Athens Institute for Contemporary Art facts for kids
The Athens Institute for Contemporary Art, or ATHICA, is a special art gallery in Athens, Georgia, United States. It's a non-profit organization, which means it focuses on art and community, not on making money. ATHICA shows exciting and new art from today's artists.
What is ATHICA?
ATHICA is a place where you can see modern art. It's run completely by volunteers. These volunteers include local artists, art experts, and students from the University of Georgia. They all work together to bring interesting art to the community.
How ATHICA Started
ATHICA was founded in 2001 by Lizzie Zucker Saltz. She had help from a group called FiveArt, Inc. This group was made up of local people who loved art. They offered ATHICA a large space in a warehouse. This space was about 204 square meters (2,200 square feet). It was fixed up in late 2001 to become the gallery. For the first three years, ATHICA rented the space for just $1.00 a year. After that, the rent was still very low. The gallery is located in the Chase Street Park warehouse area. This area is just a little over a mile from downtown Athens.
Art Shows and Events
Every year, ATHICA holds three main art exhibitions. These shows often focus on important topics in society and politics. The exhibitions have covered many different subjects. They feature artists from all over the country and even from other parts of the world. Local newspapers and magazines often write reviews about these shows. Besides art exhibitions, ATHICA also hosts other fun events. These include music performances, plays, discussions, and movie screenings. When there isn't a main exhibition, ATHICA also offers its gallery space to local artists. This helps them show their work to the public.
