Averitt Center Annual Meeting
2014-2015
Created By: Kristyn Fielding, Public Relations Intern
Keeping it Classic

The mission of the Averitt Center for the
Arts, is to provide quality arts
opportunities for our community and to
serve as a centerpiece for a vibrant, historic
downtown.
Mission

Administrative Staff
 Tim Chapman | Executive Director
 Robert Faller | Technical Director
 Scott Foxx | Assistant Box Office/Retail
Gallery Manager
 Whitaker Gardner | Facility Attendant
 Deborah Harvey | Marketing/Public
Relations Consultant
 Susan Jackson | Administrative Assistant
 John David Lane | Operations Manager
 Jennifer Mingas | House Management
Director
 Joanna Odoms | Custodian
 Kety Rodriguez | Facility Attendant
 Melinda Roell | Development Director
 Alan Waters | Facility Attendant
Artistic Staff
 Jonathan Aceto | Director, Youth Strings
 Jackie Gordon | Administrative
Assistant/Youth Theater Instructor
 Sarah Hancock | Director, Youth Chorale
 Anastasia James | Art After Hours
Coordinator/Administrative Assistant
 Tony Phillips | Program Director
 Kimberly Riner | Director, Youth Visual
Arts
 Jurijs Safonovs | Director, Youth Ballet
 Shelia Stewart Leach | Curator
 Mical Whitaker | Director, Youth Theater
Staff

Jenny Foss | President
Daphne Jarriel Totten | Vice
President
Erin Dalton |Treasurer
Laura Wheaton | Secretary
Francys Johnson | Past President
Todd Deal
Hayley Greene
Dawn Mallard
Burney Marsh
Jack Orman
Corliss Reese
Trish Tootle
Ex Officio Members
Eileen Bayens
Averitt STARS Committee Chair
Connie Averitt
Board Emeritus
Heidi Jeffers
Statesboro Convention & Visitors Bureau Director
Shari Morris
Statesboro Regional Art Association
Allen Muldrew
Statesboro Downtown Development Authority Director
Robert Cheshire
Statesboro City Manager
Cindy West
Statesboro Finance Director
Phyllis Thompson
Statesboro/Bulloch County Chamber of Commerce Director
Board of Directors

Yesterday & Today (Beatles Tribute Performance)
Sponsored by: Wells Fargo Advisors, Dabbs, Hickman, Hill&Cannon, LLP, Vaden Nissan of Statesboro
Neos Dance Theater: Count…The Legend of Dracula
Sponsored by: Stafford Law Group, LLC
Ney Rosauro & GSU Percussion Ensemble
Sponsored by: East Georgia Regional Hospital, Braswells Foods
The Second City Comedy Club
Sponsored By: Georgia Power, Funded in part by the Fox Theatre Institute
To Kill a Mockingbird
Sponsored By: The Johnson Firm P.C.
Coppélia Ballet
Sponsored By: BBWH Insurors, Maxwell-Reddick and Associates
Professional Performance Series
6 Productions
9 Performances

 Sordid Lives
 Miracle on 34th Street
Sponsored By: Optim Orthopedics, Queensborough National Bank & Trust, Thigpen, Lanier, Westerfield & Deal
 The Importance of Being Earnest
Sponsored By: Ogeechee Technical College, Statesboro Ear, Nose, Throat and Sinus
 Little Shop of Horrors
Sponsored By: Wise Choice Realty
Averitt STARS
Community Theater
4 Productions
14 Performances

 Oliver! The Musical, Statesboro Youth Theater
 Hansel & Gretel, Statesboro Youth Theater
 Christmas Around the World, Statesboro Youth Ballet, Chorale,
and Theater
 Statesboro Youth Ballet Winter Showcase
 Lift Every Voice and Sing: An International Celebration of Song,
Statesboro Youth Chorale
 Forgiven: A Fairy Tale, Statesboro Youth Theater
 Statesboro Youth Ballet Spring Showcase
 Statesboro Youth Strings Winter Recital
 Statesboro Youth Chorale Spring Showcase
 Statesboro Youth Strings Spring Recital
Statesboro Youth Performances
10 Productions
17 Performances

