CONTRIBUTED TO
THE OBSERVER
OPELIKA — Envision Opelika Foundation has welcomed Myra Stephenson as arts facility manager for the Barbara Patton Southside Center for the Arts.
Stephenson earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in painting from Auburn University in 2021. While at Auburn, she served as an assistant at Biggin Gallery, where she developed an interest in helping artists share their work and learned the fundamentals of gallery management.
Following graduation, Stephenson became active in the local arts community, assisting with murals and exhibitions throughout Auburn and Opelika.
In 2025, she joined the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center as a gallery assistant. In that role, she coordinated exhibitions that provided additional opportunities for local artists, served as a liaison for the Auburn Arts Association and supported a variety of community arts events.
Stephenson remains involved in the Auburn-Opelika arts community as a member of OA Visual Voice, A Little Sketchy Drawing Club and Opelika Young Professionals.
As arts facility manager at the Southside Center, Stephenson will oversee facility upkeep and maintenance, coordinate scheduling and operations and help support the center’s role as a cultural resource for the community.
The position is supported through an Administrative Project Grant from the Alabama State Council on the Arts.
For more information about events at the Southside Center for the Arts, visit southsidecenter.wordpress.com or contact Stephenson at SouthsideCenterManager@gmail.com.
