ArtsRevive and The Alabama Humanities Foundation will spend time examining water as an environmental necessity and an important cultural element during a traveling exhibition from the Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street, “Water/Ways.”

ArtsRevive was one of six locations across the state of Alabama to be chosen to host the exhibition.

“It’s an honor to have it and I hope that the public takes advantage of it,” said Becky Youngblood, executive director of ArtsRevive. “It’s free to the public and it’s a wonderful opportunity to showcase the way that we’ve impacted the river and all of our water ways, both positively and negatively, so it’s a really cool exhibition and a wonderful opportunity to share that with our community.”

The exhibition will open March 9 and will be open Wednesdays and Fridays from noon until 4 p.m. at ArtsRevive Carneal Building. It will also be open Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. for the Pilgrimage.

To further the examination into water, ArtsRevive teamed up with other local organizations.

“It really can serve as a catalyst because this is bringing The Historic Preservation Society, the Old Depot Museum, Lunch at the Library and the Selma Art Guild [together],” said Martha Lockett, a volunteer with ArtsRevive. “It’s not looking at water as just an environmental issue, but you’re looking at water as a commercial vehicle, quality of life issue, as a fun issue, something that makes life comfortable.”

“Water/Ways” explores the endless motion of the water cycle, water’s effect on landscape, settlement and migration and its impact on culture and spirituality. It looks at how political and economic planning have long been affected by access to water and control of water resources.

“It’s an honor to have it and I hope that the public takes advantage of it,” Youngblood said. “It’s free to the public and it’s a wonderful opportunity to showcase the way that we’ve impacted the river and all of our water ways, both positively and negatively, so it’s a really cool exhibition and a wonderful opportunity to share that with our community.”

Designed for small town museums, libraries and cultural organizations, “Water/Ways” will serve as a community meeting place to convene conversations about water’s impact on American culture.

On March 11, there will be an artist talk on the Cahaba River Watershed project at the Selma Art Guild from 2-4 p.m. A special Lunch at the Library will be held March 29 at the Selma and Dallas County Public Library with the Cahaba River Keepers and the vital importance of protecting the watershed of Alabama Rivers.

On April 5, the Historic Preservation Society and the Old Depot Museum will host The Alabama River and the Riverboats with Tom McGehee and Bellingrath Gardens from 6-7:30 p.m.

On the final day, ArtsRevive has teamed with Caleb Smith and Selma Recycles to collect water bottles.

“One of the things that I’m most excited about is that we’ve partnered with Caleb Smith of Selma Recycles one day where everybody in town can bring their water bottles,” Youngblood said.

“It’s cool to partner with a rising entrepreneur, and showcase not only all the wonderful things he’s done, but have him be a part of our exhibition.”

Youngblood said she is looking forward to the exhibition opening and the community coming together for discussions about water and its impacts.

“I’m thrilled. It’s a privilege and an honor because we were one of the six sites chosen,” she said. “Hopefully it will bring people from not only Selma, but the surrounding areas.”