What is The 567?

by Melissa Macker, Executive Director

The 567 has changed a lot over the years since it started as an informal concept at 567 Cherry Street eight or so years ago, but it’s always been a multi-purpose space that has combined different activities in a way that people don’t always expect.  As a result, if you asked 5 random people what The 567 is, you might get 5 different answers.

The combination of art and music and business and miscellaneous other creative events (and even a church) under one roof has been messy at times. The purpose and heartbeat of these activities, however, was always the same for us: bring more people and businesses downtown. Support the unique, creative vibe of downtown. Do everything in a way that brings people together and encourages cooperation.

Of course, the way we do those things is constantly changing, just as downtown itself has changed dramatically since we started. It’s fun to look behind at what The 567 has been, and ahead to what it will be.  So what is The 567? It’s…

1.       Corks & Canvas.  By far the most common event we have these days is Corks & Canvas, partially because there’s so much demand for it. We started these classes as a way to make art fun for adults, and to help them connect with local artists who would teach the classes. Bonus: these classes have brought over 300 people downtown.

2.       Other art classes. We try to give people opportunities to grow their artistic skills and learn other mediums, including watercolor, pen and ink, and photography. We also bring families downtown with kids’ art classes.

3.       An art gallery. When people walk into our new space most days, what they first see is an art gallery. Our space is filled with rotating monthly exhibits where we showcase the work of students, local artists, and sometimes regional artists who catch our attention. We join the other downtown galleries in having First Friday art openings, and sometimes we have Coffee Talks with the artists featured in our gallery. Coffee Talks are less of a lecture and more of a conversation with the artist.

4.       Lost Keys Collective. The projects of Lost Keys Collective, such as a literary festival and the pop-up poetry garden in Third Street Park, fall right in line with our goal of bringing creative life to downtown Macon. As their fiscal sponsor, we help them process donations and give them advice from time to time, so they can keep doing cool things.

5.       A space for new businesses. We’ve had several start-up businesses call The 567 home. Of those who’ve moved on, some still have offices downtown. Those who’ve chosen to locate their business in other parts of the city after moving out still have a soft spot in their heart for downtown after experiencing what makes it so special. We also offer workshops and networking events from time to time to help business owners learn new skills and make connections.

6.       A music venue. When The 567 first opened its doors, it was mainly a music venue. As we’ve changed and downtown has changed, we’ve gotten away from putting on concerts.  We still have a soft spot for musicians, though, and we’d like to occasionally offer small concerts in the future.

7.       A place to try new things. A couple of years ago we hosted Lunch Beat Macon, a monthly lunchtime dance party. It was just one example of how we got to partner with local creatives (Floco Torres & DJ Shawty Slim) to help them bring their idea to life and make downtown a little cooler.

What is The 567 to you?

Thank You to New City Church

By Melissa Macker, Executive Director

If it weren’t for New City Church, downtown Macon would not look the same as it does today.

In case you haven’t heard the story of where The 567 got its name, it all started at 567 Cherry Street eight years ago. New City Church was a brand new church in the heart of downtown Macon. They were holding services at Cox Capitol Theater, and they needed a small space to use as the pastor’s office and for band practice during the week. They also wanted to serve their community. Downtown Macon looked a lot different eight years ago. It had a lot of artists—visual artists, musicians, spoken word artists—but it didn’t have a lot of venues for artists to showcase their work.  So New City rented out the small store front at 567 Cherry Street, made it the pastor’s office, and invited artists to come and hang their work or have a concert. The name, The 567 Café, was born.

As the church grew, the dream also grew. Pastor Keith Watson envisioned an organization that could help new businesses get started as well as draw people to downtown Macon with all kinds of arts events. The church renovated 533 Cherry Street into a place that could both be a home for the church in the heart of downtown Macon, as well as contribute to the revitalization of downtown Macon through art, music, and business. In 2010, they formed The 567 Center for Renewal—a 501(c)(3) organization that could accomplish this mission while partnering with the church and sharing the space at 533 Cherry Street.

The dream was accomplished. Six years later, both the church and The 567 have grown tremendously and have been an important part of the transformation of downtown Macon. The church realized that both it and The 567 could now better serve Macon by having their own spaces. The church and The 567 were both able to purchase their own buildings, and The 567 opened its doors at its new location on First Street last week. The church’s move to Riverside Drive (still downtown) won’t be too far behind.

As we look towards the future, I wanted to recognize New City Church for what they have given to downtown Macon. Not many churches would have regularly shared their worship space with rock concerts, as they did for many years, which required extra clean-up on Sunday mornings. Not many churches would have poured their money into building an art gallery and supported a fledgling arts & business non-profit. Not many churches would have given up the pastor’s time to answer questions about rental space or give business incubator tours day in and day out. Not many churches would have sacrificed their own meeting space so there could be art classes 2 or 3 nights a week. That only touches the surface of what New City Church, and especially Pastor Keith, have given to The 567 over the past 6 years. There are many church members who volunteered hours upon hours to make The 567 and its events a reality, and the financial support that the church has provided is immeasurable.

So, thank you, New City Church for loving downtown Macon, for believing that God is willing and able transform this community, and for doing the hard work of launching The 567 Center for Renewal.