Community Arts and Humanities Partner Organizations

The Arts Council promotes over 30 community arts and humanities partner organizations across Northeast Georgia. These organizations offer their own arts programs and events. In order to serve our mission, community, and our arts partners, The Arts Council provides the following services to its partners:

– The Arts Council creates a free e-newsletter containing an arts calendar and event information to subscribers
– Links and provides contact information on The Arts Council website
– Collaborates to co-sponsor events and arts programs and a My Arts community calendar
– Central information center for the arts in northeast Georgia and social media promotion

Click on the links provided for each community arts partner to learn more about their performances, exhibits, events, heritage museums, and how to support their efforts in developing the arts throughout the Northeast Georgia regions.

BEULAH RUCKER MUSEUM
P. O. Box 2185
Gainesville, GA 30503
678-943-0370
https://beulahrucker.org

The mission of The Educational Foundation and Museum of Beulah Rucker Oliver, Inc., is to memorialize the life of this phenomenal African-American woman through educational and civic activities that enhance the quality of community life.
The museum is dedicated to preserving African-American heritage and promoting awareness of the contributions and personal sacrifice of Ms. Beulah Rucker Oliver. This museum is the first to focus on African-American heritage in Gainesville-Hall County and North Georgia. The life work of Beulah Rucker Oliver will live on through her vision of equal education opportunity and the sacrifices she made in the pursuit of this dream. Her former home and school provide a tangible link with the community’s past.

BRENAU UNIVERSITY
500 Washington Street
Gainesville, GA 30501
770-534-6299
https://www.brenau.edu
https://events.brenau.edu/mastercalendar

Brenau University is a private liberal arts university Founded in 1878. Brenau University has a rich and distinguished heritage of excellence in the fine arts with 6 departments:
– Arts and Design (https://www.brenau.edu/academics/fine-arts-humanities/art-design),
– Interior Design (https://www.brenau.edu/academics/fine-arts-humanities/interior-design/),
– Dance (https://www.brenau.edu/academics/fine-arts-humanities/dance/),
– Music (https://www.brenau.edu/academics/fine-arts-humanities/music),
– Theatre (https://www.brenau.edu/academics/fine-arts-humanities/theatre),
– And the Visual Arts (see Brenau University Galleries below).
All Departments offer performances and exhibitions that are open to the public. Click the calendar link above for information.

BRENAU UNIVERSITY GALLERIES
500 Washington Street
Gainesville, GA 30501
770-534-6181
https://galleries.brenau.edu

As an integral part of the Brenau University academic community, the Brenau University Galleries are a visual arts resource for the educational and cultural enrichment of its immediate university community, North Georgia, and the Southeast.

Four of its five galleries host rotating exhibitions featuring works by national and international artists, local and regional artists, as well as by Brenau University students, faculty, and alumni artists.

CHESTATEE ARTISTS, INC
P. O. Box 572
Dahlonega, GA 30533
https://www.chestateeartists.org
chestatee.artists@gmail.com

Chestatee Artists was formed by a group of visual artists and fine crafters in 2011. In 2014, Chestatee Artists became a 501c3 organization. “Our mission is to support art education, to promote and encourage artistic expression among its members, and to further artistic talents in the community.”

CRAWFORD W. LONG MUSEUM
28 College Street
Jefferson, GA 30549
706-367-5307
https://www.crawfordlong.org
info@crawfordlong.org

The purpose of the Crawford W. Long Museum Association is to promote, enhance and financially support the Crawford W. Long Museum in its efforts to preserve, interpret and educate the public on the achievements, life, and times of Crawford W. Long, MD, a Georgia physician and the discoverer of anesthesia.

DAWSON COUNTY ARTS COUNCIL
BOWEN CENTER FOR THE ARTS
334 Highway N.
Dawsonville, GA 30534
706-216-2787
https://www.bowenarts.org
director@bowenarts.org

The mission of The Bowen Center for the Arts is to provide a canvas for creating, appreciating, and participating in the arts for the Georgia and Southeast Community who seek high-quality unique experiences through artist workshops, artist exhibitions, and performing arts.

