Thomasville Center for the Arts | 2023 Impact Report

THANKS to YOU

Dear Center Friends,

It’s my pleasure to share with you the 2022-2023 annual report of Thomasville Center for the Arts. Last year brought many opportunities for our community to connect through the arts, from the beloved traditions of Due South and the annual Wildlife Arts Festival, to the honor of hosting representatives from all across the state of Georgia for an immersive public art workshop.

Our programs at the Center impact people of all ages, and we especially focus on arts education and exposure to creative thinking for our youngest friends. In fact, our multi-faceted Art with Schools programming reached over 7,200 youth, and over 700 students and families enjoyed Art in the Afternoon, seasonal camps, 2nd Saturdays, and KidsPLAYce activities during the 2022-2023 academic year.

Because of the incredible work, collaboration, and creativity of the many individuals involved in the Center’s work year after year, we are able to come together today with an ambitious and exciting plan for the future. I am filled with both excitement and gratitude as we launch a Long-Range Plan to guide the Center’s work. It’s a plan that extends beyond our main campus and will be implemented by the collective efforts of many across the community.

The planning process has given us all an opportunity to dream together about the next phase of impact that arts and cultural programming can have in Thomasville and beyond. We are ever thankful for the community members who have shared feedback and inspired collaboration and innovation that have brought us to this point. We are also deeply thankful for the artists, who without their essential, remarkable thought and leadership, this work would not be possible.

We can all agree that the future is bright for the Center and for our community. Together, we aim to make lives brighter through the Arts. Will you join us?

Morgan Lewis, Board President Morgan

BOARD

2023-24

President

Morgan Lewis

Treasurer

Sara Aldridge

Secretary

Brandy Kirkham

Trustees

Eliza Brunson

Collier Feinberg

Lyle Williams

Bill Edwards

Haile McCollum

Vann Parrott

Margaret F. Rich

Spencer Young

Margaret Wetherbee

2022-23

President

Margaret Wetherbee

Vice President

Robert L. Ireland, Jr.

Treasurer

Max F. Beverly Collier Feinberg (Asst.)

Secretary

Brandy Kirkham

Trustees

Mark Cobb

Melvin Hugans

W. Gates Kirkham

Morgan Lewis

Haile McCollum

David Middleton

Margaret F. Rich

Katherine Scovil

Clay Sewell, Jr.

Spencer Young

RESIDENT partners

Thomasville Entertainment Foundation

South Georgia Ballet

Ron Thomson, Painter

A talented group of arts education partners supplement Thomasville Center for the Arts in providing a robust menu of arts programming.

Resident arts education partners utilize spaces at the Center to provide high-quality artistic instruction, as well as bring renowned professional artists to Southwest Georgia.

Megan Holmes THOM Collective Member

our IMPACT

115 community partners over

220 individual supporters and volunteers and

help us touch

85,000 youth + adults annually

through public art, exhibitions, performances, schools, and events

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our PROGRAMS

School Arts

Our partnerships with surrounding school systems continues to grow and evolve to meet the needs of youth and educators in Southwest Georgia. Our multi-faceted Art with Schools programming reached over 7,200 youth, 600 adults, and 25 artists last academic year, exposing visitors to artistic perspectives and providing opportunities to develop creativity and critial thinking skills.

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Community Arts

Programs and workshops for youth reached over 700 youth and families during the 2022-2023 year through Art in the Afternoon, seasonal camps, 2nd Saturdays, and KidsPLAYce activities. In addition, workshops for adults gave nearly 250 participants instruction in clay, leather, tie-dye, floral design, weaving, and other mediums.

THOM Collective

The THOM Collective is an artist membership program that provides a platform for both local and regional artists to grow their potential, while providing collectors, young or experienced, access to original, affordable art. A community of creative professionals, the Collective is made up of visual, culinary, and performing artists. The Colletive currently consists of over 120 members.

Exhibitions

The Center for the Arts curated seven unique exhibition spaces, both onsite in our historic building, as well as throughout the community. In 2022-2023, nearly 600 visitors attended exhibitions in our Main Gallery, which hosts three shows annually. In addition, over 300 people per day experience Wall Space, our public exhibition space in partnership with Grassroots Coffee Co. in downtown Thomasville.

Artists In Residence

Our artist residency program elevates emerging and experienced talent while sparking creative conversations within our community. In this teaching artist residency, artists receive studio and exhibition space while sharing their creative knowledge with the community. These teaching opportunities encourage experimental creativity, collaboration, and shared dialogue with local makers and regional artists.

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Due South

This annual art, music and food festival is a place where friends can come together to celebrate a love for music and art in Thomasville’s Creative District. Due South 2023 showcased 23 artists and performers and welcomed more than 1,200 guests.

Wildlife Arts Festival

The annual Wildlife Arts Festival celebrated its 27th year in 2022 with over 3,400 guests, artists, and volunteers converging in the Red Hills Region. Proceeds from the Festival fund a large portion of the Center’s operational budget and brings over $1M in economic impact to the region through hunts, dining, lodging, and retail.

