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Arts groups an important part of area's cultural fabric
Area arts organizations are an important cultural resource for the area. A partial listing of area arts groups includes: Athens Community Theater: An offshoot of Athens Area Council for the Arts, the group is made up of volunteers interested in the performing arts. The home of the troupe is the Athens Area Center for the Arts, located at 320 N. White St., in Downtown Athens. For more information, call 745-8781. Athens Area Children's Choir: The choir is an auditioned performing group composed of area youth in fourth through eighth grades. The group performs locally and also has traveled to Biltmore Estate in North Carolina and Carnegie Hall in New York City. For more information, call Pam Thigpen at 745-2420 during evening hours. Athens Area Council for the Arts: The Athens Area Council for the Arts serves as the core organization for promoting artistic events in the community. It represents the combined efforts of the area's artists and patrons of the arts. The board of directors meets the second Thursday of each month at 5:30 p.m. at the Athens Area Center for the Arts at 320 N. White St., in Downtown Athens. Contact Executive Director Ellen Kimball at 745-8781 for more information. Athens Area Council for the Arts Auxiliary: The Arts Auxiliary purpose is to support Athens Area Council for the Arts' programs through special fund raising projects, and encouraging community support of the arts. Major projects include sponsorship of the annual Arts Gala held the first Saturday in March and the Christmas Tour of Homes. For more information, call 745-8781. Community Artists' League: Meets the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Community Room of E.G. Fisher Public Library. It is one of the oldest arts organizations in the area. Each June the group holds a competitive art show that often draws many artists from several Southeast states. The group also has a changing six-week exhibit featuring local artists at the public library's Goldie Mayfield Gallery, Citizens National Bank and a continuous show and sale at the Athens Area Center for the Arts. New members are always welcome. For more information, contact Sandy Brown at 507-9004. Etowah Arts Commission: The Etowah Arts Commission serves as the core organization for promoting many artistic and historical events in the community. Based in the Gem Theater Building, it represents the combined efforts of the area's artists and patrons of the arts. The Commission meets the third Tuesday of each month at the Arts Commission Office. For more information, (see Gem Theatre Players) or call Charles Munn at 263-7608; write P.O. Box 193, Etowah, TN 37331; or fax to 263-1670. Thursday Music Study Club of Etowah: Sponsors monthly music programs, hosts a public program for National Music Week, presents awards to McMinn Central High School choir and band members each year and makes an annual donation of a music-oriented book to the Carnegie Library or to the high school library. The club meets the first Thursday of every month from September to December and February to June at 7 p.m. at members' homes. For more information, call Kitty Plemons at 744-0294. Friends of the E.G. Fisher Public Library: The Friends of the Library is a volunteer organization, formed to support and enhance the programs and operations of the library in Athens. The Friends sponsor an annual used book sale with proceeds being used to support the summer reading program, the book budget and the Noon Book Discussion held on the third Tuesday of each month. As well as the annual used book sale, the Friends maintain a book shop inside the library year-round. For more information, call the library at 745-7782 or FOL President Scott Hallenberg at 745-8755. Gem Theatre Players: Closely associated with the Etowah Arts Commission, the Gem Theater Players are made up of volunteers interested in the performing arts and in the preservation and promotion of the Gem Theater in Etowah. For more information, call the Gem Players at 263-3270. McMinn County Living Heritage Museum Guild: Meets the third Monday of each month, except for summer and winter, at 10 a.m. at the Living Heritage Museum. It is a support group that conducts fundraising activities for the benefit of the museum. Each year, it holds the Trash & Treasure Sale and the Christmas Holiday House. Both major fundraisers consist of dinner, auction and bake sale. A fund-raiser in its second year in 2005 is a casual outdoor dinner ? the first was "Bayou Boogie" and the 2005 event was "Back to the Bayou." The Living Heritage Quilt Guild assists in the Museum Guild's efforts by donating a quilt each year for the Holiday House. The Quilt Guild also offers an annual quilt show in May-June of each year. The members meet the first Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the museum. An annual exhibit of challenge quilts is also displayed. For more information on the Museum or Quilt guild, call the museum at 745-0329. Meigs County Citizens for Arts and Crafts: Sponsors art programs and two $500 scholarships in the Meigs County school system. The group also organizes the Watts Bar Arts and Crafts Festival, which is held annually in September at the Watts Bar recreational area. The organization has called meetings and dates and times are listed in the "Community Billboard" section of The DPA. For more information, contact Bernice Kyker at 334-5824. Unity Gospel Community Choir: The choir is a group of singers and musicians who come together to sing gospel music ? to spread the "good news" in song. They perform locally at community events. Everyone is welcome and there is no fee to join. Rehearsals are held at Woodward Avenue Church of God. Dates and times of rehearsals are announced in "Community Billboard" section of The DPA. For more information, contact the Athens Area Council for the Arts at 745-8781. |
