Why travel to a major city to see great art? The arts are alive and well in Covington. Whether you’re visiting or live here, experience all that Covington has to offer.

The Community Arts Association of Newton County encourages everyone to not only attend performances, but to become performers. While the association has been serving Newton County for three decades, it now reaches eight counties and 50 schools through its Young Artists program, which includes ballet, singing, acting, and orchestra. Classes for students in grades 2 through 12 are offered. Spring 2024 brings Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella to the stage. More at newtoncountyarts.org.

Amazing performances need to be seen in amazing spaces. The Porter Performing Arts Center provides the perfect venues for concerts and theatre. Porter not only stages performances for the public but is also available for rental for your event. See more at newtoncountyarts.org/facilities.

The Covington Regional Ballet deserves special mention. Auditions for aspiring ballerinas and ballerinos are held year-round for students ages 8 to 18. In addition to classical ballet, the company offers training in jazz, tap, hip-hop, and Broadway dancing. The annual Christmas production of The Nutcracker is a must-see. Learn more at newtoncountyarts.org/crb.

Head to the Historic Downtown Square to discover Southern Heartland Art (housed inside Revolution Casual Living, 1114 Monticello St.) and WildArt (1105 Washington St.). Southern Heartland helps the community understand and appreciate the visual arts and fine art. It is a nonprofit with two arms: Guild and Gallery. Membership in the Guild is open to anyone with an interest in art. The Gallery exhibits works by local artists and offers onsite classes. More at southernheartlandart.com. WildArt also displays art by locals with a wide variety of styles: landscape and still life paintings, wood turning, and handmade scarves. Art kits for beginners are available and furnish a fun way for kids of all ages to spend an afternoon. If you can’t make it to Covington in time for Christmas shopping, visit their online store. Go to thewildart.com.

One of the wonderful things about Covington (and there are many!) is that you can enjoy art just by walking around. Murals throughout the city show off the talent of Covington and regional artists. Enjoy delightful nature scenes, historic panoramas, and fanfare of the movies and TV shows filmed in The Hollywood of the South®.

There is simply no place quite like Covington. The arts scene and arts seen prove it.