ELACHEE NATURE SCIENCE CENTER
2125 Elachee Drive
Gainesville, GA 30504
770-535-1976
https://www.elachee.org
elachee@elachee.org

This 1,440-acre woodland is one of Georgia’s largest protected and most ecologically diverse green spaces. The Nature Center is also home to Elachee Nature Academy, an accredited and licensed school managed by Elachee.
Founded by a group of visionary environmental stewards in 1978, the not-for-profit Elachee organization nurtures through nature, promoting environmental understanding through education and conservation.

THE GAINESVILLE BALLET COMPANY, INC.
P. O. Box 1663
Gainesville, GA 30503
770-866-5353
https://gbcdance.com
info@gainesvilleballet.org

The Gainesville Ballet Company is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the appreciation, study, and performance of dance as an art form to as wide and diverse an audience as possible in the Gainesville and larger Northeast Georgia community. The Company currently produces two performances annually: The Nutcracker in November each year and a Spring performance in March.

GBC faculty, choreographers, staff, and Board of Directors are committed to providing dance training and performance opportunities to dancers ranging in age from three years old through Brenau University dance majors. The GBC Board of Directors, faculty and staff take great pride in not only offering our dancers a world-class dance education but also in offering them a positive, nurturing environment where they can grow as dancers and as young people.

GAINESVILLE MUSIC CLUB
1459 Kensington Place
Gainesville, GA 30501
770-654-1294
catambush@gmail.com

The Gainesville Music Club’s objectives are to encourage the performance of music of American composers as well as others. The group hosts an annual Junior Festival with hundreds of students participating in piano, voice, string playing, and theory. Scholarships are awarded for study at musical camps and points are accumulated for gold cup awards. The final winners perform in a scholarship concert. Music teachers may also receive funds from the club to attend workshops in their areas of expertise. The club also promotes attendance at musical events throughout the area. The organization is divided into two segments under one president, the North Gainesville Club, and the South Gainesville Club. The club has three to four meetings a year, usually commencing in the fall with a meeting and performance by area musical talent. Admittance to the group is open to anyone who has a love and desire for the advancement of music. There is an annual membership fee.

GAINESVILLE THEATRE ALLIANCE
P. O. Box 1358
Gainesville, GA 30503
678-617-3624
https://gainesvilletheatrealliance.org
boxoffice@gainesvilletheatrealliance.org

Gainesville Theatre Alliance (GTA) is a one-of-a-kind, nationally recognized collaboration between the University of North Georgia and Brenau University. Utilizing hands-on, individualized training while emphasizing ensemble and collaboration between programs, GTA boasts a production program rivaling the largest theatre schools in the country. Degree programs include a BA in Theatre and BFAs in Acting, Musical Theatre, and Design & Technology.

HISPANIC ALLIANCE GA
LA ALIANZA
2490 Hilton Drive, Ste A
Gainesville, GA 30501
678-750-0254
https://hispanicalliancega.org

Hispanic Alliance Georgia is one of the largest direct services agencies in the state, providing wrap around services specific to the Latino families in need in Hall County and surrounding areas in 15 counties. The mission is to improve the quality of life and provide opportunities for our Hispanic community through services, collaborations, and initiatives in education, health, financial stability, and immigration as well as highlighting the important contributions.

One of the cultural programs presented by Hispanic Alliance GA is Latino Fest Gainesville, held on the Gainesville Midland Greenway in Midtown Gainesville. The celebration of Latino culture, art, music, and food will be on September 16, 2023. For additional information click on the following link: https://latinofestgvl.org.

HISTORIC HOLLY THEATRE
69 West Main Street
Dahlonega, GA 30533
706-530-5162
https://www.hollytheatre.com
info@hollytheatre.com

The mission of the Holly Theatre Community Center Inc., a private not-for-profit Georgia corporation, is to preserve, restore, and develop the historic Holly theater to be a family-participatory performing arts center that provides cultural enrichment and quality entertainment and education for adults and children of the communities of Dahlonega, Lumpkin County, and the North Georgia region.

