So the month of May has been designated as Celebrate the Arts month for the last three years here at the Colquitt County Arts Center. If you turn to the master calendar in our office you will find May filled with dance recitals, piano, strings and voice recitals, spring theater performances, a patron family picnic, classes, workshops, exhibit openings and so much more. We traditionally end the month with a patron celebration with everyone dressed in their finery and celebrating the accomplishments of the Arts Center in the past year.

This May there is no music in the hallways, there are no giggling ballerinas, the stage is empty, the smell of paint has diminished and dust from ceramics has settled. The gallery has the same artwork hanging from the State of Emergency shutdown back in mid-March. So what’s to celebrate?

PLENTY!!! While programming and performances may be erased from the calendar this May, we have had a fabulous year here at the Arts Center and we remain extremely optimistic about our future. Allow me to share the past year with you.

May 2019 we started the month off with the opening of the Charles Keeling Lassiter exhibit in the Vereen gallery and local artist Amanda Holt in the Traverse Gallery. Jimmy Norris hosted a recital of his piano and voice students and Lovedy and Sara Griner presented their annual spring ballet. A reception was held for the students of the Arts Center with a presentation of certificates. Steel Magnolias continued rehearsals and the Youth Production Shake it up Shakespeare entertained us all and auditions were held for Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. May ended with the annual Patron Celebration and recognition of the recipient of the Evelyn King Vereen Memorial Service Award Mrs. Beverly Adcock. Mrs. Adcock is a valued volunteer and longtime friend of the Arts Center and is credited with launching the first Annual Hunt Dinner.

June 2019 saw summer camps go into full swing. Michael Ryce and Southern Arts Music Ensemble presented a fabulous show-made even more special as it was the last concert presented by Michael due to his untimely passing. He is still missed.

The works of Ann Goble opened in the Vereen Gallery and the calendar was full of rentals and community events including the dinner hosted by the Moultrie Federated Guild for the Nurses in the Migrant Farm Workers program.

July 2019 the stage was alive with some of the most talented adults and young people in the community as Jacob Eubanks, a product of our theater program made his directing debut with Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Later that month our community rallied around our teachers for our third annual Teacher Appreciation event.

August 2019 we celebrated the Opening of the exhibit Reflections of a Dream- A Showcase Celebrating Medical Care, Art and Community and Service.  This exhibit took many months of planning and organizing with the help of Gidge Taylor, Nicole Gilbert and Ashlee Parrish and was a huge success with many visitors enjoying the historical timeline of medical care in our community. 

August also saw the stage come to life with the performances of the USO Tribute Show in partnership with the local DAR Chapter. Local talent paid tribute to the veterans of the Vietnam Conflict through song, jokes and special presentations throughout the evening. August also marked the beginning of our school year classes in dance, art, music and auditions were held for our Junior and High School students for SHREK the Musical and Rainbow Fish for our younger actors.  

We didn’t slow down in September 2019 as we held an Open House for the new faculty, staff and students of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Throughout the month there were a variety of rentals and classes and workshops and the United Way Day of Action with volunteers patching and painting the Vereen Gallery, art studio bathrooms and rolling gallery walls.

October 2019 was again full with rentals and classes and workshops and the Quilt Exhibit opening in the Vereen and McCall galleries. The evening was highlighted with the DAR presentation of Quilts of Valor to Veterans in our community as they were presented with a patriotic themed quilt in appreciation for their service.  School and public performances of both Flat Stanley and Shrek delighted students from schools in the community and surrounding school systems. ARToberfest was held on the grounds of the Arts Center with music, food, art activities, vendors and fun free to the community. That evening folks enjoyed the cover band PEACE of Woodstock at the Ashburn Hill Plantation and a good time was had by all.

November was just as busy with classes, workshops and performances with Night of the Living Dead on stage for a weekend. A series of Holiday Workshops was launched with enthusiastic response and United Way of Colquitt County held their Celebration Luncheon in the ballroom. The Vereen Gallery was transformed into a holiday wonderland with beautiful handmade works of art for community shopping in the Holiday Shoppe.

December 2019 included the popular family event Santa Stroll and Roll hosted by the Moultrie Service League and held downtown. Lovedy and Sara Griner presented a beautiful holiday ballet, the United Way Family Christmas production Celebrate!, took the stage and we hosted the annual NAMI Night Holiday celebration.

The New Yearbegan with all classes and workshops starting back up from the holiday break and a fabulous evening of music provided by Derrick Dove and the Peacekeepers and a delightful performance by Mario the Maker Magician family show thanks to funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. We also kicked off our annual bowl painting for the Empty Bowl Event and held the opening for the Vivan Jendzio exhibit. In addition we were sending instructors into elementary schools in Colquitt and Tift County for dance, theater and mixed media experiences. 

February 2020 was a sweet month with the Volunteer Arts Alliance expanding on the annual Hunt Dinner with Field and Vine – an elegant event just for ladies and Whiskey and wildlife- an entertaining evening for the gentlemen. We enjoyed the talents of the David Hawkins Band-Just Passing Through with special guest Meg Bishop as Patsy Cline. And we were absolutely blessed with a concert by world renowned violinist William Hagen with equally renowned pianist Albert Cano Smit thanks to the efforts of the Daniel Dunn Family. We wrapped up the month of February with auditions for our spring student musical Matilda.

March began with our annual Youth Art Month exhibit- the highest attended opening on our calendar. Matilda began rehearsals and the PEC Dance hosted by the Moultrie Service League was a big hit as usual.

And of course, we all know what happened next. 

BUT we know the future holds all of the above and so much more. The only thing we don’t know for sure is when and how it is going to look and feel for our community. So Arts Center staff and instructors have offered online classes and contests and drive thru pickup projects and creative ways to remind the community that the arts are what carry us through the tough times. 

The last thing we should do is stand still.

So we move forward. Monday, June 1st we will begin our summer camp season. Yes it is looking a little different in the way we usually do camp but students can expect the same quality art, theater, dance and music they have learned to expect over the years with Kathy Nelson at the helm. Friday, June 5th Lovedy and Sara Griner will present their year-end recital- one class at a time with breaks in between for the next class to perform. Lovedy has hired a videographer who will edit the performances together for a video of the recital in full. And Mimi Bair is exploring the possibilities of small group rehearsals for Matilda. 

There will be concerts, there will be dance, there will be music and there will be classes and workshops of all kinds on our campus again just as soon as it is safe to resume all these activities. 

Until then-Celebrate the Arts with us. Like our Facebook Page, check out our Instagram and our website. Call and schedule a family exhibit tour. Schedule a Family Pick and Paint or family art class. We will be following all CDC, State and local guidelines as we move forward and we invite you to move forward with us. Consider becoming a Patron of the Arts. There are several levels of Patron support to fit any budget. Call the Arts Center at 985-1922 for more information.

This is YOUR Colquitt County Arts Center- where CREATIVITY finds COMMUNITY. And we look forward to seeing you all again real soon.