Newnan art initiative featured at GMA convention

Twelve Georgia cities will showcase their local art initiatives during the Georgia Municipal Association’s (GMA) 2015 Convention: “Creative Impact” June 26-30 in Savannah.

“With the theme ‘Creative Impact,’ the convention will highlight the transformative power of the arts on Georgia cities,” said GMA Executive Director Lamar Norton. “Arts and culture are important to our local economies and play a valuable role in creating the quality-of-life we have come to enjoy in Georgia’s cities.”

Each city’s art initiative will be displayed on a 4×8 sign in the Savannah International Trade & Convention Center, the site of the GMA convention, for the duration of the meeting. Each sign includes photos, a description of the initiative, community and economic impact facts and contact information.

“We had over 30 submissions and found it hard to select just 12 to highlight,” Norton said. “Each sign showcases how cities have utilized art and culture as a tool for community and economic development.”

The cities and their initiatives are:

· Bainbridge – Downtown Bainbridge Art & Wine Walk

· Decatur – Sidewalk Saturdays in Decatur

· Jackson – Jackson Fine Arts Festival

· Marietta – Marietta Square Art Walk

· Monroe  – Sculpt Monroe

· Newnan – ‘A Horsey Affair’

· Perry – Lids for Artists

· Sandy Springs – Abernathy Greenway Park

· Suwanee – Suwanee SculpTour

· Toccoa – Schaefer Center Façade Renovation

· Valdosta – City History Captured in Mosaic Mural

· Watkinsville – The Monuments of Artland

Based in Atlanta, GMA is a voluntary, nonprofit organization that provides legislative advocacy, research, training, employee benefit and technical consulting services to its over 520 member cities.