During the 20th century, Atlanta replaced Savannah as the major arts center of Georgia, while Athens, the seat of the University of Georgia, has continued to share in the cultural life of the university. The state has eight major art museums, as well as numerous private galleries; especially notable is the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, dedicated in 1983. The Atlanta Memorial Arts Center was dedicated in 1968 to the 100 members of the association who lost their lives in a plane crash. The Atlanta Art Association exhibits the work of contemporary Georgia artists; Georgia's Art Bus Program delivers art exhibits to Georgia communities, mostly in rural areas, for three-week periods.
The theater has enjoyed popular support since the first professional resident theater troupe began performing in Augusta in 1790. Atlanta has a resident theater, and there are community theaters in some 30 cities and counties. Georgia has actively cultivated the film-making industry, and as of the late 1990s an increasing number of films for cinema and television were being produced in the state.
Georgia has at least 11 symphony orchestras, ranging from the Atlanta Symphony to community and college ensembles throughout the state. Atlanta and Augusta have professional ballet touring companies, Augusta has a professional opera company, and choral groups and opera societies perform in all major cities. Macon has become a major recording center, especially for popular music. The north Georgia mountain communities retain their traditional folk music.
The Georgia Council for the Arts was founded in 1965. Major ongoing programs of the Council include the Georgia Folklife Program (est. 1987), the Grassroots Arts Program (est. 1993), and the State Capitol Gallery (est. 1991), which features exhibits from the State Art Collection of over 600 works of art from Georgian artists. In 2003, the National Endowment for the Arts contributed $2,395,900 to Georgia's arts programs. Arts organizations in the state receiving federal funding include Summer Atlanta Jazz Series, the Chamber Music Rural Residencies, the Augusta Opera, and the Center for Puppetry Arts, Inc. The Georgia Humanities Council was founded in 1971. In 2000, the National Endowment got the Humanities contributed $2,779,467 to 20 state programs. Georgia's arts education programs are offered to about 21,600 students. There are over 200 arts associations in Georgia along with an estimated 30 local arts groups.