Meet Lacy Mitcham: Creating Community Through Adult Programs
Yoga in the gardens, lively exhibition tours, figure drawing with costumed performers, adult programs at the Dixon offer plenty of ways to learn, create, move, and connect. Behind those experiences is Public Programs Coordinator Lacy Mitcham, who develops programs designed to welcome different interests, backgrounds, and levels of experience. Communications Coordinator Morgan Monroe sat down with Lacy to discuss the importance of creative spaces for adults and which programs everyone should try!
Q&A with Lacy Mitcham
Morgan Monroe: Let’s start with a few silly questions. Can you do a cartwheel?
Lacy Mitcham: I can—but not in a dress. At least, I could the last time I tried.
Morgan: I can’t do one at all. When my head starts careening toward the ground, I get scared. I also don’t think I have the upper-body strength.
Lacy: That means you’re not cartwheeling fast enough.
Morgan: You want me to careen toward the ground faster? That’s not going to happen.
If a few of your instructors were fruits, which fruits would they be—and why?
Lacy: I’m going to pick on Shelda, who leads Stage & Sketch. She would be a cayenne pepper because she’s big on novelty. Everything is always new and exciting. With a cayenne pepper, you also don’t always know what level of spice you’re going to get—in the best way.
For Laura Gray, who teaches yoga, I would say a banana. She gives you everything you need, and bananas have plenty of good nutrients. She’s also a runner and very athletic, so I think she would appreciate the comparison.
You can get a real workout in Laura’s yoga classes. She offers modifications, so it doesn’t have to be intense, but if you want a workout, you can absolutely get one.
Morgan: Which adult program would surprise people the most?
Lacy: It depends on the person, but Stage & Sketch is always surprising. We have a different performer in a different costume each time. Sometimes it even surprises me—and I know who’s coming!
It adds a little whimsy to your second Thursday. People who have taken traditional figure-drawing classes may think they know what to expect, but Stage & Sketch keeps some of those familiar elements while adding unexpected textures, costumes, colors, and movement. A model might wear feathers, for example, or be someone who brings a lot of movement to their poses.
We had wrestlers last time, and there’s always something surprising about people in bright colors and spandex.
Morgan: Not the spandex!
Morgan: Which adult program would you sign me up for without asking?
Lacy: Hobby Kick-Start. There’s so much variety that, throughout the year, there will be a Hobby Kick-Start for almost everyone. I also feel like you appreciate variety.
Morgan: Definitely. I’ll pick up a hobby, get reasonably good at it, and then decide it’s time to move on to the next one.
Lacy: That’s exactly who the program is for. You can keep going with a hobby if you enjoy it, or you can say, “I tried it, I had the experience, and I’m never touching watercolor again.” That’s fine, too, because you’re only committing to it for about two hours.
If someone has never attended an adult program at the Dixon, which one would be a good introduction?
Lacy: I’m going to give you two answers.
First, our docent-led tours give you the information you need while making you even more curious about the exhibitions. If you already appreciate art exhibitions, that can be a comfortable place to start.
If you’re thinking, “Art exhibitions might not be for me,” I would recommend yoga. Most people have some idea of what to expect from a yoga class, but you couldn’t ask for a better environment than the Dixon.
I do believe art exhibitions are for everyone, though. You just might not be ready for them yet!
Morgan: Who do you have in mind when you create adult programs?
Lacy: A lot of the time, I think about who I haven’t seen lately. As an artist, artists are always in the back of my mind. Gardeners are, too, because I participate in gardening, and the Dixon offers such a wonderful combination of art and gardens.
Sometimes I’ll meet someone in the community and think, “This person is really cool. Their friends are probably really cool, too. Why aren’t they at the Dixon?”
We try to keep the prices of our adult programs accessible, and scholarships are available for anyone who may not be comfortable paying the program fee. The majority of our programs are also free and drop-in. We really do want everyone to come to the Dixon.
Morgan: Which adult program should everyone try at least once?
Lacy: Taijiquan. The aerobic intensity is low, and the overall experience is wonderful. You spend an hour doing light movement in the gardens, and you might make some new friends. It’s a win-win.
Morgan: Why is it so important to offer creative spaces for adults?
Lacy: I think many of us can relate to how difficult it can be to make friends once we reach adulthood and leave college or whatever institution previously brought us together.
It can be even more difficult to make friends who are different from us—people who may not be the same age or who didn’t grow up the same way we did.
Where better to build that community than somewhere this beautiful, where people genuinely want you to be and where so many different people participate in the programs?
Morgan: That was such a good answer. Asking you to do this was an excellent idea. I’m impressed with myself.
Do you mind ending with a quick lightning round?
Lacy: Let’s do it.
Morgan: Coffee or matcha?
Lacy: Coffee.
Morgan: Drawing, sculpting, or painting?
Lacy: Sculpting. That’s my background.
Morgan: Really? I didn’t know that about you! Would you rather listen to a lecture or read a book?
Lacy: I’m an audiobook girl—which I probably shouldn’t say since we have a Spanish book club. You can listen to a book in Spanish, too, though!
I would choose a lecture. That’s essentially what Munch and Learn is.
Morgan: Would you rather learn a new skill or perfect one you already have?
Lacy: We’ve already established that I’m a Gemini. Absolutely learn something new!
Morgan: Pick up a new hobby?
Lacy: Definitely.
Find Your Next Dixon Experience
Whether you want to explore an exhibition, experiment with a new art form, enjoy movement in the gardens, or simply meet people outside your usual circle, there is a place for you in the Dixon’s adult programs. Most programs are free and drop-in, while scholarships are available for select programs with registration fees. You don’t need to be an experienced artist, gardener, or athlete—you just need to be willing to try something new.
Explore upcoming adult programs and find the experience that sounds right for you. Who knows? You might discover a new hobby, make a new friend, or learn that you have been cartwheeling too slowly all along.
