Arts center kicks off programs

Arts

center kicks off programs

Fulton County

residents of all ages played the drums, made a quilt and celebrated creativity

at an open house marking the debut of Fulton County's Southwest Arts Center.

Hundreds of

residents attended the June 9 event, which featured 18 demonstrations

in a variety of artistic disciplines.

The 14,000-sq.

ft. Southwest Arts Center, 915 New Hope Road, SW, is Fulton County's first

facility built exclusively for the arts. It features a dance studio, two

visual arts instruction rooms and rehearsal spaces for music and dramatic

arts. Future plans call for a 375-seat theater.

Officials recently

unveiled public art commissioned to enhance the building. Artist Donna

Pickins created the center's 225-sq. ft. arched facade, comprised of individually

sculpted ceramic tiles and mosaic.

Artist Marianne

Weinberg-Benson carved in bas relief two brick columns flanking the center's

entrance, depicting an African drummer and a ballerina.

"In 1993,

the community said they wanted another place to 'teach the words'; the

people of Fulton County have made it happen," said Vice Chairman

and District 5 Commissioner Emma I. Darnell, an early proponent of the

Southwest Arts Center.

Commissioner

William "Bill" Edwards, who represents the area in which the

center is situated, said, "Arts has come full force in South Fulton

County with the erection of this magnificent facility."

Activities

kicked off June 18 with five summer camp sessions for children ages 6

through 14. Art classes for adults and youths will begin in the fall.

For information,

phone the Southwest Arts Center at 404-505-3220 or the Fulton County Arts

Council at 404-730-5780.