. University materials describe the park as a place where every generation can celebrate, dance, sing, learn and be inspired.
The Janice Hawkins Cultural Arts Park serves as home to the International Arts Center and features an amphitheater, walking trails, a lagoon and several prominent art installations. Troy University presents the site under an East Meets West theme that blends cultural elements from different parts of the world. The center itself contains art galleries, an interactive terracotta warrior exhibit and graphic design classrooms. It also houses the Huo Bao Zhu Gallery with sculpted works and donated Chinese artifacts from the internationally acclaimed sculptor along with traveling exhibits.
A key part of the IAC is the Nall Museum and Gallery, which holds works by Troy native Fred Nall Hollis and in 2025 unveiled Collected Visions I: The Nall Archive following the artist’s death in 2024. Troy University First Lady Janice Hawkins described Hollis as really, really interesting, really crazy, really argumentative, absolute genius and noted she had never known another artist that could do everything. The university has called his estate gift the largest it has ever received. These elements tie directly into the center’s first decade of operation.
Community programs have remained active as the center marks its 10 years, including the ArtSPARK free family art events launched in 2021 that provide hands-on activities, scavenger hunts, story time, snacks and outdoor fun. A February 2026 ArtSPARK featured children’s entertainer Miss Calliope along with live music and art inspired by current exhibits, Troy Today reported on February 20, 2026. Troy Today noted that the program uses art as a tool to strengthen bonds between caregivers and children. The International Arts Center has scheduled additional ArtSPARK sessions with details to be announced.
Exhibitions during the center’s 10-year span have included a March 2026 event celebrating women in music and poetry that highlighted themes of love, grief, unity, family and freedom. First Lady Janice Hawkins stated at the event, We have such a wonderful university and we have so many talented women on this campus, we could pick a different group of them every day to honor and I hope that we do I hope we all appreciate what we have here. She added that women are not always celebrated and that the event recognized those who achieve at a high level and pass talent to students. TrojanVision covered the occasion on March 11, 2026.
Later in 2026 the IAC hosted a reception for alumna Kitty Smothers and her Wild and Holy Things exhibition of paintings inspired by south Alabama’s natural beauty, according to an August 24, 2026, TrojanVision report. In October the center presented Troyapalooza at the park amphitheater with a concert by the university’s POPulus ensemble, food and a student-designed costume contest and T-shirt screening activity. IAC coordinator Carrie Jaxon said the whole idea behind Troyapalooza is to offer a real engaging activity and a fun activity for our university students. The event originated in 2021 to showcase talents of art, design and music students.
