Gladys Wyant Performing Arts Pavilion



The Gladys Wyant Performing Arts Pavilion is a 6,300 sq. ft. multi-functional facility used for concerts and other performing arts events in Gainesville, Georgia, US. The venue is also used to host weddings, corporate events and dinners. The venue is located on The Arts Council's Smithgall Arts Center complex in downtown Gainesville.

Groundbreaking and construction
Actual groundbreaking was in early January, 2020. Ceremonial groundbreaking for this facility was on January 29, 2020 with community leaders, volunteers, arts patrons and Arts Council staff in attendance. Executive Director of The Arts Council, Gladys Wyant, and Gainesville Mayor, Danny Dunagan spoke to the crowd about the importance of The Arts Council and this new venue, stressing the importance of the organization's ability to serve Gainesville and the broader North Georgia community for both a cultural and economic impact. Also in attendance was Lessie Smithgall, who, with her late husband Charles A. Smithgall Jr, have been longtime patrons of the arts and The Arts Council, lending their name to the complex where the pavilion resides.

Work completed on the venue early January 2021. The official ribbon cutting and dedication took place on April 16, 2021 and the venue was officially named after the Executive Director, Gladys Wyant, who had held that role for more than 37 years and was instrumental in the acquisition of the original property from CSX Transportation in 1992. the complete renovation and expansion that followed shortly after, as well as the addition of the new pavilion.

Namesake - Who is Gladys Wyant
Gladys Wyant is a figure in the cultural and arts community of Gainesville, Georgia and the State of Georgia. Throughout her career, she has focused on the arts scene, community development, and historic preservation. Wyant is celebrated for her leadership, involvement in arts organizations, and service to various community initiatives.

The Arts Council
Gladys Wyant's was Executive Director of The Arts Council in Gainesville, GA. She transformed it from a modest office in the Green Street Station building with $25,000 in assets into an organization with three separate properties and assets totaling $8 million.

Cultural leadership
She was a founding member of the Gainesville Symphony Orchestra, a board member of Children's Theater, now known as WonderQuest. She served as the President of the Georgia Assembly of Community Arts Agencies, Georgia Citizens for the Arts, Georgia Arts Network, Main Street Gainesville, Gainesville-Hall and Lake Lanier Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Gainesville Kiwanis. Her involvement with these organizations showcased her commitment to the betterment of the community through the arts.

Advocacy and recognition
She was a Board Member of the Georgia Council for the Arts, appointed by Governors Nathan Deal and Brian Kemp. In addition to the GCA, Governor Deal appointed Wyant to the Arts Learning Task Force, in 2014, to better incorporated arts in Georgia's K-12 education.

During the 2020 pandemic, Wyant along with several Georgia artists like R.E.M. and Andre 3000 and arts executives worked to lobby for the “Save Our Stages Act” and "RESTART Act.", urging the 2 Georgia Senators, Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue to support the bills that would setup relief funds for small arts venues during the shutdowns.

Her retirement from The Arts Council in 2021  was marked by the Georgia Senate with Senate Resolution 867, which honored her achievements and contributions to art and culture. Since her retirement in 2021, Wyant has continued to serve as a GCA Board Member and was named Chairperson    by Governor Brian Kemp in October 2023.

Performances
Since opening, "The Gladys", as the venue is affectionately known by the local community, has hosted numerous acts like Banks & Shane, Northwards Symphonic Band, Back in Time, The Highwaymen Live, Riverstreet, Nashville Yacht Club Band, Mike Farris, Peabo Bryson, Jonathan Moody Band, Electric Avenue, Fly Betty, Tribute: A Celebration of the Allman Brothers Band, The Marcel Portilla Band and Mary Kate Farmer.

The venue is the host to Gainesville's annual Oktoberfest celebration; a community event feature all day entertainment, beer, food and activities for all ages.

Possible changes
In early 2024, rumors of a possible name change to the venue began circulating in the Gainesville community. This speculation is driven by a few Facebook posts from and about the Arts Council containing edited photos of the pavilion, with the name digitally removed. The Arts Council's webpage also removed the name from the venue's description and digitally covered the name with a banner on their picture of the venue.

It's been no secret in the Gainesville community that the current Executive Director of the Arts Council, Pamela Williams-Lime, has made multiple moves, beginning her first day on the job, attempting to distance herself from her predecessor and deemphasize Wyant's many accomplishments during her tenure building the organization. Wyant's shadow over Williams-Lime is always there, and there's no shadow that looms larger than the one created by their flagship venue, the Gladys Wyant Performing Arts Pavilion.

On April 8, 2024, the Arts Council Facebook page teased some upcoming changes to the venue, with a picture of the pavilion showing the missing letter "G" from the name of the pavilion. The letter was pulled off in the fall of 2023 when a banner was hung in front of the pavilion name. This is the first picture of the venue that did not either crop the name or digitally remove the name from the building that The Arts Council has posted in almost a year. UPDATE - Since this article was updated on April 12, 2024, The Arts Council Facebook page replaced the photo described above with another photo showing the lawn space taken from an angle below the far corner of the pavilion, ironically showing how large of a shadow the building throws onto the patio and lawn. UPDATE to the UPDATE - Within minutes of the previous update being published, the original photo was restored to the Arts Council Facebook page.

The next morning, on April 9, a vague rebranding message was posted to both the Arts Council website as well as their Facebook page. The message refers to a new "brand identity" and states more changes are coming.

Changes confirmed
Concertgoers at the A1A concert and fundraiser on May 4, 2024 could see all building signage has been completely removed from the pavilion. In its place is a banner for the Summer Music Series. The rumor mill is running strong within the Gainesville community about the motivation for removing Wyant's name from the building. Outside of the original rebranding statement in early April 2024, nothing clarifying has come from the Arts Council, Pamela Williams-Lime or Gladys Wyant.