Talk Artsy to Me
Written by: Denise Tucker, September 2025
Whew… y’all, can you believe it’s September already? We are officially less than three weeks away from festival weekend and let me tell you, this year has been a whole ride.
Last year we wrapped the festival with a hurricane. This year, you’ve got me as the new ED (hi, hello), and in between I’ve been doing the work and so has my team. We’ve been out here engaging members, adding new benefits, building bridges, pulling rabbits out of hats… basically all the things that keep this ship sailing.
But let’s keep it real for a minute. Behind all the shiny graphics and social media posts are actual humans, living actual lives. Mine has been a full-on soap opera. I lost a loved one, relocated both of my parents to Augusta (from two separate houses, mind you) and now we’re living village-style under one roof. Add in leaky home repairs, a grandbaby who turned 10 with a paint-and-sip birthday party (yes, you read that right), and more life changes than I can list, it’s been a season.
And yet, art has still found me. I sat down with Drake White to be captured. I made a trip to Greenville for Spirit Fest. And then came right back to juggle the “festival shuffle”: insurance dances, property fixes, wrangling sponsors, mailing wristbands, rallying volunteers, talking to headliners and then, just for kicks, getting DOXed.
Yep. As soon as we announced Amazon as sponsor, my phone number hit social media and the harassment started rolling in.
Here’s the thing: regardless of how you feel about corporations, remember this, they employ real people right here in our city. Folks with mortgages, babies, and bills. People who don’t deserve to be collateral damage. What they do deserve is the chance to show up, engage with you, and explain why investing in Augusta matters to them.
Because at the end of the day, Arts in the Heart of Augusta is about community.
We aren’t government employees. We are a staff of four, four people with families, pets, parents under our roof, and church mamas who check in if we look tired. When you attack the Arts Council, it cuts deep because we are the work. And we do it for you.
Over 90% of the acts on our stages are local. That’s your cousin, your neighbor, your church choir director, your kid’s dance team. The festival brings people into Augusta, fills hotel rooms, keeps restaurants buzzing, and hopefully pushes a little love into our local shops too.
Do festivals cost money? Oh, honey, everything is rented. Parking lots, power, water, shade, stages. Nothing is free. But the return is priceless: our public service workers get paid (local dollars in local hands), nonprofits get seen, artists get supported, and our community gets lifted.
And yes, I know everybody has words. But social media bravery has a way of turning into bullying. Words we can shake off. Harassment? That’s a different story. It doesn’t just hurt us as professionals, it hits our families, our peace of mind, our humanity. That’s not the kind of community we’re building here.
So, let’s redirect that energy. Let’s talk, let’s debate, let’s have conversations. But let’s keep our humanity intact.
And bigger than all of that? This festival is going to be a JAM. Every stage has headliners. Every age group is represented, from toddlers two-stepping to grandparents still getting down. Food from around the world. VIP and Artist Hospitality leveled all the way up. And 173 brilliant artists ready to wow you.
So, let’s focus on what matters: LOVE. ART. COMMUNITY.
Weekend passes? You already know the drill. Go get ‘em. Bring a friend. Bring your whole block. This September, downtown Augusta is the place to be.