INK INTERACTIVE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR KIDS
999 Chestnut Street
Gainesville, GA 30501
770-536-1900
https://www.inkfun.org
inkfun@charter.net
https://www.inkfun.org/events

Interactive Neighborhood for Kids, Inc. (INK), located in Gainesville, Georgia, is a hands-on Children’s Museum where children can role play and learn through practical experiences about being a banker, grocery store clerk, doctor, dentist and much more. All exhibits are designed to provide a unique experience and to actively engage young minds (not to mention, it’s just plain fun!). INK’s exhibits stimulate curiosity, motivate learning, and provide an atmosphere where families can connect in meaningful ways.

JARRARD BURCH FOUNDATION
500 Jesse Jewell Parkway, Suite 206
Gainesville, GA 30501
770-710-9191
https://jarrardburchfoundation.com
jody@jarrardburchfoundation.com

We maintain the legacy of John Jarrard and Bruce Burch by organizing and hosting concert series and events that help fund charitable causes near and dear to John and Bruce’s hearts.

Our concert series features both legends of the music and songwriting industry, as well as up and coming and aspirational artists in an intimate and unique setting. Based in northeast Georgia, we entertain hundreds of fans during each event. We also help to encourage fellow songwriters to pursue their dreams – all while reminding people of the need for support and care for our fellow man.

THE LANIER CHAMBER SINGERS
https://www.lanierchambersingers.org
info@lanierchambersingers.org
The Lanier Chamber Singers is a 40-voice mixed ensemble now in its thirty-second season of fine choral singing. Under the direction of John LaForge, the choir specializes in a wide variety of quality choral literature, particularly a cappella works.

The Lanier Chamber Singers is committed to enhancing the northeast Georgia community by providing outstanding choral music. To this end, they endeavor to present repertoire of the highest quality, to promote the cultural heritage of choral music, and to sing at the utmost level of excellence.

THE LONGSTREET SOCIETY AND
THE JAMES LONGSTREET MUSEUM
827 Maple Street
Gainesville, GA 30501
P. O. Box 191
Gainesville, GA 30503
https://www.longstreetsociety.org
oldpete@longstreet.org

The Longstreet Society operates the restored remains of General Longstreet’s Piedmont Hotel as a museum honoring the memory of the General. It is open Wednesday through Saturday, 10am-4pm. The Society also conducts seminars, tours, school, and college classes and publishes a very informative newsletter. Funding for these projects comes from membership dues, donations, and seminar fees.

NORTH GEORGIA BARBERSHOP SINGERS
Lanier UMC
1979 Buford Highway
Cumming, GA 30041
770-377-1294
https://northgeorgiabarbershopsingers.com
cdsullivan47@gmail.com

The Lake Lanier GA Chapter SPEBSQSA, Inc. is an educational and charitable, non-profit organization with the purpose to maximize our joy as barbershop singers by musically being all that we can be, while enriching the lives of our members, and the community at large, through fellowship, great a cappella harmony, and good deeds.

The North Georgia Barbershop Singers are a group of men dedicated to the harmony found only in Old Time Barbershop Singing. We are members of the Barbershop Harmony Society under the registered name of Lake Lanier Georgia Chapter, SPEBSQSA, Inc. (Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America).

NORTH GEORGIA CHAMBER SYMPHONY
587 White Pine Drive
Dahlonega, GA 30533
706-867-9444
https://www.northgeorgiachambersymphony.org
bettyflorence@windstream.net
https://www.facebook.com/northgeorgiachambersymphony

The North Georgia Chamber Symphony is based in Dahlonega, playing concerts in the North Georgia area. Membership is open to all string players in the area, by audition. Prospective members should call Betty Florence at 706-867-9444, or email Bettyflorence@windstream.net.

Rehearsals are on Tuesday evenings, and begin about 3 months prior to the concerts, which are typically held in the spring and fall. Contracted Professionals are the majority of the orchestra.

