Sumac Cottage: A Community Arts Hub in Greensboro, Alabama
Sumac Cottage, a historic 1820s structure in Greensboro, Alabama, has been transformed into a community arts space by artist Aaron Sanders Head and musician Tim Higgins. The couple purchased the three-walled cottage in 2023 to save it from demolition, completing structural work and adding a 1000-square-foot deck for workshops and a dye garden. The cottage hosts exhibitions, performances, and educational programs, including natural dye workshops, kudzu basket weaving, and cameraless photography. Notable events include the 6th annual Black Belt Birding Festival (July 31–August 2) in collaboration with Alabama Audubon. Recent exhibitions feature Jenna Clark's visual installation "Home Once" with performances by Clark, Jasper Lee, Sam Herman, and Ryan Brown. The space emphasizes cross-disciplinary programming and community engagement.
Key facts
- Sumac Cottage dates back to the late 1820s as a one-room outbuilding.
- The ornate front porch was added in the 1840s.
- In the 1860s, British gemologist and amateur astronomer Caleb Jones occupied the cottage and installed a skylight for his telescope.
- Aaron Sanders Head and Tim Higgins bought the cottage and saved it from demolition.
- The structure had only three walls when purchased; structural work has since been completed.
- A 1000-square-foot covered deck was added for workshops and a dye garden.
- The dye garden includes three varieties of Japanese indigo, four varieties of marigolds, six types of coreopsis, and yarrow.
- Sumac Cottage hosts the 6th annual Black Belt Birding Festival from July 31–August 2 in collaboration with Alabama Audubon.
Entities
Artists
- Aaron Sanders Head
- Tim Higgins
- Jenna Clark
- Jasper Lee
- Sam Herman
- Ryan Brown
- Sarah Bell
- Will Jacks
- Kerry Leasure
- Doug Baulos
- Isabella Marie Garcia
- Caleb Jones
Institutions
- Sumac Cottage
- Alabama Audubon
Locations
- Greensboro
- Alabama
- United States
- 1107 South Street, Greensboro, AL, 36744
Sources
- Burnaway —