Daniel White, director of the Paul R. Jones Museum and The University of Alabama Gallery, has been appointed to a three-year term on the board of the Alabama Visual Arts Network (ALVAN). White received the MFA in ceramics from Rochester Institute of Technology and the BFA in ceramics from the University of Montevallo. He has had a long career as a museum director, arts administrator and a studio artist.
The Alabama Visual Arts Network supports Alabama artists and craftspeople through promotional activities, including the Alabama Arts Trail and map, and small business advice. The ALVAN board is made up of working artists, curators, and arts administrators, all leaders in promoting the arts in Alabama. Another board member with UA ties is Meredith Knight, an alumna who earned her BFA and MFA degrees in sculpture and ceramics in the Department of Art & Art History and now is an assistant professor of sculpture at Alabama State University.
ALVAN was founded in 1968 under the name the Alabama Craft Council. In 2019, they changed their name to recognize their support of “craftspeople and other visual artists.” The group’s mission is to “promote the appreciation of visual art and the role it plays in the economic vitality and quality of life of Alabama communities.” For example, ALVAN has hosted popular webinars for artists on starting and marketing a business. Upcoming webinars are listed here.
For more information about The University of Alabama’s programs in studio art and art history, visit our Degree Programs page.