Dale County Council of Arts and Humanities

About us:

The Dale County Council of Arts and Humanities (DCCAH) was organized in the 1960’s by people at the library and librarians with a few artists organizing early activities. Under Mayor Tom Goff, a house on Broad Street was acquired as the location for the arts council and extensive renovation was achieved on the Sollie house on Broad Street. The first Claybank antique show was held there and also several fiddlers' conventions were held on the front porch. In the late 1980’s the city sold the building as the arts council couldn't afford to operate it. The arts council went into dormancy until 1999,

In November of that year Jim Rudd bought the long unoccupied Dowling Building on the Courthouse Square with a donation through the Wiregrass Foundation. The building was a gift to the city to be used by the reorganized arts council as a gallery and museum. The building was named for the previous owners and his wife, a painter, as the Dowling Museum Ann Rudd Arts Center. The entire project was a millennium venture. Restoration had proceeded to a functional stage by March of 2000 and the first exhibit by a wide range of artists from Dale County was organized by a social club, The Arts Guild. Since then more than 50 exhibits have been mounted. The upstairs houses artist studios.Be sure to drop by and see our exhibit of Retro Clothing that was left in the building when it closed in the late 70’s. The building was a wonderful department store for men, women and children. They had also carried shoes, hats and material.

Mission Statement:

“To promote the arts in the local community via exhibits, workshops and productions in various artistic fields and to provide a location for community functions that will expose the public to cultural experiences in our area.”