Hi, I'm Ma'Chere Denise Tucker,
and I'm working with the Arts Council as the Project Coordinator for AEP6
My name is Ma’Chere (Denise) Tucker and I have been a resident of Augusta, Georgia for the last 34 years. I am the owner of Humanitree House Juice Joint and Gallery; however, In addition to also being a Legal Assistant, I am also the newest team member to the Arts Council as a Project Coordinator for AEP6. My artistic gifts are singing, playing various instruments and I am a retired dancer and dance instructor. I have two children by birth and three by love. I am married to Baruti Tucker who is a visual artist here in Augusta. From mother to wife to business owner to Legal Assistant to Project Coordinator, its safe to say I wear many hats.
Humanitree House is a 100% Vegan Juice Bar (first in Augusta) and art gallery. We serve the community by offering cold pressed juice as well as healthy fresh vegan options and transitional foods for those looking for a healthier option in the area. With our family being arts centered, we also offer space that houses local art, as stage for live music and performances, as well as an education centre, a movie screening space & much more! We love to support the arts in our community.
Currently, I am excited to be working on the Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6) study with the Greater Augusta Arts Council. This study is through the Americans for the Arts and is conducted approximately every five years to gauge the economic impact (on employment, government revenue, and household income) of spending by nonprofit arts and culture organizations and the event-related spending by their audiences. This all tells us what the arts do for the people in our region.
I love the people of the region. We are an extremely loving and versatile bunch. This is why so many people visit Augusta and call it home. Without the people the magic that lives here would be non-existent.
So, It was just a natural progression to come to work with the Arts Council. That really doesn’t feel like work. I’ve always been connected to the Arts in Augusta, even before marrying my Artist husband (I actually connected him to the arts here). The Arts Council has been instrumental for so many years in making sure to bring arts to the forefront in the area. In addition, where would I find a more beautiful group of human beings to work with? In all honesty, working FOR the arts council was never a desire; working WITH the arts council was a necessity; to fulfil my desire to help the arts grow.
In the last five years the arts culture in Augusta has grown by leaps and bounds. In the next 5 years I am anticipating more cohesiveness in the community of artists and arts projects. Together we do more. Together we accomplish more. I definitely see more individual artists involved in the fabric of the area’s local arts. I love the Arts in the Hearts of Augusta; however, I’d love to see so much arts programming in the area that visitors can find the arts in the area regardless of the time of year it is.
Like the the budding public arts trails we are seeing downtown alone. My favorite? I absolutely love the Popsicles by Craig Gray, there is something very innocent about it that reminds me to be present with my inner child. Art such as this is a huge draw for arts lovers to our region and I love seeing it develop.
To learn more about AEP6 you can click here to visit the Americans for the Arts website. Our team surveys many of the arts events, large and small, in Richmond County. If you are interested in volunteering with me to survey at one of the scheduled events, please email me at [email protected]!