Sacred Heart Cultural Center front gates

The culture of

Augusta, Georgia Augusta ( ), officially Augusta–Richmond County, is a consolidated city-county on the central eastern border of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. The city lies across the Savannah River from South Carolina at the head of its navig ...

is influenced by the many different perspectives and histories of its community members, as well as its own

history History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the History of writing#Inventions of writing, invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbr ...

. The large

low income Poverty is the state of having few material possessions or little

income

population of the area as well as the city's rural surroundings have affected the types of festivals and culture produced within the city. Another major influence on the culture of the city is the annual Masters golf tournament held in April of each year. The most prolific cultural medium produced by the city is its musicians, as evidenced by

James Brown James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, dancer, musician, record producer and bandleader. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th century music, he is often referred to by the honor ...

Jessye Norman Jessye Mae Norman (September 15, 1945 – September 30, 2019) was an American opera singer and recitalist. She was able to perform dramatic soprano roles, but refused to be limited to that voice type. A commanding presence on operatic, concert ...

, and

Wycliffe Gordon Wycliffe A. Gordon (born May 29, 1967) is an American jazz trombonist, arranger, composer, band leader, and music educator at the collegiate-conservatory level. Gordon also sings and plays didgeridoo, trumpet, soprano trombone, tuba, and piano. ...

. Though notably, the writer

Frank Yerby Frank Garvin Yerby ( – ) was an American writer, best known for his 1946 historical novel ''The Foxes of Harrow''. Early life Yerby was born in Augusta, Georgia, on September 5, 1916, the second of four children of Rufus Garvin Yerby (1886– ...

and visual artist

Jasper Johns Jasper Johns (born May 15, 1930) is an American painter, sculptor, and printmaker whose work is associated with abstract expressionism, Neo-Dada, and pop art. He is well known for his depictions of the American flag and other US-related top ...

were Augusta natives as well.

Large events and festivals

Augusta is host to a variety of annual events. The largest event held in the city each year is the Masters golf tournament bringing in around 250,000 visitors. One of the

majors Jonathan Michael Majors (born September 7, 1989)Majors in is an American actor. He rose to prominence after starring in the independent feature film ''The Last Black Man in San Francisco'' (2019). In 2020, he garnered wider notice for portraying ...

of the PGA tour, the Masters is also a major cultural influence on the city. Most semi-professional sports teams in the city are named for

pun A pun, also known as paronomasia, is a form of word play that exploits multiple meanings of a term, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use of homophoni ...

s related to the tournament (the

Augusta GreenJackets The Augusta GreenJackets are a Minor League Baseball team of the Carolina League and the Single-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. They play their home games at SRP Park in North Augusta, South Carolina, which opened in April 2018. They previous ...

and the now defunct

Augusta Lynx The Augusta Lynx were a minor-league professional ice hockey team based in Augusta, Georgia. The Lynx played their home games at the James Brown Arena. The Lynx, who played in the ECHL, had affiliations with the Tampa Bay Lightning of the NHL ...

). Many establishments in the city, especially in the area around the

Augusta National Golf Club Augusta National Golf Club, sometimes referred to as Augusta or the National, is a golf club in Augusta, Georgia, United States. Unlike most private clubs which operate as non-profits, Augusta National is a for-profit corporation, and it does no ...

, are also named in a similar manner. Restaurants throughout Augusta use memorabilia from the tournament as decor. Spring break for schools within the

Richmond County School System The Richmond County School System is an American public school system based in Augusta, Georgia. It is run by the Richmond County Board of Education which, under Article VIII, § V, Paragraph 2, requires that each school system be under the mana ...

coincides with the tournament, similarly to the timing of school breaks in

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and

Mardi Gras Mardi Gras (, ) refers to events of the Carnival celebration, beginning on or after the Christian feasts of the Epiphany (Three Kings Day) and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday, which is known as Shrove Tuesday. is French for "Fat ...

. Other annual events include the cultural festival Arts in the Heart of Augusta, the hip hop concert Mayfest, and the arts festival Westobou. The Rock Fore! Dough Concert is a charity concert held each year to coincide with the Masters golf tournament. The CSRA Classic, a traditional style marching band competition, is also held each year in Augusta. Augusta Pride Festival

Each year, Augusta also hosts the Augusta Futurity, the largest horse

cutting Cutting is the separation or opening of a physical object, into two or more portions, through the application of an acutely directed force. Implements commonly used for wikt:cut, cutting are the knife and saw, or in medicine and science the scal ...

show east of the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...