NORTHEAST GEORGIA HISTORY CENTER
322 Academy Street
Gainesville, GA 30501
770-297-5900

www.negahc.org
Upcoming Events — Welcome to the History Center (negahc.org)
info@negahc.org

The Northeast Georgia History Center is dedicated to preserving and sharing our regional history and being our community’s pathway to history education. Through our educational programs, community events, exhibits, and historic structures, we strive to be a leading resource for promoting a greater understanding of local, state, and national history. The Northeast Georgia History Center has exhibits, a folk-art gallery, and historic structures that span over 10,000 years of the region’s history. During your visit, you’ll tour a 19th-century cabin once home to Cherokee tribal leader White Path, experience hands-on history through our kid-friendly interactive exhibits, learn little-known stories of the region’s past, and get up close to hundreds of artifacts. Join us for programs throughout the year like our New Gainesville Chautauqua Living History Series, Homeschool Days, our annual Historic Fashion Show, and free Family Days!

NORTHEAST GEORGIA LITERARY SOCIETY
https://www.negaliterarysociety.org/about

The Mission of the Northeast Georgia Literary Society:

• To encourage and assist local writers and authors to reach their writing goals,
• To support local writers and authors in achieving a high level of professionalism in their writing business,
• To promote education about the craft and business of writing,
• To raise awareness of the Northeast Georgia literary culture.

The Northeast Georgia Literary Society is the coordinator for the four society members:

1. The Northeast Georgia Writers Club – This group meets monthly to hear speakers and learn about the craft of writing, and this group is a group for writing enthusiasts. If you are new to writing, this is the place to start. For more information contact Charlene DeWitt at charleneestdewitt@gmail.com.
2. The Author’s Social Club – This group is a monthly social event in which authors and other interested parties can network, share news, and find resources within the NEGA writing community. For more information contact Kim Megahee at authorkmega@gmail.com.
3. The Professional Writers Club – This group is for writers who are serious about publishing and selling their books. For additional information contact Renee Propes at riipropes@bellsouth.net.
4. Critique Source Group – This group is for you if you want to get your work critiqued by other writers and learn how to avoid common pitfalls that hurt your writing. For additional information contact Charlene DeWitt at talltailsfamilyfarm@gmail.com.

NORTHWINDS SYMPHONIC BAND
P. O. Box 1713
Gainesville, GA 30503
Conductor: Allen Beach
https://northwinds.org

The Northwinds Symphonic Band was organized in 1984 as a performance outlet for adult musicians, primarily music educators, in the North Georgia area. It occurred to Ron Evans, founder of the ensemble, that many band directors and music teachers in the area were performing musicians on the instrument they studied. The ensemble has performed for the Georgia Music Educators on five different occasions, and it continues to perform a series of concerts throughout the year. The Northwinds Symphonic Band is now led by Conductor, Allen Beach and the roster includes band directors (both active and retired), music teachers, college students, professional musicians, and several players who pursue an occupation outside the field of music. NWSB also brings to its community accomplished guest musicians and conductors.

PIEDMONT UNIVERSITY
1021 Central Avenue
Demorest, GA 30535
800-277-7020
https://www.piedmont.edu
https://www.piedmont.edu/about-piedmont/fine-arts-piedmont

Piedmont University was founded in 1897 with a bold charter: bring high-quality higher education to the students of rural Northeast Georgia. The forests were thick, the terrain was rocky, the future in such wilderness was anything but certain.
Piedmont broke ground, took root, and has thrived ever since, adding degree programs, state-of-the art facilities, a satellite campus in Athens, and athletic teams, all the while expanding its reach well beyond Appalachia.

In 2022-23, Piedmont marks its 125th anniversary, a milestone reached through sheer persistence and steadfast commitment to our founding mission of transforming lives through access to higher education.

Each year, our small campus in Demorest hosts international guest musicians, showcases the work of regional artists, and entertains audiences with show-stopping theatrical performances. Our faculty, students, and visiting performers are passionate about their craft. And they are supremely talented. Each year, hundreds of patrons visit campus to experience the arts at Piedmont.

