Page 21 - Athens Chamber Guide 2015

Fountains, Neutral Milk Hotel, Of Montreal, • A thens Art Association: founded in
and Five Eight. Newer favorites include:
Drive-By Truckers, The Whigs, Modern
Skirts, Dead Confederate, the Packway
Handle Band, Corey Smith, Dark Meat,
Perpetual Groove, and Dubconscious.
Inspired by their homes, time, or
lives spent in Athens, artists return to
Athens, the city of their muse, to rest,
live, or renew their talents. Filmmaker
Jim Herbert – known for his early music
videos for R.E.M., among other works,
and who has had more one-man shows
in film at New York’s Museum of Modern
Art (MOMA) than any other person is
no exception. One of the South’s
preeminent artists – painter, muralist,
and folk musician Art Rosenbaum –
lives in Athens and won a Grammy in
2008 for Best Historical Album. Authors
who do or have lived in Athens include
Pulitzer Prize-winners Deborah Blum
and Edward Larson, as well as Judith
Ortiz Cofer, Reginald McKnight, Terry
Kay, Jim Kilgo, Coleman Barks, Ed Tant,
and Philip Lee Williams.
Following in the footsteps of the
ancient Grecians, Athens is still the
sacred temple for the arts.
Grass Roots Commitment
The backbone of any healthy
arts community is its arts and music
organizations. To get the “big picture”
of what’s happening in Athens’ vibrant
arts community, start by consulting the
various calendars of local organizations
and institutions:
• A thens Area Arts Council
www.athensarts.org
• A thens Banner-Herald
www.onlineathens.com
• A thens Convention and Visitors Bureau
www.visitathensga.com
• F lagpole Magazine
http://flagpole.com
The list below, while not all-
inclusive, lists many of the non-profit
organizations that drive Athens’ vibrant
arts community:
• A thens Area Arts Council (AAAC): active
advocate for public art; sponsors
performances and events that broaden
the community exposure to visual art,
film, music, dance and literature.
www.athensarts.org
1919; advances visual arts in Athens.
www.athensart.org
• A thens Choral Society: amassed
repertory of 180 or more works;
presents an average of three
free performances per year plus
summer fund-raiser.
www.athenschoralsociety.com
• A thens Creative Theatre: non-
profit community theatre providing
quality entertainment since 1966.
www.athensclarkecounty.com/ACT
• A thens Convention and Visitors Bureau:
one of the best in the South, involved
in promoting culture, arts and
entertainment for both locals and
visitors. www.visitathensga.com
• A thens Folk Music & Dance Society:
promotes folk music by providing
opportunities for traditional folk
musicians and artists to perform in the
area. www.athensfolk.org
• A thens Master Chorale: volunteer
concert choir with a repertoire of
major works, and diverse selection
of shorter sacred and secular pieces,
folk songs and spirituals.
www.athensmasterchorale.org
• A thens Photography Guild:
gathering of member photographers
with wide range of interests and
experience in photography.
www.athensphotographyguild.com
Athens Area Chamber of Commerce • www.athensga.com • 706.549.6800
• A thens Symphony Orchestra: promotes LEISURE
an awareness of the Symphony through
educational projects and through the
sponsorship of fund-raising events
conducted on Symphony’s behalf.
www.athenssymphony.org
• A thens Youth Symphony:
provides orchestral training and
performance opportunities for
students in Northeast Georgia.
www.athensyouthsymphony.org
• A THICA—Athens Institute for
Contemporary Art: an alternative
art space, dedicated to exhibiting
challenging, provocative and
innovative contemporary art in a non-
commercial setting for the cultural
enrichment of the Northeast Georgia
community. www.athica.org
Athens Youth Symphony
• C anopy Studio: enriches the culture of
the community through flying dance
trapeze, movement education and
performance arts; resource for local
artists and all individuals regardless of
background, age, or physical ability,
providing instruction in movement
arts and venue for viewing and
participating in performances.
www.canopystudio.org
• T he Classic Center: a meeting, special
events, and performing arts venue
providing entertainment, unique
dining opportunities, and programs
of all interests.
www.classiccenter.com
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