Arts and Culture

GADSDEN ARTS CENTER & MUSEUM
13 N. Madison Street,
Quincy Florida 32351
www.gadsdenarts.org
850-875-4866

The Gadsden Arts Center offers exhibitions year-round with opening reception attendance ranging from 200-550 visitors, and “run of show” attendance averaging 2,000. Since The Gadsden Arts Center moved into the historic Bell & Bates building in September 2000, exhibitions have featured work by nationally acclaimed artists, leading artists’ organizations, and from outstanding private collections. The Gadsden Arts Center also supports local and regional artists through exhibitions in on-site and satellite locations, the Artists Guild and Gift Shop. As well, a major focus of the center is their educational components that include:
• Learning in the Studios
• Learning in the Galleries
• Learning in the Community
• Bates Children’s Gallery
• Summer Art Camp 
• Internships.

THE QUINCY LEAF THEATRE
118 E Washington St, Quincy, FL 32351
www.qmt.org
850-875-9444

Built in 1946, the Quincy Leaf Theatre quickly became the premiere movie theater in the Big Bend and is a staple of downtown Quincy. The Theatre initially seated 1,200 people and offered a sound-resistant cry room. The Theatre was resurrected in 1983 and underwent extensive renovations, including the removal of the front half of the seating to make room for a stage to accommodate live musical performances. The Leaf Theatre is a non-profit organization and North Florida’s largest and only all-musical community theater. There are 325 seats downstairs and 125 balcony seats. Seasons consist of five musical shows over two weekends and average seven performances of each show.

Casts for these shows consists of volunteers and talent drawn from FSU, FAMU, and TCC. The Leaf has hosted many sold out performances, such as the production of CATS. It hosts very popular summer workshops in which children practice and perform their own show.

The Leaf Theater was named for the economic impact of shade tobacco on the community in the early 1900’s. Originally a movie theater, the grand opening was hosted by Roy Rogers. Oh, and by the way, there are reports of ghosts in the theater that have been included in Alan Brown's Haunted America series and Dave Lapham 's Ghost Hunting in Florida.

THE SHADE TOBACCO MUSEUM
204 NW 2nd Street, Havana FL 32333

Havana was once known as the shade tobacco capital of the world. Now the product that helped shape the town is being featured in a new museum at Planter’s Exchange. Located about 20 miles northwest of Tallahassee on the Old Spanish Trail, Havana was incorporated in 1906. Shade tobacco was grown to produce fine cigars and was once one of the country's most impressive agricultural enterprises, according to the Havana History & Heritage Society.

The Shade Tobacco Museum feature artwork, tools, and crafts from the area’s history of tobacco farming – from seed to cigar. The Museum will also feature barn art, prints and notecards from area artists and craftsmen displayed and for sale.

The museum will remain open on weekends.