QUINLAN VISUAL ARTS CENTER
514 Green Street, NE
Gainesville, GA 30501
770-536-2575
https://www.quinlanartscenter.org
info@QVAC.org

The Quinlan Visual Arts Center is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) charitable arts organization located in Gainesville, Georgia. Founded initially as the Gainesville Arts Association in 1946, the organization has grown to the comprehensive visual arts center today providing only the best quality art education opportunities for all ages and all stages of artistic development, special events for the community, a summer art camp program for children, up to 20 fine art exhibitions featuring solo and group artists and a special Members’ Exhibition each fall. The mission of the Quinlan Visual Arts Center is to “Bring visual arts to life, and to the life of the community.”

SAUTEE-NACOOCHEE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
P. O. Box 460
Sautee, GA 30571
7006-878-3300
https://www.snca.org
melw@snca.org

Sautee Nacoochee Center and its parent organization, Sautee Nacoochee Community Association, were established in 1981 to recognize the importance of saving the heritage, land, and community of this exceptional place in the mountains of North Georgia. Over the last 42 years the scope of the Center’s goals in its stewardship have widened and its responsibility and leadership in the community’s life have strengthened.

Today the opportunities it offers the entire Northeast Georgia region have come to include a major Folk Pottery Museum – classes and exhibits in the visual arts – a performance program that provides exposure to the best of national and regional musicians, dancers, and actors, and varied educational programs for both adults and children that support learning in all these areas. The Center also supports the community with scheduled programs and activities which nurture and enhance the lives of its seniors and other special groups.

SAWNEE ASSOCIATION OF THE ARTS
CUMMING ARTS CENTER
111 Pilgrim Mill Road
Cumming, GA 30040
678-634-9240
https://sawneeart.org
sawneeart@gmail.com

The Cumming Arts Center/Sawnee Association of the Arts is a 501 c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to providing a rich visual arts experience for the Cumming and Forsyth County residents. It features an art gallery and a gift shop. New Exhibits are offered approximately every eight weeks and frequently offer monthly Featured Artists. Among our many members ae painters in oil, watercolor, acrylic, and other media, potters, owe turners, 3D artists, photographers, and others. During the year there are many opportunities to participate in shows and exhibits. To learn more, visit our website https://sawneeart.org.

SOUNDS OF SAWNEE CONCERT BAND
1597 Sawnee Road
Cumming, GA 30040
https://www.soundsofsawnee.org
rforbus@troveinc.com

The Sounds of Sawnee Concert Band is a community band in every sense, and it is proud to now be established as a community resource. The band provides cultural enrichment for members of the community through regular concert performances. It provides a unique opportunity for musical expression for both distinguished musicians and amateurs alike, to further develop and refine music skills in a friendly setting. The band continually seeks to instill in all people an awareness of music’s important role in the enrichment of the human spirit. The band welcomes all people who share a love of band music and play or have played a band instrument.

TRUETT MCCONNELL UNIVERSITY
100 Alumni Drive
Cleveland, GA 30528
706-865-2134
https://truett.edu

Truett-McConnell College is a liberal art, distinctively Christian institution that seeks to impact the next generation and, indeed, the world. The campus sits on 200 acres of prime mountain land one mile east of the town square in Cleveland, Georgia. After more than half a century as a two-year college, in December 2002, the institution was approved by its accrediting agency to offer four-year degrees. The Music Department is organized within the Fine Arts Division at Truett-McConnell College. The department is rooted firmly in a strong Christian and liberal arts tradition. It is committed to providing for each music student an opportunity to obtain beginning and progressive musical training leading to a degree in music. In addition, it seeks to provide the interested student with an opportunity to study music as one of the fine arts for the enrichment of his/her academic and personal life.

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH GEORGIA
DAHLONEGA CAMPUS
82 College Circle
Dahlonega, GA 30533
706-864-1400
https://ung.edu
and
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH GEORGIA
GAINESVILLE CAMPUS
3820 Mundy Mill Road
Oakwood, GA 30533
https://ung.edu/campuses/gainesville

The University of North Georgia was formed through the consolidation of North Georgia College & State University and Gainesville State College, two of the top-performing schools in the University System of Georgia, in January 2013. Positioned in the fastest-growing region of the state, UNG comprises five campuses united by a single mission focused on academic excellence and academic and co-curricular programs that develop students into leaders for a diverse and global society.

