Community Invited to Vote and Help Turner Center Earn Statewide Recognition

The Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts has been nominated for a Best of Georgia Award through the Georgia Business Journal, and the community is invited to show its support by voting for the Turner Center within the Arts & Entertainment category, Art Galleries.

The annual Best of Georgia Awards recognize outstanding businesses and organizations across the state, with winners selected primarily through public voting. The program celebrates the businesses, organizations, and services that make communities across Georgia special—from restaurants and healthcare providers to professional services, entertainment, and the arts.

“This nomination is a heartfelt reflection of the support our community has shown the Turner Center for the Arts,” said Executive Director Sementha Mathews, Ph.D. “Our Campus is an essential cultural hub to engage all forms of art, gather, learn, create, experience live entertainment, discover new ideas, and connect. We would be honored to have our community help us share the Turner Center story across Georgia.”

The Turner Center has experienced tremendous growth in recent years, expanding its facilities, programs, educational opportunities, exhibitions, partnerships, and community impact. Today, the Turner Center Campus encompasses six unique facilities, including the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts, Annette and Darry Crosby Art Annex, Leona and Dugald Hudson Pottery Studio, Richard Hill Glass Studio, Meta Shaw Coleman Children’s Imagination Station, and the Art Park. Together, the Turner Center Campus provides opportunities for people of all ages to experience visual arts, performing arts, education, creativity, and community.

How to Vote

Voting is open 24 hours a day through October 31, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Community members can vote for the Turner Center in the Arts & Entertainment, Art Galleries, category at: https://gbj.com/best-of/vote/arts-entertainment

Voting is free, and supporters are encouraged to share the voting opportunity with friends, family, colleagues, and others who believe the arts make a difference in the quality of life of our community.

“Whether someone has visited one of our galleries, attended a concert, brought their children to the Imagination Station, participated in a class, enjoyed the Art Park, or simply believes in the importance of the arts in our community, we invite them to cast a vote,” Mathews said. “Every vote is an expression of support for what the arts contribute to Valdosta and the surrounding region.”

The Turner Center encourages supporters to vote, share the opportunity, and invite others to participate before the October 31 deadline. For more information about the Turner Center, visit www.turnercenter.org.

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The Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts presents Heather Frederick and The Wiregrass All-Stars for a live Music in the Art Park concert on Fri., Oct. 9, from 7-9 p.m. in the Art Park, located at 605 N. Patterson St. The concert, sponsored by Cheryl Oliver, Jeani Synyard and Mala Vallotton, is open to the public.

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The Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts will hold a new exhibit opening reception on Mon., Sept. 21, from 5 to 7pm, at 527 N. Patterson Street, featuring the works of Alex Berdysheff, “Edge,” Flavia Lovatelli, “Cycles of Change,” and John E. Bayides, “The Art of a Sailor in Southwest Georgia.” Admission is free and light refreshments will be served.

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The Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts will host 2RiverStation for a live Music in the Art Park concert on Friday, Sept. 11 from 7-9 p.m. in the Turner Center Art Park, located at 605 N. Patterson St. The live concert, sponsored by Landis International, is free to the public.

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The Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts is proud to announce the 2026 Turner Center Beyond the Book – A Literary Event, taking place on Sat., Sept. 12, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Turner Center Galleries, located at 527 N. Patterson Street, in Valdosta.

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The Meta Shaw Coleman Children’s Imagination Station, the Turner Center for the Arts’ newest attraction, is inviting local and regional businesses to Play It Forward by sponsoring free admission for children and families during the 9th Annual ARToberfest on Saturday, October 24, 2026.

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The Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts invites the community to experience the creative process firsthand during a live painting demonstration featuring artist Steven S. Walker on Tues., Aug. 25, from 5:00–7:30 p.m., at the Turner Center for the Arts, located at 527 N. Patterson St., Valdosta.

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The Turner Center for the arts hosted its 18th Annual Valdosta People’s Choice Photo Contest Awards Reception, July 20, to announce the winners who beautifully captured the essence of community life through their lenses.

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The Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts presents Dirty Bird and The Flu for a live Music in the Art Park concert on Fri., August 14, from 7-9 p.m. in the Art Park, located at 605 N. Patterson St. The concert, sponsored by Johnny & Susan Dukes, is open to the public.

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The Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts will hold a new gallery exhibit reception on Mon., August 3, from 5 to 7pm, at 527 N. Patterson Street, featuring the works of Stacey Fletcher, Steven S. Walker, the AHTCA Ceramic Showcase, andthe re-installation of the Jerry Tillman African Artifacts Permanent Collection. Admission is free and light refreshments will be served.

Stacey Fletcher is a mixed-media artist recognized for her intuitive mark-making and gestural paintings. Fletcher holds an MFA in Painting & Drawing from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a BFA from Valdosta State University, Georgia. Based in Florida, she is a professor of 2D Studio Arts at Daytona State College and actively exhibits her work both nationally and internationally. Her accolades include an international residency in Che?m, Poland, multiple grants and awards recognizing her artistic contributions, features in Studio Visit magazine and The Woven Tale Press, and inclusion in public and private collections.

Steven S. Walker has been creating inspiring works of art for corporations and private collectors for over twenty-five years. He earned his bachelor’s degree in fine arts at Virginia Commonwealth University with a concentration in illustration. He would later earn his master’s in fine arts from Marywood University. As a full-time artist, Steven has been included in several local and national juried competitions including the Oil Painters of America Eastern Regional, Salon and National, Richeson 75 Landscape Competition, Plein Air Salon, the International Salon and the Art Renewal Center. His works have been included in several private collections including the Boy Scouts of America, The United States Air Force, Dominion Resources, Hilton Hotels, the American Heart Association and the National Parks Service.

AHTCA Ceramic Showcase – The Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts (AHTCA) in partnership with the Valdosta Public Art Advisory Council is excited to host the 2026 AHTCA Ceramic Showcase. This show features work from AHTCA ceramic students and instructors as well as artists both locally and from across the region.

Jerry Tillman African Artifacts Permanent Collection. The Tillman Gallery houses a spectacular display of artifacts, donated to the Center in 2003, by Jerry Tillman, a Lowndes County native. Tillman spent over a decade living in Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Somalia and most of the artifacts in his collection were made by the Makonde Tribe in Tanzania.

All exhibits will remain open in the galleries for the public’s enjoyment through Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026. For more information, call 229.247.2787 or visit turnercenter.org. Patrons who need special assistance may contact the Center to make those arrangements.

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