Levels of arts support are available to businesses

Columbia County Arts Inc. officials are inviting businesses to invest in Columbia County's quality of life by joining the organization to support the arts.

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The nonprofit organization, dedicated to the support of the county's arts community, is holding its first membership drive Wednesday under the direction of the recently formed Business Development Committee made up of 12 business leaders.

The committee is aiming to bring in 100 new businesses to the organization.

"Members are the lifeblood of our organization," said Gordon Renshaw, the group's president-elect for next year. "Without our members, we are nothing."

Officials would like to see more business members to support the group's plans for 2007-08, which include growing the organization and its reach in the community.

Ron Jones, the president, said the aim for this year, which runs from July 1 through June 30, 2008, includes hiring an executive director to lead the group and implement the executive board's decisions.

"That is the first direct goal of this," Jones said. "The Columbia County Arts board is comprised of volunteers. They all have their own lives. They all have their own careers and their own businesses. So once we can afford an executive director, that person can steer the activity of the arts council to keep it consistently moving forward and just facilitate the job that the board is doing."

The group is finalizing plans for several new programs and events that will bring together arts groups from the public and private schools, artists and arts organizations, the business community and those from Harlem and Grovetown.

Jones said such networking will only further improve on Columbia County's quality of life, which he said attracts people to the area.

Businesses can join the group for $125 as a regular member or for $1,000 as a Cornerstone member. Several businesses have already committed to Cornerstone membership including the Center for Primary Care, Renshaw said.

Membership brings with it several advantages such as public exposure on promotional materials and advertisements, on its Web site and at events.

Members will receive invitations to meetings and events, newsletters and the chance to serve on a committee. Cornerstone business members will get a gift of art by a Columbia County artist.

For more information, visit www.columbiacountyarts.org.