 Elvis: Down at the End of Lonely Street
Sponsored by: Dr. Troy Lawhorn, Dr. Joseph Hathaway, Hendley Properties, Lee, Hill & Johnston Insurors,
Lavender & Associates, Mal-Ad Promotions, Thigpen, Lanier, Westerfield & Deal, East Georgia Pain
Management
 Averitt Faculty Showcase
 The Write Place Festival
Sponsored By: Georgia Humanities Council, Art Works, South Arts
 Family Night Out! Treasure Island
 2014 Emma Awards
Sponsored By: Farmers & Merchants Bank, Mal-Ad Promotions, Vaden Nissan of Statesboro
 Rocky Horror Picture Show
Sponsored by: Party Impressions
 Ghost Tours by Lantern Light
Sponsored by: Statesboro Convention & Visitors Bureau
Special Events
7 Productions
9 Performances

 Turned, Segmented and Embellished: The Fine Art of
Woodturning in Southeast Georgia Sponsored By: Downtown Statesboro
Development Authority, Statesboro Properties
 Nature Realized: Lawrence Smith’s Paintings and
Stephanie Tames’ Pine Straw Baskets Sponsored By: Coastal
Organics, Richard and Penny Marz
 Annual Statesboro Regional Arts Association
Juried Exhibition Sponsored By: Steve and Debra Chester, Tim Chapman, Scott
Foxx
 Jonathan Green: Images of Home Sponsored By: After Hour Glass
Company
 George Snyder: Lyrical Geometry Sponsored By: Dalton Consulting
& Financial, Funded in part by the NEA
 Color Squared Sponsored By: Tom Deal and Todd, Karen, Abbie, and Anna Deal,
TDLearning, Inc. in Memory of Patricia Deal
Main Gallery
Exhibition Series
Curatorial interns from GSU’s
BFSOA donated 236 hours
assisting with 32 exhibitions the
Averitt Center hosted this year.

African Heritage Series
Sponsored by The Johnson Firm
 Jonathan Green: Images
of Home
 To Kill a Mockingbird

Arts Education
Averitt Center for the
Arts youth programs
serve over 500 youth per
week in Art After
Hours, Ballet, Chorale,
Theater, Strings, and
Visual Arts.

Art After Hours Highlights
After School Program
 Directed by Anastasia James, assisted
by Peyton Gardner and William Sack
 70% of AAH students participate in
other ACA youth programs
 Weekly guest instructors
 Students have learned Spanish,
different types of dance and movement,
all types of visual art mediums, science,
and theatre
 Participation in community events and
activities: First Friday, GSU
Homecoming, Paint the Town Blue,
Scare on the Square, AC Gallery
openings, and community projects
 Number of Participants: 40 students
per day

Youth Theater Highlights
 Directed by Mical Whitaker
 Faculty: Jackie Gordon
 SYT students participated in:
 The Bulloch Historical
Tombstone Tour,
 The Averitt STARS Ghost Tour,
and
 The Second City Improv
Workshop in addition to their
regular season performances
 Number of Participants: 82 students
throughout the year (an increase
from 23 students in the 2013-2014
year)

 Director: Jurijs Safonovs
 Faculty: Ryan Marsh, Kaye Miller, Mathyn
Miller, Jennifer Safonovs, and Jana Shivers
 Safonovs was nominated for “20 under 40” by
the Statesboro Herald
 In addition to regular season performances this
year, including the original ballet Coppélia, the
SYB also performed at Statesboro Downtown
Celebration, Arts Fest GSU, and First Friday
Downtown event
 Students took classes with international
instructors from Taiwan
 36 classes offered per week
 Number of Participants: 80 Students throughout
year
Youth Ballet Highlights

Youth Strings Highlights
 Directed by Jonathan Aceto
 Faculty: Abby Thompson, violin instructor
 Dr. Aceto performed a benefit concert in
December that raised $600 for the strings
program
 The String Ensemble performed at the
Farmer’s Market, Willow Pond, and Southern
Manor retirement homes
 The Chamber Orchestra performed on First
Friday
 Weekly Private Lessons: 17
 The Strings Program joined the Averitt Center
this academic year, though the program has
existed since 1985
 Number of Participants: 23 students
throughout the year