. In 2009, the Futurity hosted its 30th annual event. Augusta hosts the Augusta Literary Festival on the first Saturday in March at the Augusta-Richmond County Library in downtown Augusta (823 Telfair Street). Along with these annual events, downtown Augusta also hosts a monthly "First Friday" arts festival in the downtown Artist's Row district. Augusta hosts an annual LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) pride parade called

Augusta Pride Augusta Pride is the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) pride organization in Augusta, Georgia. It hosts a pride parade in downtown Augusta. The event started in 2010. Pride Festival A two-day Augusta Pride Festival is held at the Au ...

. Augusta Pride attracted 4,000 people in 2010, its first year.Reaction to gay march is muted
— ''Augusta Chronicle'', Susan McCord, June 18, 2011 The festival is rapidly growing and an estimated 7,000 people attended in 2011.

Theater and dance

The metropolitan area supports a number of theatrical venues and both amateur and professional companies. The

Imperial Theatre The Imperial Theatre is a Broadway theater at 249 West 45th Street (George Abbott Way) in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1923, the Imperial Theatre was designed by Herbert J. Krapp and was constructed fo ...

, where

formerly practiced, and the

Bell Auditorium James Brown Arena (formerly known as Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center) is a multi-purpose complex located in Augusta, Georgia. It is managed by Spectra Experiences. It features an 8,000-seat arena, renamed the James Brown Arena, in honor of ...

are the largest dedicated theater venues in Augusta. The

Miller Theater The Miller Theater is a former movie theater and vaudeville house in Augusta, Georgia. The Miller was built by architect Roy A. Benjamin utilizing the Arte Moderne style of architecture and was owned by Frank Miller. Due to an economic downturn ...

was formerly a movie theater and reopened in 2018 as the home of the Augusta Symphony and a theatrical space for music, comedy, dance and theatrical performances. The Le Chat Noir Theatre is a new addition to the theater scene in Augusta. The Greater Augusta Youth Theatre is a

501(c)(3) A 501(c)(3) organization is a United States corporation, trust, unincorporated association or other type of organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of the United States Code. It is one of the 29 types of 50 ...

nonprofit youth theater company operated entirely by youth actors, directors, designers, artist and musicians of the Metro-Augusta area. All of these spaces are located in the downtown district. Two theaters operate in the district of South Augusta. The Augusta Mini Theater recently opened its doors for both theatrical classes and performances. The Fort Gordon Dinner Theater is a long-running theater that is based on the military base of

Fort Gordon Fort Gordon, formerly known as Camp Gordon, is a United States Army installation established in October 1941. It is the current home of the United States Army Signal Corps, United States Army Cyber Command, and the Cyber Center of Excellence. It ...

. The Young Artists Repertory Theatre, Inc. is a 10-year-old youth theatre company based in adjoining Martinez. Augusta Ballet is a prominent presenting dance company based in Augusta. They present world-class performers mostly out of the Imperial Theatre. The Augusta Players are a theatrical troupe in the city.

Musical venues and companies

The

James Brown Arena James Brown Arena (formerly known as Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center) is a multi-purpose complex located in Augusta, Georgia. It is managed by Spectra Experiences. It features an 8,000-seat arena, renamed the James Brown Arena, in honor of ...

is the largest venue in Augusta. It is used for a variety of events. Notably, the arena was named for Augusta-native musician James Brown just prior to his death in 2006. The Sky City is a new music venue in town while Sector 7G caters to the youth music scene. The Augusta Symphony is a full concert orchestra that performs four major series each year. The Augusta Choral Society often performs with them, but also has its own concerts and series.

Artists' Row

Artists' Row is a small district located in downtown along Broad Street. This is an important landmark in downtown Augusta because it is one of the first revitalization efforts begun downtown. It is named for the art galleries located along the 700-1200 blocks. The business fronts stay open for First Friday, which began in 1995. Every first Friday of the month downtown galleries, dinners, and boutiques stay open until 10 pm.

Museums, historical sites, and other points of cultural interest

Academy of Richmond County The Academy of Richmond County is a high school located in Augusta, Georgia, United States. Known previously as Richmond County Military Academy, it is commonly known as Richmond Academy or ARC. Chartered in 1783, it is listed as the sixth old ...

