Top Norcross Arts Stories of 2012

With a community threatre, multiple downtown galleries and art happenings almost every weekend, Norcross is the home of a number of art functions.

So what were some of the top art news for 2012 in Norcross? Read on for the highlights.

The City Gets Yarn-Bombed: Knitters and crocheters joined together downtown for Spring Into Yarn, the city's yarn-bombing day. Yarn-bombing is a street art where knitted and crocheted items are installed and attached to public property such as trees, bike racks and benches.

The Nest Grand Opening: The arts center and incubator opened its doors at the old Rectory in Historic Downtown Norcross in January.

Chandler Massey Wins His First Emmy: The Norcross High graduate and actor won a Daytime Emmy award for Outstanding Younger Actor for his role in "Days of Our Lives."

National Night Out: Joining hundreds of other cities across the nation, Norcross held its first National Night Out in August and had an overwhelming number of attendees to learn about keeping the community safe from crime.

"Norcross (Then and Now)" Debuts: The pictorial novel, authored by Norcross historian Sally Toole and photographer Kate Awtrey, depicts just how much Norcross has changed over the years. The book shows two similar photos next to each other: a vintage 19th or 20th century photo and a matching modern photo of the same place or thing, whether its local athletes, Thrasher Park or local businesses.

The Launch of Third Thursday Arts Party: There wasn't one for December, but in September the city started a downtown-wide celebration on the third Thursday of every month to celebrate the arts, not only in the galleries, but in the restaurants and stores, too.

Proposal for the Arts in Norcross to Have More City Support: Having discussed the issue for months, the proposal for the city to be more involved in the arts has brought much debate from the Norcross City Council. The council says they will discuss it more in the new year.

Bella Vita Gallery Moves in Downtown: As mentioned in our Top Norcross Business News of 2012, Bella Vita Gallery opened in September on South Peachtree Street. The downtown establishment features artwork and also acts as the umbrella for Bella Vita, a photography company that specializes in environmental portraiture and mixed media.

Lionheart Selling Out Shows: From "Fiddler on the Roof" to this month's "The Hobbit," the last few shows at the community theatre company have been nothing but successes: All tickets have sold before even the first performance ran.

AYEP Asian Night: A music, arts and empowerment festival showcasing the talents of Asian teens held at the Hong Kong Supermarket area in May, AYEP Night was held for the first time this year.

See also:

• Top Norcross Business News of 2012
• Weirdest Norcross Crime Stories of 2012
• Top Norcross Government Stories of 2012
• Top Norcross Sports Stories of 2012

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