Etched into the glass atop the front entrance of The Syd confirms its long history.
“ Syd Blackmarr was the woman that kind of took it upon herself and convinced the arts council and then went around talking to civic clubs and various organizations.” ~ Bruce Green, former executive director of the Tifton Council for the Arts
Nowadays, the Syd is home to various activities beyond just art exhibits.
“ Over the last two years for sure, I know that we’ ve brought in different events,” Green said.“ We show movies that are based on different artists, or whatever. We’ ve had small performances there. Then, we started looking at this concept, which is rental.”
The Syd has been used not only for arts purposes but also for things such as civic events and weddings. Additionally, the building, now operated by the Council for the Arts, can hold multiple events and showcases at the same time.
As for its future, the Syd is expected to have major additions soon. Green, who recently stepped down as executive director for the Council for the Arts, says that they are in the process of adding on to the building.
“ Last year, the Downtown Development Authority came to the Arts Council and said,‘ Hey, we know that you all need better restrooms. You need more space,’” Green said.“ So they came to the table and offered a half million dollars to the Arts
Council if the Arts Council felt like it wanted to try to help match that. I’ ve served as executive director for the last two years and have just recently stepped down as executive director, but I will remain connected to it. I’ m going to help Dr. Rigdon. Dr. Steve Rigdon is chair of the DDA, and they own the building, so we are about to put out the bids for the construction work.”
The add-on will be somewhat attached to the back of the Syd, featuring state-of-the-art restrooms, a necessity for the Syd, as well as several rooms ranging from offices to a catering kitchen. The new addition is going to be called the Bette Turner Arts Annex, named after Bette Turner, who was on the Council for the Arts for years and worked within the community.
“ The decision was made that it made all the sense in the world to name the annex after another woman who had been so involved and so supportive of the arts for literally decades,” Green said on naming the building after Turner.
The new building, nicknamed the Bette, is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.
JANUARY 2026 | TiftonScene 25