Our Mission

Conceived as an alternative art space, the Athens Institute for Contemporary Art is dedicated to exhibiting challenging, provocative and innovative contemporary art in a non-commercial setting, solely for the cultural enrichment of the Northeast Georgia community. Work may be formally adventurous, such as conceptual objects and installations, or politically or socially engaged, or both! Visual artists are encouraged to create for the space specifically. Area writers, performance artists, musicians and other creative people are invited to bring events of an experimental nature to the space. As a non-profit, 501(c)(3) federally tax-exempt art space, there is no pressure on artists for work to be saleable.

But even more importantly, as a non-profit institution there is no need to censor content, as there is at our government-funded institutions. We believe that Northeast Georgia residents greatly value the kind of cultural enrichment ATHICA provides (one similarly fostered at ICA's around the southeast, such as The Contemporary in Atlanta, the Southeast Contemporary Art Center in Winston-Salem, The Temporary Contemporary in Nashville and PBICA in Palm Beach). The presence of The University of Georgia's Lamar Dodd School of Art and the thriving music scene ensure that there is plenty of creative energy in Athens -- ATHICA provides a place for it to test its wings.