More than 500 students have engaged in art activities at Augusta’s Jessye Norman School of the Arts this summer, and now students in Atlanta can have a similar experience.
A long time in the planning, JNSA2, which has its own separate board and operates as an affiliate to the Augusta art school, started its summer program with a handful of students on July 8 at Episcopal Church of Holy Cross in east Atlanta, according to Gary Dennis, executive director of the Jessye Norman School of the Arts in Augusta.
Dennis said members of the church leadership approached him and the school after the death of the renowned opera singer in 2019. They had heard about the program and had a 10,000 square foot space that was perfect to house such a program.
A second school bearing Jessye Norman’s name hadn’t been considered up until that time.
“Jessye Norman gave us explicit permission in the use of her name and was involved in the founding of the school. The idea of using her name after her death had never been broached,” he said.
Norman’s brother, James Norman, and sister, Elaine Norman Sturkey, were an integral part of talks involving the creation of JNSA2.
Officially it’s known as JNSA2 doing business as Jessye Norman School of the Arts Atlanta Eastside, and it follows the framework established in Augusta. While the programs could be replicated with ease, there was an element that Dennis felt was vital to the success of any affiliate model. It needed an infusion of the culture and spirit of the Augusta school.
The appointment of Tony Aaron Hambrick as JNSA2’s program director provides that link between the two entities.
“Tony was gung-ho from the beginning,” said Dennis, who pressed to have Hambrick for the position. “Tony being there meant everything to me. We’ve worked together for the last six years. He knows our culture, and he’s already doing a fantastic job.”.
On July 10, the Georgia Council for the Arts announced that JNSA2 had received a grant for its summer camp program which offers “community programming for all ages and utilizes arts facilities including a podcast studio, art garden, stage and gallery space,” according to a news release.
Dennis said while the two schools are separate, there are hopes of future collaborative efforts although the details have not been worked out.
Charmain Z. Brackett, the publisher of Augusta Good News and Inspiring: Women of Augusta, has covered Augusta’s news for more than 35 years and is a Georgia Press Association award winner. Reach her at charmain@augustagoodnews.com. Sign up for the newsletter here.
