Volume 3 Edition 1 Winter 2015 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Bringing cultural creativity to ART SHINES ON GEORGIA’S GOLDEN ISLES Our cover story is on the Golden Isles Coastal Georgia Arts & Humanities in Brunswick where former Georgia Council for the Arts member and GIAHA Exec. Director Heather Heath introduces us to their good work. EYEDRUM EVOLUTION & NEW HOME! Our feature on Eyedrum includes three people instrumental in its success reflecting on the group’s history and bright future. ARTSGEORGIA — ADVOCACY & NEW INITIATIVES Learn about ArtsGeorgia’s 2015 arts advocacy and public awareness initiatives; plus progress on our Directory of the Arts in Georgia project. SPRING ISSUE 2015 We venture northward on the Georgia coast to tell of the achievements of Savannah’s rom pairing gourmet food with great film to bringing professional Department of Cultural Affairs; and to report F on the recent AFTA award to ArtsClayton. artists directly into schools, Golden Isles Arts & Humanities is opening new windows on the cultural experience in Coastal Georgia. Like many new nonprofits, we began as an all-volunteer group passionate about the arts. That was 26 years ago. Today we manage the Historic Ritz Theatre for the City of Brunswick and serve as the arts council for Glynn County and the City of Brunswick. © ArtsGeorgia, Inc. 2015 cont’d. on page 1 State of the Arts eNewsletter Bringing cultural creativity to Coastal Georgia HEATHER HEATH Executive Director, Golden Isles Arts and Humanities We’re always looking for creative ways When the Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Another popular initiative born during to engage new audiences in the arts. A Hammett was featured, we launched The the Big Read is Cinema Gourmet where we terrificexample is our involvement with Ritz Radio Theatre — a live 1940s-style radio blend food and film. We led with Pinot Noir The Big Read – an initiative of the National broadcast with local actors, period costumes, and Noir – a wine tasting and discussion Endowment for the Arts. Designed to bring live sound effects and even commercials about film noir with a screening of Out of reading literature back to the center of from a local sponsor. Audiences were guided the Past. More than 200 people turned American culture, each year, we create to applaud and react as if in a live studio. out. With help from a local chef at Indigo a month-long, multi-media program Performances were recorded and aired later Coastal Shanty, a list of must-see films was centered around a single book or author. on a local radio station. The concept was so developed. Now in its third year, Cinema Our work is managed by Arts Midwest successful, it prompted us to reconsider our Gourmet typically sells out. All programs through a competitive grant program annual holiday production. Our third pro- have a common thread; they build a sense awarded to selected communities around duction of It’s A Wonderful Life and second of community. Patrons aren’t just watching; the country. Now in our eighth year, Coastal staging of A Christmas Carol became live they’re actively participating in a shared Georgia Reads features Their Eyes Were radio broadcasts and aired on Christmas cultural experience while enjoying food Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston in Day. This spring, The Ritz Radio Theatre and drink, and learning why Sunset Boulevard 2015. Book discussions, film series, guest returns with The Wizard of Oz. is a timeless film classic. speakers and special events will take place in Glynn and surrounding counties The Big Read also involves students of all Other highlights include Jazz in the Park, throughout February. It’s a highly antici- ages through The Middle and Little Big Read. an outdoor summer concert series; a pated event with attendance on the rise Two companion books appropriate for young Summer Classic Movies series at the Ritz; each year. readers are highlighted with free copies of all in-depth theatre and film camps for kids books and high-quality teaching materials fill the summer months; and an upcoming distributed at no cost to schools. exhibit of candid presidential photographs by the late New York Times photographer George Tames is planned. page 1 Winter 2015 We’ll also offer Cultural Expressions 2015 To promote the visual arts, The Ritz featuring art by local and regional African- Gallery showcases our young people’s American artists. With The Ritz Theatre creativity with two exhibits a year available for rent, other community groups exclusively dedicated to student work. make sure something is going on almost every weekend. Why do so much? We’re In another annual show, student work committed to bringing arts experiences hangs with art by local professional here that might not come to this part of artists. We also produce an annual Georgia. Finally, a commitment to arts showcase of teachers’ art to welcome education is central to our mission. Since