The School of Arts & Letters, the largest and most diverse academic unit at UNG, offers dynamic and challenging majors and minors in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. The School of Arts & Letters also delivers the bulk of the university’s core curriculum courses. Arts aspires to provide liberal arts educational experiences which are congruent with the University’s mission and goals. Academic and studio instruction are provided in the areas of music, theater, and communications arts.

The School of Communication, Film & Theatre (CFT) benefits from collaboration and synergy to offer students a multitude of educational and developmental opportunities. Our degrees are among the signature programs on the UNG-Gainesville campus and prepare students for careers in filmmaking, journalism, public relations, organizational leadership, technical theatre, acting, digital media production, and many other related professions. The common thread among our programs is storytelling in all its forms.

CFT’s facilities are among the best in the southeast, and our top-notch professional educators utilize hands-on, individualized training in our state-of-the-art classrooms and labs to ensure students get an undergraduate experience full of opportunity. Our proximity to Atlanta makes for abundant professional opportunities right in our backyard.
Whether your desire is to be a music educator, performer, scholar, or forge your own musical path, the University of North Georgia Department of Music has something to offer you. Students will find individualized and diverse approaches from our world-class faculty fostering artistic development and preparing you for your career in music. Come join us as “mountains were made for music.” For musical programs presented by the Department of Music click on the following link: https://ung.edu/music/music-events.php.

The University of North Georgia Art Galleries serve to provide access to cultural experiences, to foster an understanding of a diverse and global society and to cultivate an appreciation of contemporary artistic expressions. Visual Arts exhibits on the Dahlonega Campus are in the Bob Owens Art Gallery (https://ung.edu/art-galleries/dahlonega.php).  On the Gainesville Campus in the Roy C. Moore Gallery (https://ung.edu/art-galleries/gainesville.php).

VISION 2030
GREATER HALL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
230 E. E. Butler Parkway
Gainesville, GA 30501
770-532-6206
https://vision2030.org
ehiggins@ghcc.org

Sponsored by the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce, Vision 2030 is a community project, and participation is encouraged by everyone in Hall County.
Vision 2030 is a coordinated group of volunteers leading long-term initiatives, defined by the citizens, to position Gainesville-Hall County as the most enviable community in Georgia by the year 2030. Acting as change agents, the group champions these initiatives and propels them forward through collaborative partnerships with government, education, business, and non-profits.

VOICES OF NORTH GEORGIA
P. O. Box 1684
Gainesville, GA 30503
https://voicesofnorthgeorgia.com
sylvanhill1@comcast.net

Voices of North Georgia is a community chorus dedicated to the presentation of a wide variety of sacred and secular music of high artistic quality to the people of Gainesville and North Georgia.

Voices of North Georgia encourages its members to enrich their love of choral music and to further develop their musical skills. It also provides a forum for its members to gather for fellowship.

Voices of North Georgia is a non-profit 501 C3 community chorus.

WONDERQUEST
GAINESVILLE THEATRE ALLIANCE – THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES
P. O. Box 1358
Gainesville, GA 30503
678-617-3624
https://gainesvilletheatrealliance.org/about/wonderquest
ghammond@brenau.edu

WonderQuest is Gainesville Theatre Alliance’s (GTA) Theatre for Young Audiences. WonderQuest is the only organization in North Georgia dedicated to offering professionally produced theatre specifically for children and their families. WonderQuest is dedicated to lighting the fire of the mind. There are ideas and feelings that theatre creates for children that no other medium can. Not TV or video or computer — no matter how interactive — it isn’t alive. And when we combine that unique live element with literature — when we lift the story from the page to the stage — we empower children to find the same excitement in books… and in ideas. We must kindle the fire.
WonderQuest productions take place in Brenau University’s historic Pearce Auditorium, a 19th century opera house, for family audiences and over 7,000 students from schools throughout northeast Georgia. Performers interact with students after every performance. It is an experience like no other!