I have endeavoured, in this Ghostly little book, to raise the Ghost of an Idea, which shall not put my readers out of humour with themselves, with each other, with the season, or with me. May it haunt their houses pleasantly, and no one wish to lay it! Their faithful friend and Servant, C.D. December 1843. To the Victorians, the forces of cruelty felt as insurmountable as they do today—living within and alongside institutions that sustained the few and blamed the many who dep

If you had to choose, which would you pick: teaching an entire class of T. Rexes how to paint (reminder about the big heads and little arms) or participate in a figure drawing class of Lady Gaga in her meat suit, but you’re blindfolded, so you have to rely on touch and smell? For Sara Jones, Director of SPACE Art Collective, there is no choice. “T-Rex art class. Easy. Literally the same as teaching art to Kindergarteners, which I do on the regular.” Maybe one day T. Rex art c

The Black and White Photography class at Polk State College is far more than its name suggests. This foundational film course is a gateway to mastering the art and science of photography, offering students hands-on experience with 35-mm cameras, film processing and darkroom techniques that are unique in Polk County. Under the guidance of Professor Sarah Brewington, students like Candace Knoebel, Michael Comings, and Ean Pennypacker are discovering the timeless craft of film p

As evident by the many construction sites all across the city, Winter Haven is changing. New stores, new housing developments, and new recreational centers are being built and will result in the physical representation of the area’s growth. However, the ideals that permeate special pockets remain constant, such as those held by the 75-year staple that is the Ridge Art Association (RAA). RAA’s objective is to provide an open door for all to appreciate art, the literal creation

WHAT NOTTA? If Lakeland were the “small” town setting for a budding film festival romcom and the main characters met up for a day date, they would meet at Notta Gallery. With the farmers market in the background, they would stroll up the incline of N. Kentucky Ave. knowing Downtown was the perfect choice. There are just enough people around to not feel either secluded or overwhelmed. There is just enough happening to provide options just in case the date goes stale. They woul

Mary Correa is the vice president of the Lakeland Arts Association and was kind enough to answer a few questions about the new Depot Art District in Lakeland. Learn about their vision for making art more accessible, their passion for community, and how they’re turning inspiration into impact. WHERE DID THE IDEA FOR THE DEPOT ARTS DISTRICT ORIGINATE? The Lakeland Arts Association (LAA) had long had a dream of having a physical location to host workshops and gallery space. Ove

No other film bridges the sacred and the profane quite like Charles Laughton’s “The Night of the Hunter” (1955), a Depression-era fairy tale that ends one cinematic age and inaugurates another, painted in all the shades of nostalgia Norman Rockwell left out when depicting the past. Part noir, part parable, it is a story of flight and faith, innocence, and inheritance, revealing the uneasy marriage between American piety and spectacle — a theme that would echo throughout postw

Are you on a quest for great theater? Then look no further than “Love Quest” by Mary Maguire and Steve McGraw coming to Theatre Winter...

There’s a singular moment—a pause—when you learn that your favorite film is about to be remade, reimagined, and/or getting a sequel in a...

I. Amid the chaos of a malfunctioning shark and blockbuster ambition, it was the stillness of a story—told low and slow in the belly of a...

James Whale (Left) - Boris Karloff (Right) The Motion Picture Production Code—enforced from 1930 and reaching its most stringent...

For those who want to come out and support two local Smusicians with a string to pick, meet David Brimer and Marcus Brixa: the eponymous...

If, like me, you grew up in Central Florida during the final bow of a golden age for theme parks, then you may have more memories than...

Polk County… it’s time to ROCK OUT!! This year’s Battle of the Bands High School Edition is coming to Union Hall with a lineup of...

Known as “The Man of a Thousand Faces,” Lon Chaney Sr.—silent film actor and pioneering makeup artist—is revered for his transformative...

The audiences who once gathered to witness live feats of escape and illusion, whether in grand theaters or intimate parlor rooms, were...

Nestled in the heart of Downtown Winter Haven, Tree Swallow Gallery is a pop-up art destination dedicated to celebrating the unique...

Time is one of the few variables with enough power to end, improve, inspire, and change the memory of love. Whatever its influence, we...

The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) We spend most of our time looking either downward or directly ahead, splitting our focus between...

There is a capacity within the best-told stories on screen to become timeless in a way that connects people across generations, despite...

Named by French critics to describe films based on mid-20th-century crime fiction, noir features a style and language unique to itself....

I belong to the last generation with limited internet access, so I figure that I found “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (1974) because of...

Get your reading glasses and bookmarks ready – it’s time for the 2024 Lakeland Book Crawl! The annual bookish bash will take place April...

Fourteen-year-old Harlow Manning is a freshman at Harrison School for the Arts. The young Winter Haven native was bound to be creative,...