What are the opening hours?

Monday 8:15am - 5pm Tuesday 8:15am - 5pm Wednesday 8:15am - 5pm Thursday 8:15am - 5pm Friday 8:15am - 5pm

City of Savannah Department of Cultural Resources

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City of Savannah Department of Cultural Resources

The City of Savannah’s hub for diverse art, cultural, and heritage-based activities. Express Yourself at The Otis S. The closest to the Otis S.

Join us for classes, performances, art exhibitions, and apply for arts and culture funding! With the mission to enrich the lives of Savannah residents and visitors, the City of Savannah Cultural Resources Department creates, promotes, and supports a diverse and exciting variety of quality art, cultural, and heritage-based activities. Johnson Cultural Arts Center

Opened in 2019, the new Otis S. Johnson Cultural Arts Center (formerly Savannah Cultural Arts Center) boasts creative studios, a state-of-the-art performance venue, and gallery space. Home to the City of Savannah Department of Cultural Resources, the CAC is located in the historic district, next to the Savannah Civic Center. Savannahians and visitors are invited to stop in to visit our free gallery, join us for an event in our theatre or First Fridays out on the lawn, and attend workshops to learn a new skill – from jewelry-making to African dance!
*Note: this building is currently closed to the public. Online art instruction and virtual classes are being offered. Visit savannahga.gov/arts for more information. How to Find Us

Bus: The CAC is located just a couple blocks from the downtown Chatham Area Transit bus station, meaning you can reach us via any bus route! If you are downtown you can also take the Historic Loop on the dot, a free shuttle in downtown Savannah. Car: Street parking is available around the historic district and city garages offer covered parking. Johnson Cultural Arts Center are the Liberty Street and Robinson garages. Walking: We are located on the west side of the historic district. Head towards Martin Luther King Jr Blvd along Oglethorpe Ave, or your favorite tree and square-lined street. Cultural Affairs Commission

An 18-member Cultural Affairs Commission, appointed by the Mayor and Aldermen, meets every other month to review contracted programming. In addition, the commission meets once a year to recommend purchases of cultural services from eligible arts organizations through the Arts & Culture Enrichment (ACE) and Weave-A-Dream investment programs.

09/14/2026

We're feeling spooky during Fall Interterm! Join us for a fun Halloween-themed workshop coming up at the end of the month into early October.

🦉Nevermore - A Shadow Puppetry Workshop for Teens Ages 13-17
Tuesday, 9/29 & 10/6 | 6pm-8pm

🧙‍♀️Eco-Art: Make Your Own Witch Hat from Natural & Recycled Materials
Thursday, 10/1 | 6:30pm-9pm

🧟‍♀️Gothic Charcoals
Monday, 10/5 | 6pm-9pm

🎃Jack O’Lantern Jewelry
Wednesday, 10/7 | 6pm-9pm

Visit savannahga.gov/artslcasses or click the link in our bio to sign up today. Registration takes place on our new registration software, CivicRec. Please call 912-651-6783 or email [email protected] for registration assistance or questions.

09/04/2026

Join us on Friday, September 25 from 7:00pm-8:30pm for Live from the Lawn! ✨

Enjoy an evening of live music and food trucks under the stars on the lawn of the Otis S. Johnson Cultural Arts Center located at 201 Montgomery St. Bring your own lawn chair or blanket to settle in and enjoy the music all evening.

The lawn is located at the back of the building on the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd and W Oglethorpe Ave. No tickets or pre-registration needed. This event is free and open to the public; all ages are welcome to attend*.

Food truck vendors: WillYum's and Kona Ice. Performers will be announced soon.

*While all ages are welcome and music content will be family-friendly, this event is not specifically geared toward children.

08/28/2026

On Friday, September 11 from 5:30-7pm, join artist Kelly Boehmer for a hands-on collage workshop exploring transformation, anxiety, humor, and the hidden beauty in the unexpected.

Inspired by Kelly’s soft sculptures and use of found and upcycled materials, participants will create layered, tactile collages that turn discarded pieces into something new. Come experiment with texture, color, and imagery in a welcoming space where the strange, beautiful, and imperfect are all part of the process.

