Community Calendar

Come to the KIA's Meader Fine Arts library and express yourself through collage with a sampling of washi paper, a traditional Japanese handmade paper. Some washi paper and tape will be provided to incorporate into your pieces. Be inspired by the exhibition on view, Washi Transformed: New Expressions in Japanese Paper. All supplies will be provided.

Washi Transformed: New Expressions in Japanese Paper was organized by Meher McArthur and is toured by International Arts & Artists, Washington, DC

Friday, November 7, 2025, 6- 8 pm

Take a peaceful stroll through our illuminated forest trail with family, friends, or your favorite companions. Bring along a warm drink to enjoy as the crisp fall air sets the perfect scene. As the days grow shorter and the evening chill sets in, it’s the perfect time to slip on a cozy sweater and enjoy the magic of moonlit woods. Join us for this special “Nature at Night” experience at KNC, set along the beloved Habitat Haven Trail.

Advance registration is highly encouraged. Register in advance, come any time to hike!
Fee:$12/Member Adult, $15/Non-Member Adult. $5/Child

Check In: Sundial, Visitor Parking Lot
Audience: Families & Adults

Fall trail conditions can be a little wild! Wear sturdy shoes and bring a walking stick or a trusty buddy to lean on if you have challenges on unstable surfaces or clear vision at night. This program will be canceled or postponed if there is extreme weather. A date will be announced if a cancellation occurs.

Participants will learn about Japanese American artist Ruth Asawa. We’ll explore Washi Transformed: New Expressions in Japanese Paper, featuring two-dimensional works, sculptures, and installations in paper by nine Japanese artists. Michiko Yoshimoto from the WMU Soga Japan Center will join us to guide an origami activity.

After, stay for Community Day to experiment with Japanese calligraphy and make more origami creations. You can also join the Collage Crew Kzoo in the library for a collage-making session.

Washi Transformed: New Expressions in Japanese Paper was organized by Meher McArthur and is toured by International Arts & Artists, Washington, DC

Join us for a paper-inspired Community Day! Explore Washi Transformed: New Expressions in Japanese Paper. Washi, which translates to “Japanese paper,” is the main medium of this exhibition, which features two-dimensional works, sculptures, and installations by nine Japanese artists. After viewing the exhibition, get creative with members from the WMU Soga Japan Center who will guide you through origami folding and Japanese calligraphy. You can also join the Collage Crew Kzoo in the library for a collage-making session.

Washi Transformed: New Expressions in Japanese Paper was organized by Meher McArthur and is toured by International Arts & Artists, Washington, DC

Come to the library and express yourself through collage with a sampling of washi paper, a traditional Japanese handmade paper. Some washi paper and tape will be provided to incorporate into your pieces. Be inspired by the exhibition on view, Washi Transformed: New Expressions in Japanese Paper. All supplies will be provided.

Washi Transformed: New Expressions in Japanese Paper was organized by Meher McArthur and is toured by International Arts & Artists, Washington, DC

International Arts & Artists

"Discover the magic of Dr. Seuss’ classic holiday tale as it comes to life on stage. Featuring the hit songs “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” and “Welcome Christmas,” The Grinch discovers there’s more to Christmas than he bargained for in this heart-warming holiday classic.

Max the Dog narrates as the mean and scheming Grinch, whose heart is “two sizes too small,” decides to steal Christmas away from the Whos, an endlessly cheerful bunch bursting with holiday spirit. Celebrate the holidays with the show The New York Times calls “100 times better than any bedtime story!”

Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical will perform at Miller Auditorium on Friday, November 7 at 7:30pm and on Saturday, November 8 at 11:00am and 3:30pm. For more information, please visit millerauditorium.com or call the Miller Auditorium Box Office at (269) 387-2300.

Southwest Michigan Ballroom Dance Club is hosting an afternoon of dancing at the Kalamazoo Ballroom Academy at 2020 Fulford Street in Kalamazoo, MI 49001. Starting at 2 p.m., Downey Dance will teach the West Coast Swing, a smooth contemporary swing dance. Dance to current popular tunes and music hits from the past with DJ Bob Sievert from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. All levels of dancers, beginners, couples, and singles are welcome. For additional information, please visit https://swmbd.com.

The Kalamazoo Nature Center is offering free admission in honor of Veterans Day. We hope to see you on the trails!

Other free admission days in 2025:

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: January 20
First day of National Park Week: April 19
KNC’s Earth Day Celebration: April 26
Juneteenth National Independence Day: June 19
Great American Outdoors Acts Anniversary: Aug. 4
National Public Lands Day: Sept. 27
Raptor Run: October 18
Veterans Day: Nov. 11
Buy Local Art & Gift Fair: December 6

In February 1959, the front page of the Kalamazoo Gazette announced, “The city is to have a new art center,” with costs of construction paid by Mr. and Mrs. Donald S. Gilmore. In addition to their extraordinary philanthropy, the Gilmores were KIA board members, art collectors, and skilled artists. Mrs. Gilmore’s bequest to the KIA following her death in 1990 was 66 masterpieces from her personal collection, including works by Degas, Renoir, Rembrandt, Cassatt, and Matisse. During this ArtBreak, Dr. Jim Carter will explore the life of Genevieve Upjohn Gilmore and her final gift to the city she loved.

Jim Carter is a retired physician who had a clinical practice of Internal Medicine in Kalamazoo for 36 years. He received his M.D. from Michigan State University College of Human Medicine and his Internal Medicine training at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. He has been involved with the KIA for over four decades as a photography student, board member, board president, and docent. As docent, he has led numerous tours for KIA visitors and presented a number of talks on a wide range of topics. His major area of interest is the intersection of art with medicine. Most recently, he wrote a comprehensive history of KIA for its centennial celebration.

All hybrid events will be livestreamed to our YouTube page and can be found under the “Live” tab. Recordings of select past events are available on YouTube as well.

Reginald Dwayne Betts’s latest poetry collection, Doggerel, explores themes of Blackness, masculinity, vulnerability, and intimacy in a unique way–through the lens of dogs. This philosophical examination of everyday life, combined with Betts personal experiences with incarceration and life after, integrates the political with the personal. Join us as we discuss Doggerel with Betts in the Multicultural Center at Western Michigan University. During the event, we will encourage and welcome community members’ questions for the author. Books will be available for purchase and signing following the discussion.

The Multicultural Center is located in room 1021 of the Adrian Trimpe Building on the campus of Western Michigan University, at 1003 Ring Road South. Free parking is available after 5pm.

This program is made possible through the generous support of our community partners: Western Michigan University, the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership at Kalamazoo College, the Department of English at Kalamazoo Valley Community College, the Kalamazoo Public Library, the Kalamazoo Defender, and the Kalamazoo Bar Association.

For more information about this event and the suite of programs with Reginald Dwayne Betts, please visit kiarts.org/betts.