Milledgeville’s Allied Arts debuted the Georgia Artists with Disabilities exhibition at the John Marlor Arts Center. The showcase is designed to allow its artists to sell their work and will remain on display at the nonprofit until April 24.
Each year, Georgia Artists with Disabilities, Inc. hosts a statewide tour to display its members’ work, including pottery, paintings, drawings, and more. This month’s stop marks Allied Arts’ first exhibition with the program in two years.
With the exhibition’s return to Milledgeville and its popularity among art centers in the state, Allied Arts began preparing for the event roughly six months in advance.
“It runs for a decently long time during the year,” said Kristin Allen, Allied Arts’ program coordinator. “It’s very much sought after, so you’ve got to make sure you jump on it.”
According to Allen, the Marlor Center showcased the Georgia Artists with Disabilities shortly after she began her program coordinator role. Due to the tour’s limited availability, they could not secure a spot for 2024.
To kick off the exhibition, Allied Arts held a welcome reception for the community with refreshments.
In previous years, many of the artists attended the reception.
“You get an exhibit you only see once year, and then the next time you see it again, there is completely different art displayed,” Allen said. “The range of things these [artists] do is amazing.”
Overall, Allen hopes for a positive turnout from the community to support the artists and their works.
“I would like for people to come out and support artists, and this one especially because [the art] is from people with disabilities,” Allen said.
Rebekah Tobar, director of Allied Arts, shared her experience with the event and how she enjoyed meeting the artists.
“We enjoy the evening with the artists and the community, and we introduced the artists to the community,” Tobar said. “With an exhibit like this, you know, you have several different artists, so that’s fun, and usually they all come with their families, and it’s nice to get to know everybody and let them tell you about their artwork.”
Overall, Tobar has found a positive response from visitors to the exhibition years prior.
“It’s very positive, and the community likes this exhibit,” said Tobar. “It’s different for each exhibit, so we meet different people, and that’s the best part.”