Arts in the Heart of Augusta festival serves as director’s fun-filled farewell
For Brenda Durant, the outgoing Executive Director of the Greater Augusta Arts Council, this year’s Arts in the Hearts of Augusta Festival will be a sort of final farewell.
Denise Tucker was recently named her replacement and following Arts in the Heart, which takes place this weekend on Broad Street, the process of transition will begin. But rather than feeling bittersweet about leaving the event into different, albeit capable, hands, she’s excited to see how the event will evolve.
“I believe in leaving a party when you are still having fun,” she said. “I’m very happy right now and happy to be able to watch the festival continue to grow.”
This year’s event was approached with some uncertainty. Initially, scheduled construction on Broad Street was going to require a move to Telfair Street. Durant said she believes in working toward positive results and embraced the idea of relocating.
“I was initially excited about moving,” she said. “I was excited by the challenge of it. But it turned out it was going to be expensive – expensive to accommodate food and expensive to bring in water. It was going to be tough.”
So it was with some relief that, when the planned Broad Street project was postponed, that Arts in the Heart found itself back on familiar footing on Broad Street. For Durant, spending her final festival in the footprint that she said has worked exceptionally well for the event is exciting. She said the way Arts in the Heart has developed in, and with, downtown is remarkable. She said it really allows it to be different things for different people – herself included.
“People always believe this festival is built around the thing they like the best,” she said. “People who come for the food think it is a food festival. People who want to buy original art from artists see it as an art festival. That’s why it works and that is what is so great about it.”
This year’s event will feature the established blend of fine art, food, and performances. Additionally, the festival has brought in two headline concerts on Friday and Saturday night. On Friday, Grammy-nominated jazz artist Georgia Anne Muldrow will perform at 7 p.m. on the festival’s Jazz Stage, located at the corner of 8th and Broad Street.
Saturday will feature the legendary ‘90s alt-rock act Fastball on the Global Stage, located in Augusta Common. Fastball is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m.
Durant said she has chosen not to get too philosophical or nostalgic regarding this year’s event. Instead, she wants to ensure that those things that have transformed Arts in the Heart from a modest city event to an anticipated regional showpiece stay intact.
“I don’t want to get too deep,” she said with a laugh. “I really just want people to have a great time because that’s what I have done – had a really great time.”
IF YOU GO:
WHEN: 5 – 9 p.m. Friday, September 20; 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Saturday, September 21; 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sunday, September 22
WHERE: Augusta Common and the 600, 700, 800 and 900 blocks of Broad Street.
COST: General Admission $15 advance and $20 day-of. VIP tickets $80 or $150 for two. Advance tickets available until 11:59 p.m. September 19. Tickets available here.