the new school year. 1997 Golden Isles Arts & Humanities has sponsored in-school arts programs in all We could not accomplish all this without 10 elementary schools and all four middle support from great partners — The City schools in Glynn County. We reach about of Brunswick, The College of Coastal 9,000 students each year by booking pro- Georgia, Marshes of Glynn Library fessional performing, literary and visual System, Communities of Coastal Georgia artists for workshops, performances and Foundation, St. Simons Literary Guild, residencies at no cost to schools. Field trips local media, our board of directors and to experience live theater at the Historic our members and patrons. Ritz are also provided to schools every year. With their encouragement, Golden Isles Arts & Humanities remains at the center of cultural life in Brunswick and the Golden Isles. page 2 State of the Arts eNewsletter Eyedrum Art and Music Gallery: Looking back and looking forward PRISCILLA SMITH Executive Director That’s art!” one of our patrons said on an advance tour of Eyedrum Art and Music exhibition was drawn from a national call It’s no coincidence that the building’s Gallery’s new home. He was pointing to a for artists. We collaborated with Georgia owners also own the adjacent parking deck pile of trash. It was one of the smaller heaps Tech, Agnes Scott, Georgia State and the and multiple lots nearby. When people visit of detritus accumulated over seven years Hammonds House Museum of African us on nights and weekends, our guests often that the 1913 building was vacant. American Art. use their paid parking that would otherwise be empty. “How did all that stuff get here?” he asked. On the music and performance side, “What’s the story behind it? What if an Eyedrum provided a home for “instant For more than 15 years, Eyedrum defied artist changed just one thing? Just one composition”—music created on the spot the odds by maintaining a full calendar thing.” Thus, Existing Conditions was the first Thursday of every, single month. of high-quality, groundbreaking events conceived — Eyedrum’s inaugural show The music/noise label Table of the Elements and exhibitions with an all-volunteer in our new home base. presented a weekend-long festival that staff. Since November, the curatorial and included an orchestra of local guitarists, programming efforts of the artist-led The patron put his money behind his vision Tony Conrad and a recording of Beethoven’s board of directors were bolstered by a by commissioning 19 artists to search the 9th Symphony stretched out algorithmically paid executive director. Foundations and 9,000 square-foot space to create installa- to last 24 hours. And that’s barely scratch- other funders that previously passed over tions, music, assemblages and performances. ing the surface. Eyedrum can now give the game-changing The curatorial directive was to “re-contex- Atlanta force a serious look. tualize” what was there. The results were After eight years, the building’s owners “ingenious” according to one critic for wouldn’t renew the lease. (A martial arts While Eyedrum has historically been the highlighting the art in its context. school is there now). We became itinerant center of a community of forward-thinking artists searching for a home in over 40 loca- artists and patrons, the downtown store- That story exemplifies the innovative spirit tions, borrowing galleries, programming fronts at 88 Forsyth Street have already of Eyedrum throughout its 16-year history. music in bars, living rooms and warehouses. demonstrated considerable value as an As the early pioneers — known as the Origi- The Goat Farm generously gave Eyedrum a attraction for new audiences. Residents of nal Eight — expanded to larger spaces, they place to produce music events. downtown lofts, apartments and condos were encouraged by their initial success, welcome the new activity in their neighbor- and incorporated as a 501(c)3 nonprofit. While participating in C4 Atlanta’s FUSE hood, happy to have an arts venue within (See Ben Johnson’s article on Eyedrum’s Arts Center — co-working space for artists walking distance. Office workers from the origins). — Eyedrum discovered the joys of being many governmental towers surrounding part of downtown Atlanta’s rebirth. We Eyedrum are attracted by the activity. And By 2002, pushing the limits of their space found a building for sale in a great location passersby — travelers arriving by Greyhound, again, Eyedrum moved to still larger digs— at an affordable price. suburbanites headed to Centennial Park for a huge warehouse with plenty of parking. festivals and conventioneers out exploring Then fate smiled. As Eyedrum searched — are all curious to find out who we are. Eyedrum ultimately filled the 10,000-square- for funds to make the purchase, the owners foot warehouse with ideas, colors, sounds came forward with an ideal situation — We’re energized by the neighborhood and and a vibrant community.