Youth Chorale Highlights
 Director: Sarah Hancock
 Faculty: Michael Braz, Lucy Green, and Gigi Naeve
 Georgia Southern Student Assistants: Nicholas Flott, Mallory
Tafoya, and Kirstin Willard
 Bel Canto performed Singing Valentines
 Vox Novum performed with the Georgia Southern Symphony
 Lift Every Voice and Sing: An International Celebrations of
Song
 Performed in Hilton Head
 Choir “Elves” Christmas Caroled at First Friday
 Satellite Program: Claxton Youth Singers
 SYC took 4 kids to the Georgia Music Educators Association
Statewide 6th Grade Honor Choir in Tifton, GA
 Choirs: Seraphim, Bel Canto, Vox Novum, Statesboro Young
Men’s Choir
 Number of Participants: 90 students throughout the year

Youth Visual Arts Highlights
 Directed by Kimberly Riner
 Faculty: Scott Foxx, Claudia Furlow,
Brantley Burns, Rachel Perrie, and Cierra
Willingham
 Raised over $1,000 in I Scream for
Pottery fundraiser
 Joined with GSU students for All Fired
Up
 Holiday Sales: $4,700 | Spring Sales:
$2,900
 Received 17 Blue Ribbons on artwork at
the Kiwanis Fair
 Number of Participants: 206 artists
throughout the year

School Matinees
 The Ol’ Scarecrow Statesboro Medicine Show funded by a grant from the Bulloch
County Historical Society
 To Kill a Mockingbird sponsored by The Johnson Firm P.C.
 Coppélia
 Treasure Island
 Total Number Served: 1,469
 Total Productions: 4
 Total Performances: 5
Youth Gallery
 Artwork produced by area school children is displayed in a series of monthly
exhibits by each school
 Total Number Served: 3,248
Arts and Education
Additional Arts Education Opportunities
Piano Lessons
Ballroom Lessons
Drawing Lessons
School Break Camps
Violin Lessons
Guitar Lessons

Visual Arts Awards
Roxie Remely
Award Recipient:
Wanda Woodcock
Holiday Card Winner:
Terrence Jackson
SRAA Best of Show:
Karen Youngblood

 To Kill a Mockingbird, Swainsboro | 192
 Christmas Around the World, Glenville | 446
 Driving Miss Daisy, East Georgia College, Swainsboro |
200
 Statesboro Youth Chorale-Claxton Youth Singers | 14
 Ballroom in the Boro, Fieldtrip to Moon Rivers in
Savannah | 10
 Wicked Theater Performance, Field Trip to the Fox | 30
 Claxton Summer Middle School Art Camp | 6
 George Tames: Presidential Pathways, Taccoa,
Brunswick, Fitzgerald | 1,235
 George Tames: Golden Isles Center for the Arts,
Brunswick |1,450
 George Tames: Grand Theater, City of Fitzgerald | 980
 George Snyder: class visitation at Georgia Southern
University for MFA Students | 12
 George Snyder: Artist in Residency at Portal Middle
School | 57
 George Snyder: Courthouse Lawn Installation
Regionalization
Participation
Number:
4,632

 City of Statesboro
 Bulloch County Schools
 Statesboro Herald
 Statesboro Farmer’s Market
 Georgia Southern University
 Fox Theatre Institute
 Statesboro Convention &
Visitors Bureau
 National Endowment for the
Arts
 Statesboro-Bulloch County
Historical Society
 Statesboro-Bulloch County
Chamber of Commerce
 Main Street Statesboro-
Downtown Statesboro
Development Authority
Partnerships

 2014 GSU East Meets West Concert
 2014 GA Court of Appeals
 First Friday Downtown
 2014 Paint the Town Blue
 2014 Scare on the Square
 2014 Downtown Holiday Celebration
 Statesboro Main Street Farmer’s Market
 2014 GSU Family Weekend
 2014 Community Thanksgiving Service
 2014 Veterans Day Program
 2015 Georgia Southern Arts Fest
 2015 Statesboro Film Festival
 2015 Georgia Association of Museums and Galleries
State Conference
 2015 Memorial Day Program
 Total Community Development Programs: 25
Community Development

