Northwest Alabama Arts Council

The Northwest Alabama Arts Council, Inc., is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization which promotes the arts and art education in Franklin, Lamar, Marion, and Winston Counties.

Created in 2004, the primary event sponsored by the NWAAC is the Jerry Brown Arts Festival (JBAF), which is an arts festival celebrating the heritage of local and regional artists.  With the festival theme, "Reflections of the South," the festival honoring Hamilton native and Smithsonian-displaying potter, Jerry Brown, the JBAF is held annually the first weekend of March in Hamilton, Alabama.

The NWAAC has established programs within the local elementary, middle, and high school systems which provide opportunities for students to receive art education and hands-on training from artists, which typically are not part of the schools' curriculi.   The arts council also has formed a partnership in arts education with Bevill State Community College-Hamilton Campus. 

Our office is located in City Hall in Hamilton, Alabama.  Our contact number is (205) 921-9483.  Our organization's website is www.nwaarts.org.  The official Jerry Brown Arts Festival website is www.jbaf.org.  The NWAAC and JBAF mailing address is P. O. Box 694, Hamilton, AL  35570.

Our future goals include purchase or construction of a facility to permanently house the Jerry Brown Arts Festival and serve as an arts museum and gallery as well as to host other arts- and cultural-related events.