THOM

The 18th and 19th issues of THOM hit the stands. THOM profiles the people and ideas shaping the life of our community. It’s part guide, part magazine, artfully created by the Center team.

Public Art

Public art sparks conversation, creates inspiring and memorable experiences, brings people together around common ideas, and strengthens the understanding of where we live, work, and play. The Center programs public art exhibitions in six community spaces, including The UnVacant Lot on W. Jackson St.

Members & Volunteers

Our members and volunteers are more like family to us! Membership is a great way to experience the arts through free workshops and discounted classes, and volunteering allows you to give back and meet new people.

a leader in THE ARTS

Thomasville Center for the Arts, alongside the City of Thomasville, was proud to host Georgia’s “More than Murals” workshop in February 2023. This three-day intensive workshop focused on creative placemaking and public art, providing the opportunity to showcase what Thomasville has accomplished through strategic partnerships with artists, arts organizations, local businesses, and the city. Twelve cities across Georgia brought a team of representatives to Thomasville to participate in a crash course in creative placemaking and public art, addressing community challenges to encourage economic growth. The cities to join Thomasville in this three-day intensive workshop were Cairo, Canton, Doraville, Griffin, Homerville, Milledgeville, Monroe, Sugar Hill, Tifton, Valdosta, Vidalia, and Watkinsville.

looking AHEAD Long-Range Plan

The Center for the Arts board of trustees and staff completed a comprehensive long-range planning process in the spring of 2023. The resulting 5-year strategic plan was designed by the people and audiences the Center serves, with community input solicited at all stages of the plan development.

The path ahead is a collaborative effort to bring a clear vision and focus to the essential work of the Center.

Over the next five years, Thomasville Center for the Arts will be focused on recruiting and retaining staff, leveraging community partnerships, evaluating and rolling out artistic programming based on community needs, and funding a campus master plan.

OUR MISSION:

Make lives brighter through the arts.

OUR VISION:

We imagine a flourishing community where the arts are alive, creativity thrives, and we work together to create a sense of belonging for all.

Michele Arwood

Thomasville Center for the Arts

Dr. Karl Barton

Thomas Univerity

Janet Cable

Thomasville Center for the Arts

John Gleason Artist

Dr. Montserrat Graves

South Georgia Autism Center

Bob Ireland

Artist & Past Trustee

Melissa June South Georgia Ballet

Morgan Lewis Trustee & Board Chair

Dr. Ivory Lucas Albany State University

Haile McCollum Trustee

Mariam Mirabzadeh

Thomasville Center for the Arts

Margaret Wetherbee Trustee

Long-Range Planning Committee

INITIATIVES

key

Long-Range Plan

CAMPUS

How do we optimize and activiate the Center for the Arts campus to serve our mission?

Develop and implement a Master Plan for a campus experience that is safe, accessible, artistic, and welcoming for all.

FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY

How do we create and implement a financial development plan that provides for both short- and long-term stability?

Implement an integrated fund development plan. Refine and grow endowment and capital strategy. Leverage existing and new income strategies.

PROGRAMMING

How does our programming facilitate artistic expression and experiences to meet the needs of, and make an impact on, our community?

Develop and implement a programming strategy. Leverage existing, and build new, partnerships. Develop a community engagement process.

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

How do we best equip our staff and board to implement the Long-Range Plan?

Create and implement governing procedures. Determine key staffing to support the plan. Recruit and retain staff and board members.

Values

your SUPPORT

Thomasville Center for the Arts is a private 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization funded largely by generous gifts from our community. In the 2022-2023 fiscal year, the Center’s income slightly outpaced expenses, putting the organization in a financially stable position.

Programs + Events Facility Maintenance

thank YOU

Your support helps to ensure that the Center remains a thriving community asset for generations to enjoy. With your help, we can continue to inspire a culture of creativity and learning, provide a dedicated “home for the arts” that fosters connection, and continue to offer a variety of exceptional artistic programs. Because of you, we are making lives brighter every day.

our CHAMPIONS

July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023

INDIVIDUALS . Jack Allen. Lynn & Randy Andersen. Michelle & Bill Arwood. Sallie & Duby Ausley.Tom Barron. Mary & Joe Beverly. Annie & Warren Bicknell. Jane Blount. Liz & Keith Bodell. Larry Bradner. Emily Bragg. Eliza & Stuart Brunson. Erin & Sheldon

Bryan. Jennifer & Tyler Cannada. Jill & Wilson Carraway. Jean & Charles Chapin. Lee

Chubb. Kim & Palmer Clarkson. Dorothy & Mark Cobb. Mollie & Eric Cohen. Linsey & Matthew Cone. Cornie & Dick Corbett. Tracey & Darcey Craven. Brooke & Ivan Crocker. Taliaferro Crozer. Louise & Christopher Davenport. Rosamond Davis. Laurel Derby. Lisa & Jimmy Dobbs. Louise Dunlap. Raphaela & John Dunlap, Jr. Carly & Thomas Falgout. Neil & Stephanie Fennell. Kim & Jay Flowers. Stacey Forsyth. John & Elizabeth Fort. Brandon

Godwin. Malania Green. Alston & Charlton Griffin. Juliane & George Hackney. Sandra

Hall. Holly & Tom Harrison. Deborah & Merrill Hicks. Sabrina & John Higgins. Sally & Watts Humphrey. Susan Hunter. Nancy & Tom. Bob Ireland. Liz & Barney Ireland, Jr.

