The YAA also organizes the summer band concerts held every Tuesday night during the summer months, another free event for the community. The YAA welcomes visitors to their beautiful gallery, open MondayFriday 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM and Saturday from 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM. At no charge, the public can view the local artists’ work on display, rotating various artists every 5-6 weeks. “I think this is a beautiful little gem that we have,” Amsberry smiles. One of her favorite aspects about her job is talking to people and informing them of the YAA events. She explains to me their “First Friday” events, where they hold an event or a reception or host an artist who explains their artwork. She compares opening the prints to display in the gallery as the same feeling of opening a Christmas gift, never knowing the treasure that lies inside. The First Friday is always held on the first Friday of each month from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM and averages 40-60 attendees. The agenda is explained in her monthly Press and Dakotan article and is also listed on their Facebook page under “Yankton Area Arts,” on Twitter or via their website at www.yanktonareaarts.org. She welcomes people to join their mailing list to stay informed of their events. Aside from the gallery viewings, Kids Art Fest, Summer Concert Series and the Summer Arts Festival, they have various events slated for the last half of the year: October 26-27 Art Market at Harvest Halloween, December 2 Annual Tour of Homes, December 2-22 Crimson Door Holiday Boutique and the Yankton Area Summer Band Christmas Concert, the date for the concert not yet scheduled. Though she is surprised that YAA gets confused with other organizations, she is not surprised that the community of Yankton houses many great artists, an insight she discovered previously as a teacher in the community. “Yankton, for such a small town, art in this community is rich. There is so much going on all the time, as far as arts go,” she states. She has seen students from Yankton move to Brookings, New York and Los Angeles to create art and advocate for others. She feels that the perception of YAA may be that they haven’t changed much since they have been in existence for many years. The reality is that the organization has changed dramatically over the years, offering a variety of events of interest to the community. She reiterates that the events, including the First Friday and the gallery viewing are free to the public and welcomes anyone interested to stop in. Her role in the organization has allowed her to meet some very talented people. “Artists are so interesting; how do you pick just one?” She laughs. She enjoys visiting with the artists and finds their world views interesting. She recalls some well-attended exhibits, one of them being Reanna Schultz. Schultz, a graduate of Yankton High School and the University of South Dakota, displayed unique dress sculptures that she created. The dresses were made from various construction materials such as asphalt, shingles, nails, plaster and paint. Amsberry liked how the exhibit implied how women are so much more than they are precepted to be. She also recalls the Travis Halsey and Rachel Coyle exhibit of world class ballet and theatre costumes. Amsberry would love to speak with anyone about their organization. She explains gratefully, “We do a lot of great things in the community, but we couldn’t do it without financial support. We welcome any donations.” She invites the public to stop in or attend an event. “Come to the gallery and see this space, see what a gem it is,” she states with a warm, welcoming smile. “We have lots of ways to keep in touch and to keep you informed about what we’re doing. I would love to talk to people about what we are doing.” n Being a Family... means you do whatever SO DO WE. We provide diagnosis and treatment of common, rare, and chronic pediatric and adult ear, nose and throat health issues including ear pain and infections, allergy and sinus issues, and hearing loss. Call today for a consultation. 605-665-0062. you can to keep them healthy and happy. David J. Abbott, M.D. Micah M. Likness, M.D. Board Certified Otolaryngologist Board Certified Otolaryngologist Jackie Logue CNP Beth J. Beeman Au. D, CCC-A Todd A. Farnham Au. D, CCC-A We’re H“ear” For You! EAR, NOSE & THROAT ASSOCIATES, P.C. 2525 Fox Run Parkway, Suite 101, Yankton 605-665-0062 • 1-866-665-0062 • www.entyankton.com HERVOICEvJULY/AUGUST 2018v13