This event is free and open to the public ages 17+. RSVP is required - please visit https://forms.cloud.microsoft/g/4SF9zWxeqi to reserve your spot today.

08/20/2026

Join us on Friday, August 28 from 6-8pm for the opening reception of An Open Heart and a Receptive Mind.

The exhibition, which will be on display in our Visual Arts Wing, is a body of work by artist and Cultural Arts Center instructor Cindy Male. Her work explores consciousness, perception, and the subtle energies that shape human experience. This collection considers the relationship between inner contemplation and outer expression, inviting viewers to reflect on the spaces we inhabit both within ourselves and in the world around us.

This event is free and open to the public. An Open Heart and a Receptive Mind will be on display from August 28-September 18 and can be viewed during our open hours.

Pictured: Blue Veil of Cartography, 2024-25, 12”X14”, Color Pencil on Paper

08/18/2026

We had a wonderful time celebrating the opening of Not Away last Friday! Thank you to everyone who joined us to experience this exciting exhibition and support the artists who brought it to life.

Up next: Artist Kelly Boehmer will lead a public workshop on Friday, September 11 at 5:30pm. Stay tuned for more information.

Be sure to stop by the gallery to see the show in person now through September 26. Gallery hours: M-Th 9am-7pm, F 9am-5pm, Sat 9am-2pm, closed Sun

First photo - Artists Christopher Nitsche, Kelly Boehmer, and Monica Cioppettini
Last photo - Curators Joshua Alexander and Antonia B. Larkin

08/14/2026

Join the Office of Municipal Archives & History on Tuesday, August 18th for a special exhibit opening and spoken word performance bringing together the work of three Savannah artists.

VESSELS is an introspective look on what it means to truly be seen in a town of growing tourism. Experience the pulse of the hostess city through photography from the RECYCLING WORKERS series of Josh Richey, works from the Mike Williams Art collection, and spoken word by cj giovanni.

Exhibit Viewing Drop-In
4:00pm-5:00pm
Archives & History Room,
Savannah City Hall, 2 East Bay Street

Registration is not required for the exhibit viewing drop-in

Program featuring cj giovanni
5:30pm-6:30pm
Archives & History Room
Savannah City Hall, 2 East Bay Street

Registration: This program is free and open to the general public. Space is limited and registration is required.

Email [email protected] to reserve your spot.

08/06/2026

Arts classes start back next week at the Cultural Arts Center! Registration deadlines begin early next week for visual arts classes, and the following week for performing arts classes.

Spots are still available in many offerings including:
🎨Acrylics Foundations 2
✏Creating Characters for Comics (Ages 13-17)
🎤Teen Comedy Lab (Ages 13-17)
🕺Intro to African Dance
And more!

Registration takes place on CivicRec. Visit https://www.savannahga.gov/1041/Classes-Workshops to learn more and register today. Please call 912-651-6783 or email [email protected] for registration assistance or questions.

We can’t wait to welcome you back for another creative and fun term of classes!

08/05/2026

Art exhibitions are back after a pause for Summer Arts Camps! Join us on Friday, August 14 for the opening reception of our latest gallery exhibition, Not Away.

Not Away explores the lives of objects beyond their intended purpose, tracing how materials accumulate history through cycles of use, abandonment, and renewal. Featuring Kelly Boehmer, Monica Cioppettini, and Christopher Nitsche, the exhibition brings together reclaimed materials that retain echoes of their past while taking on new meanings through transformation and reinvention. Curated by Antonia B. Larkin and Joshua Alexander.

This event is free and open to the public. This show will be on display August 14-September 26. Stay tuned for information about upcoming Not Away workshops, as well as an exhibition in our Visual Arts Wing opening August 28.

*This exhibition contains artwork with mature themes that may not be suitable for young children. Visitors accompanying children are encouraged to use their discretion.

Address

201 Montgomery Street
Savannah, GA
31401

Opening Hours

Monday	8:15am - 5pm
Tuesday	8:15am - 5pm
Wednesday	8:15am - 5pm
Thursday	8:15am - 5pm
Friday	8:15am - 5pm

Website

https://www.savannahga.gov/arts

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