COLBERT COMMONS

Colbert Commons houses the City Gallery and the office of the Forest Downtown Development Association on the ground floor.  The Code and Zoning Department and Animal Control are located on the second floor.  The Commons formerly know as Farmers and Merchants Bank is located at the corner of South Main and First Street.  Community Bank of Mississippi donated the building to the city in 2009, and was renovated before opening in 2010. The City Gallery opened in 2011 with a permanent collection of artwork by professional artists with ties to Forest, Mississippi. 

The exhibition contains works by Jerrod Partridge, Mary Katharine McCravey, Fernando Avalos, J. Kim Sessums, Glenn Rogers, Delores Harris, Janie Gomillion, Tom Estes, Bart Pass, Irma Barnett, Barbara Gatewood and Wyatt Waters.  Photographers with featured works include Roy Fountain, Wesley Ellis, Ed Krebs, Larry Judge and Leilani Salter. The gallery is also an affiliate member of the Mississippi Museum of Art, and receives an exhibition on loan from MMA once each year. 

In addition, City Gallery features City of Forest and Forest Community Arts sponsored displays on a regular basis.  For information on exhibits, please call 601-469-2223 or e-mail forestdowntown@att.net. The FDDA is the city’s affiliate with Mississippi Main Street and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and focuses on activities that promote downtown economic development in concert with historic preservation.

Regular hours for the Gallery and the FDDA office, located at 301 S. Main Street, are Monday and Tuesday, 8-5 and Wednesday, 8-11.  Hours during special exhibits may vary.