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Athens Area Council for the Arts began in 1979 as an idea in a living room…

And quickly grew to an office in a closet on Tennessee Wesleyan College campus. As our organization expanded, we moved to an office in the historic Robert E. Lee Hotel in Downtown Athens and developed a strong arts in education program, children’s programming, the long-running “Arts in the Park,” and presented a touring performing arts series. In 2005, Athens Area Council for the Arts moved into “The Arts Center,” in the location of the former Harrod’s grocery store.

Image of a vintage grocery bag. The bag has the image of a sign that reads "Harrod's Thrift Market & Bakery" Below the sign is an arrow that reads, "Customer Parking." The sign is rooted in a brick planter with green foliage.

Our mission is to enrich the quality of life and make a difference for our community by providing opportunities for the expression and appreciation of the arts.

Once we had a home in The Arts Center, AACA grew from an organization of big ideas and vision to a premiere visual, educational, and performing arts organization in our region.

By 2019, AACA was quickly outgrowing The Arts Center, so we purchased the three adjacent buildings.

The expanded Arts Center will celebrate its grand opening in September 2024 thanks to the generous support of our Capital Campaign donors.