A new non-profit arts organization moved in behind the glass of downtown Auburn.
The arts-based group, the Layman Group, opened its first location in downtown Auburn.
The office is located on the top floor of Behind the Glass boutique.
The Layman Group began in fall 2009.
The group held its open-house party Friday. Layman Group artists, dancers, teachers and aspiring members mingled among beautiful works of art hung on the white walls of the office.
Doc Waller is the founder of the organization. Waller's extensive background in the arts includes dance, acting, writing, painting and music.
Waller's goal for the organization is to offer a program that shares knowledge of arts with those who otherwise may have not ever been involved.
"We want to make sure everyone sees why the arts are relevant to them," Waller said. "It is essential in so many ways. It can be essential to a policeman. That's what we're doing; we're trying
to make everyone realize why art is essential to them. That's why we're called the Layman Group: the regular person."
Waller said the group is not based on any one medium of art. The group is in existence to further the education of arts for people of any age.
"We focus on education in the arts, all mediums in the arts, whether it's painting, dance, theatre, film, dance, whatever," Waller said. "We're focusing on productions, we're not just going to teach, we're not going to just educate, and we're going to produce our own events."
Waller said the group's new location will be the venue for most smallersize events, while it will look to bigger venues for larger size productions.
This year, the group will focus on various projects, but its biggest spotlight will be on the Pose Awards.
The Pose Awards is a competition for anyone between the ages of 15 to 20.
"We are nominating twenty of the most prominent artists in the state of Alabama under the age of 20," Waller said.
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