Established following the worst tragedy to hit Georgia after the Yankees in “Gone with the Wind” the Woodruff Arts Center is today the core of all visual and performing arts in Atlanta.
It was conceptualized after a notable number of art leaders of the state met a tragic end when the plane carrying them crash landed killing all but two of the crew on board. The key founder of the Woodruff Arts Center who remained anonymous for a significant number of years was none other than Atlanta based Coca-Cola baron Robert W Woodruff. Other business houses and local industrialists and citizens also contributed dynamically to raise the funds for this establishment to indirectly honor the souls of the dear departed.
Ever since the Woodruff Arts Center has grown to include the Alliance Theatre, High Museum of Art, the Atlanta Symphony, Young Audiences as well as the 14th Street Playhouse. It is the best within the art education category in the South of the United States and has a network of programs that reaches more than 700,000 students in 76 countries. The Woodruff Arts Center has also become a must see destination for tourists in Atlanta.
Woodruff ActivitiesThrough its four divisions, Woodruff aims to provide inspiration, support and appreciation to renowned arts and artists making it a beacon for excellence in art education. Similarly the team at Woodruff devotes exemplary amounts of time and money to give people of all ages a chance to educate themselves and expand this awareness to art and common life.
Most of the training is carried out in customized modules to ensure that all applicants get the best in their chosen fields of visual and or performing arts. All of the initiatives at the Woodruff Arts Center fall into the categories below:
- Professional Learning Initiative and the Georgia Center for Professional Learning in Arts and Education.
- In-School Programming – Pre-K-12 Arts Education Initiative
- Out-School Programming Initiative for Middle and High School Students
- Outreach and Engagement of Undeserved and Diverse Populations Initiative
- Family Programming Initiative
Additionally Woodruff hosts a number of events and exhibits to promote various art forms at the local and later national levels as well. The annual Woodruff Salutes Georgia Arts in Education Leaders is a commemorative event created to honor the teachers, community leaders, volunteers and school and art administrators who have made significant contributions in the field of art and to that of the young people under their tutelage.
Target in partnership with Woodruff also holds the Free Family Day every year to allow visitors to the campus a chance to experience the four main Woodruff divisions along with hands-on activities and workshops for free.
The Woodruff Arts Center likewise does its bit towards the environment by recycling its waste effectively and by encouraging the use of bicycles on campus. It also has the largest GreenGrid roof system in all of Atlanta right within its campus.
Dining and shopping options at Woodruff also make it a destination for visitors to spend a whole day there.
