For 10 days the Averitt Center for the Arts is inviting Statesboro to join in commemorating 10 years of cultural and creative enrichment in downtown Statesboro.

The Statesboro Arts Council is celebrating the Averitt Center anniversary by having 10 days of arts programming focused on Statesboro and Bulloch County.

Starting today, the Averitt will have one event each day for the community to take part in, running until Sept. 21.

“The Averitt Center for the Arts has helped to bring the arts alive in our community. The arts have grown in Bulloch over the last 10 years and we believe that we helped in that,” Tim Chapman, executive director of the Averitt Center, said.

The events include a BBQ fundraiser, musical performances, movies, plays and free classes in different art styles.

“Since the Averitt has opened it has contributed to the community’s diversity and helped to improve its quality of life,” Chapman said.

The Statesboro Arts Council, who supervises the Averitt Center, is partnering with Georgia Southern University’s Department of Music, Bulloch County Historic Society, Statesboro Conventions, Visitors Bureau and the Downtown Main Street Program to organize the 10-day celebration.

“The opening of the center has changed the face of downtown Statesboro, it has revitalized it,” Melinda Roell, development director for the Averitt Center, said.

The Averitt Center was founded in September of 2004 and since then has been providing the Statesboro community with performances, exhibits, classes and youth programs in the arts ever since.

“People flock downtown and are involved in activities and the Averitt was a magnet that helped to bring that about,” Roell said.

Roell said, “People are living, shopping and playing in our historic downtown district and it’s amazing that the Averitt helped to bring that about and also provided the Statesboro youth with a way to have artistic outlets.”