At The 567 Center, we believe that we can transform downtown Macon and make Macon as a whole a better place through art. For over a decade we have provided a place downtown for artists to showcase their work, teach classes, create pottery, put on events, and grow as professionals. The art exhibits, events, and studio space make downtown a place where more people want to live, work, and play.

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Twitter: @the567
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Mission

The 567 Center for Renewal is a community space for entrepreneurs, artists, and musicians who will bring a collaboratively creative life to downtown Macon and surrounding areas through events, classes, and business development.

Vision

We dream of a vibrant downtown Macon filled with successful businesses and creative professionals, a downtown filled with the arts and enjoyed by people of all ages from all places. Towards this end, The 567 Center for Renewal will be known as a place where:

-quality art is displayed and sold;
-people of all ages enjoy concerts, shows, and performances;
-classes and lectures help individuals of all ages expand their creativity and appreciation of the arts;
-artists and musicians find the resources needed to succeed as creative professionals; and
-entrepreneurs find the resources needed to start new, successful downtown businesses.

Melissa Macker, Executive Director
melissa@the567.org, (478) 238-6051 ext. 3

Melissa Macker has led The 567 Center since its formation as a 501(c)3 in 2010. With a passion for plants in addition to a love for art, she originally aspired to be the executive director of a botanic garden. She has a Master's degree in Public Garden Management with a minor in Nonprofit Management. She took the skills she learned in graduate school for forming a nonprofit organization and fundraising and used them to help launch The 567 Center.

As a small organization, Melissa has worn many hats over the years, from managing bands at concerts to teaching business classes for the business incubator. Most of her work at The 567 Center currently focuses on leadership and planning, fundraising, marketing, communications, financial management, and managing the All Hands Art Festival.

As an artist, her work was selected for an outdoor photography exhibit curated by Dashboard in Macon. She also works with pottery and India inks as time allows. These days, much of her time outside of work is spent trying to keep up with her toddler and enjoying quality time with her husband.

Hannah Hartman, Fine Art Director
hannah@the567.org, (478) 238-6051 ext. 1

Hannah Hartman started with The 567 Center in 2024. As Fine Art Director, she plans all of our art classes in partnership with our teaching artists. Hannah has an Associate of Arts in Art with a focus on photography and, in addition to her role at The 567 Center, also works as a professional photographer. Aside from photography, she has experience with a variety of artistic mediums including watercolor, clay, acrylic, oils, charcoals, and pastels.

Colin Penndorf, Curator
colin@the567.org

Colin studied art as part of a Bachelors of Interdisciplinary Studies. He gained experience managing the galleries at Middle Georgia State University and Theatre Macon before beginning work at The 567 Center in 2016. He founded an artist group, the Ocmulgee Artist Guild, that presents multiple exhibits per year at nontraditional venues. In his own artistic practice, he works in paint, charcoal, wood, and mixed media. In addition to curating the gallery, he also is part of planning the All Hands Art Festival and other events as needed.

The 567 was founded by New City Church, which began holding services at the Cox Capitol Theater in 2008. The church needed additional space for Sunday morning children’s activities and other things, so they rented a small space at 567 Cherry Street.

New City Church’s leadership wanted the space to be more than a Sunday space, they wanted a space that served to connect the community and benefit the city. After talking to many people in Macon to understand the city’s history and hope for the future, New City began developing The 567 to be a place where New City and Macon could together celebrate the arts.

The original 567 was a huge success in helping to enjoy and shape our downtown’s culture and community as the city united to enjoy music and art. The dream grew, The 567 became its own 501(c)(3), and in 2010, the church and The 567 moved to a much larger building at 533 Cherry Street. With the move came greater opportunities to help downtown Macon grow and thrive through art, music, and business.

The church and The 567 have both grown tremendously since then, and it is no longer feasible for The 567 and the church to share space. In 2016, The 567 purchased its own building at 456 First Street and looks forward to growing and impacting downtown even more in the coming years.