2014-2015 Volunteer of the Year:
Karen McCurdy
We would like to thank Karen for her volunteer work for
the Averitt Center, and the Youth Chorale and Youth Ballet
programs.
Volunteers
Our wonderful behind-the-scenes volunteers offer instrumental assistance for our
members. We could not accomplish our goals without volunteer support.
Total Volunteer Hours:
2,429

The Statesboro Service League and Willingway Hospital donate funds so each public school
can award a scholarship to a student who has excelled in the arts during the academic year.
Fine arts faculty members from each school select their top performing students to be the
scholarship recipient.
Scholarship Recipients
Statesboro Service League Youth Scholarship
Recipients:
Veronica Pacheco, Brooklet Elementary School
Helen Piltner, Julia P. Bryant Elementary School
Terrika Gibson, Langston Chapel Elementary School
Sean Gilleland, Langston Chapel Middle School
Jenna Goodson, Mattie Lively Elementary School
River Beasley, Mill Creek Elementary School
Shaylee Renz, Nevlis Elementary School
Allison Nicole Aldrich, Portal Elementary School
Christopher Cross, Portal High School
Lena Dixon, Portal Middle School
Makaila Thomas, Sallie Zetterower Elementary School
Micaela Wert, Southeast Bulloch High School
Mallory Thompson, Southeast Middle School
Brooke Jarrett, Statesboro High School
Ashleigh LaSalle, Stilson Elementary School
Morgan Bruner, William James Middle School
Willingway Hospital Youth Scholarship
Recipients:
Michael E. King, Brooklet Elementary School
Cecilia Smith, Julia P. Bryant Elementary School
Tyrell Hughes, Langston Chapel Elementary School
Bryan Perez, Langston Chapel Middle School
Kamia Bell, Mattie Lively Elementary School
Joshua Johnson, Mill Creek Elementary School
JR Raub, Nevlis Elementary School
Emma Allene Yates, Portal Elementary School
Patrick Easley, Portal High School
Brianna Aldrich, Portal Middle School
Bella Morris, Sallie Zetterower Elementary School
Kelsey Masterson, Southeast Bulloch High School
Megan Wheeles, Southeast Bulloch Middle School
Jahleer Stephenson, Statesboro High School
Eliza Wiley, Stilson Elementary School
Lars Olsson, William James Middle School

0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
90,000
100,000
Participation History
Participation Numbers
Total Participation for 2014-2015: 86,783
22.5% Growth in Fiscal Year 2014-2015

Fundraisers*,
1% Grants*, 2%
Hotel/Motel
Sales Tax, 24%
Membership*,
4%
Rentals, 3%
Special Events,
1%
City of
Statesboro,
14%
Community
Theater, 3%
Ad Sales and
Sponsorships,
7%
Other, 1%
Program Fees,
36%
Ticket Sales,
4%
Revenue Expenses
Revenues/Expenses
*$11,632 raised in fundraisers with the Emma Awards being the largest with $7,800
*ACA received the National Endowment of the Arts Grant, the Fox Theatre Institute Block Booking Grant, South Arts Literary
Arts Grant, and the Georgia Humanities Council Grant
*436 Members raised $35,470
Notes of Interest

26% of ticket sales were
outside of Bulloch County
compared to 23% last year
127 contracted artists were
paid this past fiscal year
The Averitt Center employs 5
full-time staff and 4 part-time
staff
Economic Development Indicators

 Total Performances:
49
 Total Tickets Sold:
8,594
 Total Ticket Sales:
$98,000
Box Office Report

 Total Campaign Pledges: $284,225
 Total Funds Collected: $140,171
 Mini Campaigns: Honor Your Child and Please Be Seated have brought
in an additional $2,800
 Events: Russ Lanier’s “Elvis” Performance and Roxie Remley’s Birthday
Party have brought in $22,800
 To Date: $307,047 raised | $162,793 paid
Creative Growth Capital Campaign
Phase Two:
-Roxie Remley
Center for Fine
Arts
-$75,000 in
plumbing,
electrical,
equipment, and
signage expense
-$25,000 in
donations
restricted for
this project
Phase One:
-the Center for
Performing Arts
-41 West Main
-opened in March
of this year
-garnered an
additional
$76,000 in
donated services
and items
Phase Three:
-The Thurman
Lanier
Building for
Arts Education
-in research
and planning
stages

Thank you for 11 great
years at the Averitt Center
for the Arts.