At The Columbusite, we're not fans of New Year's resolutions. We strive to improve every day, and are constantly working to ensure we're providing you with all the information you need to actively engage in the arts in the Chattahoochee Valley. A new year doesn't renew our commitment to quality or make us want to roll out a bunch of new things. We've been planning for 2024 for the past six years. That being said, there are a LOT of exciting things we're especially looking forward to sharing with you this year. First and foremost, it should go without saying that our favorite thing to share with you is time in the audience together. Our local arts partners are absolutely crushing their programming and continue to humble us with their devotion to providing year round events, productions, and educational arts programs to further enrich the quality of living in our community. We hope you'll join us in championing them this year, and choose to engage with their amazing work as often as possible. There truly is so much to do in our community, and the arts play a vital role in our quality of life here!
Specifically, there are several big things we're really looking forward to sharing with you in 2024. We thought it would be fun to highlight a few of them for you here. Stay tuned for more information on all of these upcoming developments this year.
ONE: The Columbus Museum's Reopening!
The Columbus Museum is one of our city's greatest cultural treasures. For more than a year, it's been undergoing a massive renovation that promises to further cement it as a major attraction and cultural asset of Columbus, Georgia. We've seen the renderings and had the privilege of being a part of several focus groups as the Museum's continued to plan for its reopening this Spring. Let's just say, it's one of the things we're looking forward to most this year.
TWO: Volume V of our Print Journal
Image by Morgan Duke Photography
It's hard to believe we're already in production for Volume V of our print journal. In just two years, we've seen a 33% increase in the number of copies we're able to produce as well as an exponential increase in readership. The increase in readership is largely because of a partnership with the Chattahoochee Valley Library System that makes copies of our journals to read in every branch for free. Since the library system serves more than 250,000 people a year, that's a gigantic step forward in terms of accessibility to this product throughout the community. It's a major goal we've only been able to achieve thanks to the library's collaborative leadership, and our many local advertisers who make it producing our print journal possible.
THREE: New Arts Events in Columbus
We can't share much on this just yet, but what we can say is that we're exploring some very exciting ways to increase visibility for the incredible amount of arts programming available in our community year round. The arts are an essential part of the quality of life in our city, and one of the top reasons people love it here. But how can we continue to champion the wealth of programming and creative talent here? We're looking at several ways to celebrate the arts this year on a community-wide level. Stay tuned for more information on these exciting new initiatives soon!
FOUR: Some (More) Really Good Food!
We've increased our number of writers again, and luckily, all of us really like good food. Expect to see more articles from our Food & Bev section this year. We want to continue deepening our coverage of everything that makes Columbus culturally-rich, and our local food scene is certainly a defining characteristic of what makes Columbus a place we love to be.
FIVE: New Engagement Initiatives & Collaborations with Our Partners
Our founder has spent much of the last year researching communities around the nation where the arts are thriving beyond expectations. One of the largest markers of communities with flourishing creative scenes is the presence of collaboration across the arts. Because of this, we've set our eyes on increasing the number of stories we publish about local arts collaborations already happening (it will shock you!), and looking for ways to continue participating in these collaborations as well. Expect to see us serving as media partners for more local arts benefits, making the time to continue increasing our arts education coverage, and finding as many ways as possible to keep putting the arts in the palm of your hand. ◼️
Have something you're looking forward to in the arts this year? Send us a note and let us know!