Angie & Coy Irvin. Ashley & Brad Jackson. Liza & Blake Jones. Sherrie & Steve Kinsey.

Brandy & Gates Kirkham. Evan & Robert Kryder. Barbara & Greg Lang. Patrick LaPine.

Catherine & Michael Ledyard. Kate Luzius. Beckey Malphus. Amanda & Dan May. Haile & Ben McCollum. Margaret & Brian McDaniel. Melissa & Vic McMillan. Julie & Doug McPherson. Katie & David Middleton. Catherine & Tripp Onnen. Ashley & Nathan

Packer. Diane Parker. Knox Parker. Lauri & Vann Parrott. Krista & Bryant Peace. Annie

Perkins. Mary & Jeff Phipps. Joanne & Bill Ponder. Jeanne Potthoff. Jesse Potts. Chris Quick. Debbie & Ian Quinton. Tom Rankin. Judy Rasmuson. Marilynn & Randy Rhea.

Peggy & Scott Rich. Kim & Brian Russell. Nancy & Carey Scott. Katherine Scovil. Callie & Clay Sewell. Laura & Mike Shea. Robert Shiver. Jeannine & Joe Silberman. Lindi & George Simmons. Karen & Turner Stauffer. Rebecca & Harris Strickland. Ann & Barry

Sullivan. Wendy & Tim Sullivan. Bree Sullivan-Howell. Dawna & Michael Tanner. Linda & Joe Tarver. Kristen & John Thompson. Susan & Heeth Varnedoe. Sonia & Kevin Vick.

Sharon Vickers. Kathleen Vignos. Henri & Ebe Walter. Cyndi & George Watkins. Alston & Philip Watt. Margaret & Putt Wetherbee. Courtney & Austin Williams. Lyle Williams.

Jeanne Williamson. Daphne & Marty Wood. Sandy & Chuck Yanke.

BUSINESSES . Abode. Ag-Pro Equipment. Alexander & Vann, LLC. Ally B Boutique. Ameris

Bank. Archbold Medical Group. ASHLEY | 1915 South. Astro Pest Control. Barberitos.

Belazul Rejuvenation Clinic. Big Adventure Outfitters. Big Oak Nursery. Bill’s Jewelers.

Bud K Worldwide. C.H. Cannon Company. Capital City Bank. Capital Eurocars. Cathead

Distillery. Check-Mate Manufacturing. Chubb Realty. City Of Thomasville. Clanton

Malphus-Hodges Veterinary Hospital. CNS / Thomasville Utilities. Coast Properties.

Coldkeepers. Crane Law Firm. Dixon Pest Services. Ed Hardin Taxidermy. Firefly. First Commerce Credit Union. Flowers Auto Group. Flowers Foods, Inc. Four Oaks Plantation.

Gainous Well Drilling. George & Louie’s. Grassroots Coffee Co. Greenwood Collection

Properties. Howell Law Firm, PC. Hurst Boiler & Welding Co. Imagination Emporium. J Dell Advancement Group. JL Wilson Electric. JMJ Group. KeySouth Real Estate Group.

Lanigan & Associates, PC. Lisa Bryan Interiors. Madison Street Agency. Marsh &

McClennan. MMHP Investment Advisors. Network Technology Solutions. Nutrien Ag

Solutions. Onward Reserve. Ponder’s Inc. Potty Man Portables. Proctor Subaru. Robert

Hutson Ford Lincoln. Secure Records Solutions. Silvis, Ambrose, Lindquist, and Coch, PC.

Southern Regional Technical College. Southern Tractor & Outdoors. SouthLife Supply

Co. Southwest Georgia Farm Credit. Synovus. TC Federal. The Biscuit Company. The First

Bank. The Hare & The Hart. The Pediatric Center. The Wright Group. Thomas Univeristy. Thomasville Animal Hospital. Thomasville Entertainment Foundation. Thomasville National

Bank. Thomasville Payroll Development Authority. Thomasville Pictures. Thomasville

Toyota. Thomasville-Thomas County Humane Society. Wellington Shields. Whelchel & Carlton, LLP. Whitehurst, Blackburn & Warren. Wiregrass Electric.

FOUNDATIONS . Bicknell Fund. Cherokee Foundation. Dr. Ben Grace Fund. Jasper & Marthalene Davis Foundation. Marguerite Neel Williams Fund. Parker Poe Charitable Trust. Perkins Charitable Foundation. Searcy Charitable Trust. Singletary Foundation. The Milberg Family. Thomasville Antiques Show Foundation. Wetherbee Family Fund. William H. Flowers, Jr. Foundation. Williams Family Foundation of Georgia.

Erin Wolfe Bell EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Thomasville Center for the Arts recently announced new leadership. Erin Wolfe Bell comes to the Center with 15 years of nonprofit experience including fundraising, management, exhibition development, program planning, and community engagement.

Thomasville

Center for the Arts