We’re lucky in Columbus. We have a very strong arts community.
The Columbus Museum, founded in 1953, is still attracting thousands of visitors every year. If you haven’t been to the museum lately, I suggest you go now. The Civil War exhibit is amazing.
Mike Bunn, who recently left the museum to take over the reins of the Historic Chattahoochee Commission, did a masterful job curating the exhibit.
I’m always astounded to see photographs from that era. And they look as if they could have been taken today. They are that good.
The Springer Opera House is just finishing one of its best seasons ever. And next season looks to be even better. In fact, season subscriptions are way up.
The new children’s wing is coming right along. The new classrooms in two renovated buildings will be finished in time for the Springer Theater Academy sessions that start next month.
And they’re closing in on the goal of $11.5 million to finish the project. Of the $11.5 million, $2.3 million remains. The next big thing is the brand-new theater.
The Liberty Theatre is struggling, but volunteers are determined to make it survive. The theater offers roles to hundreds of young black actors every year.
Columbus State University is thriving. I think the change of scenery helped the music, art and theater departments.
Both the art and theater departments have at least doubled the number of majors and they really are running out of room.
The Columbus Symphony Orchestra is doing well. It went from paying virtually no rent in the run-down Three Arts Theater to paying a lot of money for the use of the Bill Heard Theatre at the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts.
Still, it’s a viable organization and they’re doing their best to attract young audiences by bringing in young, vibrant guest soloists.
We’re lucky, as I said, because the Cobb Symphony Orchestra went silent a couple of weeks ago.
However, supporters came out and last Saturday, it was resurrected with a new name, the Georgia Symphony Orchestra.
A press release said negotiations are going on to expand the number of concerts presented outside Cobb County. And it will have a residency at Reinhardt University in North Georgia.
The Georgia Youth Symphony Orchestra and Chorus was established, making it the largest of its kind in the Southeast.
“Within the last six years, the organization has taken major leaps forward,” said music director Michael Alexander in a statement. “Given this growth, we are excited to continue to expand our programs as the Georgia Symphony Orchestra.”
I hate to see orchestras fail, so I’m glad to see the GSO is getting its footing back.
Let’s support all of our arts organizations so none of them have to go through what the GSO went through the past few months.
Sandra Okamoto, sokamoto@ledger-enquirer.com or 706-517-8580.