Augusta International Raceway The Augusta International Raceway was a multi-use motorsports facility located in Hephzibah, Georgia, United States (just south of Augusta). It was designed by Fireball Roberts. History Half mile oval The oval hosted NASCAR Grand National Ser ...

Augusta Museum of History The Augusta Museum of History is a history museum located in Augusta, Georgia, U.S. The museum was founded in 1937 to preserve and share the history of Augusta and its surrounding area. On display are numerous artifacts, images, and dioramas that s ...

*Artists' Row ( Broad Street) *

Confederate Powderworks The Confederate Powderworks (a.k.a. the Augusta Powderworks) was a gunpowder factory during the American Civil War, the only permanent structures completed by the Confederate States of America.Bragg, C. L. (2001) "The Augusta powder works: The Con ...

* Ezekiel Harris House *

Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art is located in Augusta, Georgia, in the home of former Augusta mayor and United States senator Nicholas Ware. Olivia Herbert founded the institute in 1937. The original name for the institute was the Augusta Art ...

Haunted Pillar The Broad Street Historic District in Augusta, Georgia is a historic district that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1980. It includes 158 contributing buildings. The Historic District portion of Broad Street str ...

* James Brown statue (Broad Street at the Augusta Common) *

John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School (DFA) is a public magnet school for the fine and performing arts located in downtown Augusta, Georgia, United States. It draws students in grades 6 through 12 throughout Richmond County. In addition to a ...

* Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History *

Morris Museum of Art The Morris Museum of Art in Augusta, Georgia was established in 1985 as a non-profit foundation by William S. Morris III, publisher of The Augusta Chronicle, in memory of his parents, as the first museum dedicated to the collection and exhibition ...

Old Medical College The Old Medical College Building is a historic academic building at 598 Telfair Street in Augusta, Georgia, US. It was built in 1835 for the Medical College of Georgia, then and now one of the leading medical schools of the American South. It was ...

Sacred Heart Cultural Center The Sacred Heart Cultural Center, known also as Sacred Heart Catholic Church, is an events center and a former Catholic parish church located in Augusta, Georgia. History It was built by Jesuit priests and its first service was on December ...

* Springfield Baptist Church * Meadow Garden

Greater Augusta Arts Council

The mission of the Greater Augusta Arts Council is to enrich the quality of life for citizens and visitors by advancing vibrant cultural arts. They serve as a resource for Augusta's arts community and help connect arts lovers to the events and programs they are passionate about. Founded in 1968 by the Greater Augusta Chamber of Commerce, the Junior Women's Club, and the Junior League of Augusta to serve as an

umbrella organization An umbrella organization is an association of (often related, industry-specific) institutions who work together formally to coordinate activities and/or pool resources. In business, political, and other environments, it provides resources and ofte ...

for the arts in Augusta, they have taken an active role in supporting Augusta's cultural identity. They currently act as Augusta's public art agency, and also administer re-granting arts funds from the City of Augusta through the City Arts Grants Program. They organize opportunities and events for both artists and art lovers, including the Arts in the Heart of Augusta Festival, a -day celebration of the varied arts and cultural diversity that make up Augusta. Other events and outreach programs they produce are: The Arts Weekly Radio Show & Podcast, Aspirations workshop series (including the Business of Being an Artist class produced in collaboration with the

, The City Gallery & the Gallery at Augusta and Company, and professional training sessions, the annual Wet Paint Party + Art Sale, and the annual Arts Awards dinner, the online Augusta Arts Calendar, the annual Arts Day Luncheon (formerly the Grassroots Legislative Luncheon), Public Art & Neighborhood Placemaking Projects, the City Arts Grants, and they offer daily support for all local artists and arts organizations. In 2016, the Greater Augusta Arts Council partnered with Americans for the Arts to run the Arts & Economic Prosperity 5 (AEP5) study for Richmond & Columbia Counties. The insights it provides are useful for arts advocates, city leaders, arts educators and those who support the arts in any capacity to share the economic value and impact of the arts with our broader community. The Arts Council partnered with the City of Augusta, Columbia County, and the Georgia Council for the Arts in order to bring this study to the Central Savannah River Region and discover the impact of the arts to our local economy.

References

External links

Arts in the Heart of Augusta FestivalWestobou FestivalAugusta Mini TheaterThe Augusta PlayersAugusta BalletLe Chat Noir TheatreThe Augusta Choral SocietyThe Metro Spirit
{{DEFAULTSORT:Arts And Culture In Augusta, Georgia Tourist attractions in Augusta, Georgia