MARION — The Marion Art Center has a summer of activities and events lined up for Tri-Town residents and art lovers alike. 

The Marion Art Center will host a  “Member Day” on Saturday, June 3 from 2 to 4 p.m., with a rain date on Sunday, June 4.

The Marion Art Center will offer free ice cream, face painting by Daisy Dots, lawn games, and live music by Butch McCarthy. This family-friendly event is for any and all Marion Art Center members. Those who wish to join the Center can do so at the event, or sign up ahead of time at marionartcenter.org/join.

The event is free to attend, but the MAC requests that members register ahead of time. Register online at marionartcenter.org/events, or email info@marionartcenter.org with name, contact info, and number of attendees including children.

Then in July, The Marion Art Center is partnering with the Marion Community Center and Tri-Town Against Racism to present a public reading of Frederick Douglass’s 1852 speech “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” 

The event will take place on Saturday, July 1 at 1 p.m. at the Benjamin D. Cushing Community Center located at 465 Mill Street, Marion.

A group discussion will follow the event, and light refreshments will be served. The Marion Art Center is recruiting participants from the South Coast region to participate in a group recitation of an abridged version of the famous speech, which will take approximately 50 minutes.

The collaborators aim to assemble a group of 15 to 30 people representing myriad races, ethnicities, genders, ages, abilities, and backgrounds that reflect the diversity found across the South Coast region and the country.

Participants will be reading this speech from a document, so no memorization is required.

Participants should have a strong speaking voice and be available for at least two rehearsals prior to the performance. Interested persons should contact Marion Art Center board member Jack Boesen. Find contact info and learn more at marionartcenter.org/rfdt-2023.