43 Best Performing Arts in Georgia, USA

Slated for demolition in 1921, the Lucas Theatre is now one of Savannah's most celebrated spaces. The beautifully renovated space hosts a variety of performances throughout the year, from ballet to bluegrass bands. It's a go-to venue for events hosted by the Savannah College of Art and Design, the Savannah Film Festival, and the Savannah Music Festival, and even occasionally screens classic and family films.

Georgia's largest and most acclaimed music festival brings together musicians from around the world for more than two weeks of unforgettable performances in late March and early April. The multigenre entertainment ranges from foot-stomping gospel to moody blues to mainstream rock to new takes on classical music. Performances take place in Savannah's premier theaters, as well as nontraditional venues like historic churches.

This intimate indie music festival held every March is a yearly "stopover" for bands headed to the massive South by Southwest event in Austin. The event features almost 100 acts in about a dozen different venues, providing indie music fans with an unmatched opportunity to experience their favorite up-and-coming acts in intimate spaces.

This star-studded affair, hosted by the Savannah College of Art and Design in late October and early November, offers multiple daily screenings of award-winning films in various venues on or near Broughton Street. Sir Patrick Stewart, Salma Hayek, William H. Macy, Normal Reedus, John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, and Hugh Jackman are among the celebrities who've attended in recent years. Q&A sessions with visiting celebrities and industry professionals are always popular.

Be ready to purchase your screening and panel tickets as soon as sales open, as the most popular often sell out in half an hour or less.

Savannah College of Art and Design's Sidewalk Arts Festival, held the last Saturday in April, is an opportunity to experience Forsyth Park in abundant glory. At no other time in the year is the park so packed with people of all ages, coming out in droves to see students past and present take to the park's winding sidewalks with rainbow colors of chalk. By the day's end, the park is lined with out-of-this-world drawings as far as the eye can see, plus fun stains of chalk throughout the grass and on scraggling artists.

When it opened in 1946, the Trustees Theater was one of the largest movie screens in the South. Now run by the Savannah College of Art and Design, it hosts a variety of events, including the Savannah Film Festival. It's also a popular venue for concerts and lectures.

Founded in 1979 and in its current location since 1987, 7 Stages is known for an edgy attitude and exciting works. The adjacent bar and coffee house, Java Lords, serves up delicious brews and affordable drinks pre- and postshow.

This acclaimed theater group presents an eclectic selection of classic and cutting-edge productions in its 150-seat theater at King Plow Arts Center, a stylish artists' complex hailed by local critics as a showplace of industrial design.

Atlanta's Tony Award–winning professional theater presents everything from Shakespeare to the latest Broadway and off-Broadway hits.

The 12,000-capacity Ameris Bank Amphitheatre is situated on 45 acres 22 miles north of Downtown Atlanta. The venue hosts a variety of pop, country, and classical acts, including the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.

The Atlanta Ballet, founded in 1929, is the country's oldest continuously operating ballet company. It has been internationally recognized for its productions of classical and contemporary works. Artistic director Gennadi Nedvigin has aimed to elevate the technical skill of the group since taking the helm in 2016. Most performances, except for the annual Nutcracker, are held at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.

Major roles at the Atlanta Opera are performed by national and international guest artists; many of the chorus and orchestra members come from the local community.

Since 1971, Atlanta has put on one of the most vibrant and popular gay festivals in the country. Thousands of people gather in Piedmont Park every October for Atlanta Pride, which includes a long lineup of entertainers and a market with vendors and organizations from around the area. The main event is the parade, with festive floats and dancers and folks of all stripes marching through the streets of the city.

The Atlanta Shakespeare Company stages plays by the Bard and his peers, as well as by contemporary dramatists. Performances vary in quality but are always fun. The Elizabethan-style playhouse is a real tavern, so alcohol and pub-style food are available.

Under the musical direction of Robert Spano since 2001, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO) has 27 Grammy awards to its credit. It performs the fall–spring subscription series in the nearly 1,800-seat Symphony Hall at the Woodruff Arts Center.

Head to the Underground Atlanta mall for half-price same-day tickets for performances as well as half-price same-day and next-day tickets for cultural attractions.

This restored 1931 Spanish baroque theater has sloped floors that make it ideal for the comedy, rock, soul, and country shows hosted here.

This theater feels more like an outdoor nightclub than a typical performance venue. Pack a picnic, bring a blanket if you've snagged some seats on the lawn, and prepare to listen to your favorite performers over the clink of dishes and the chatter of dinner conversation.

Founded in 1995, this scrappy playhouse with a sense of humor offers a variety of comedy and improv classes and performances as well as original theatrical works.

On its idyllic campus surrounded by picturesque houses, Emory University has five major venues where internationally renowned artists perform.

The Georgia Institute of Technology's arts center hosts classical, jazz, dance, and theatrical performances. There's ample free parking on weekends.

This creative collaborative event takes place on the first Friday evening of each month throughout the Starland neighborhood and is focused on Desoto Row. The family-friendly event includes food trucks, music, artisans and multiple art receptions, exhibits, and open studios. Check out Instagram or their Facebook page for more information.

Georgia State University hosts concerts that are free and open to the public. The hall's entrance is on Gilmer Street, and there's parking in the lot at the corner of Edgewood and Peachtree Center Avenues.

This dramatic faux-Moorish theater is the principal venue for touring Broadway shows, national productions, concerts, and the Coca-Cola Summer Film Festival.

A contemporary dance company helmed by visionary choreographer Lauri Stallings and founded in 2009, gloATL has entranced Atlantans with its site-specific dance performances and collaborations with local artists, which have included Outkast's Big Boi and the Atlanta Ballet.

This restored, classic small-town movie theater, built in 1946, stages live theater, movies, children's performances, concerts, and special events. Check out the schedule online for the latest offerings.

This professional troupe, established in 1983, debuts provocative and entertaining contemporary plays in its 172-seat theater.

A 708-seat theater, a 13,000-seat arena, and a 50,000-square-foot expo center are all here, 30 miles north of Downtown Atlanta. The venue hosts national touring acts and the Atlanta Gladiators hockey team, as well as conventions, sporting events, outlet sales, and jewelry shows.

This 2,500-capacity venue 6 miles west of Downtown Atlanta stages jazz, R&B, and country music.