Revived Theaters Boost Downtowns

One way that communities are taking back the arts is by revitalizing old cinemas and theaters, often in their downtowns.

July 29, 2025

Ben Young,

Georgia’s arts community is in many respects the secret sauce that keeps this state so cool. Fine art has taken a beating through digitalization of everything, and people are starting to notice. There’s a reason why directors are abandoning CGI effects for live stunts and sets: Quality has slipped. This reflects the changing technologies and dwindling public resources that combined have depleted artists’ means of living, often too fast for the broader public to catch on.

One way that communities are taking back the arts is by revitalizing old cinemas and theaters, often in their downtowns. Sometimes these historic buildings, which add character and charm, are reused for local theater outfits, music or other performances; other times they come back to life as the movie houses they once were. These institutions bring communities together through revitalization campaigns and innovative programming, becoming cherished spots.

Atlanta’s Save the Fox campaign originated in the 1970s to preserve the Fox Theatre, which opened in 1929. Its efforts helped the Fox become a national historic landmark in 1976. And it also spawned the Fox Theatre Grant Program, which, through Fox Gives, has awarded $4.2 million since 2008 for restoration projects in other historic theaters.

Since 2021, the Southface Institute has also awarded $323,000 in grants to theaters, including the Douglass Theatre in Macon, The Earl & Rachel Smith Strand Theatre in Marietta and Balzer Theater at Herren’s in Atlanta.

Photo credit: Holger Langmaier

When it was announced that Atlanta’s Tara Theatre was closing in 2022, it was a body blow to film buffs. The cinema, which opened in 1968, was converted into an arthouse theater in the 1980s but had become a victim of gentrification (higher rents driving out older residents). It reopened in 2023 after being bought by the owner of the historic Plaza Theatre. That venue opened in 1939, was repurchased in 2017 and has become a roaring success in Poncey Highlands with $4 million in new renovations in the works.

Savannah’s Lucas Theatre, which opened in 1921 and closed in 1976, was saved by a spirited local campaign that led to a $14 million restoration. Nowadays the venue is supported by Savannah College of Art and Design. It plays a central role in the annual Savannah Film Festival, which attracts tens of thousands of visitors.

The Strand is an Art Deco theatre that was a movie house on the Marietta Square from 1935 to 1964, when it was sold to Goldstein’s Men and Boys Shop. It converted back to a movie theater in 1976 but closed in 1985 after a fire. The building housed other businesses for several years, before returning as The Strand in 1997. After a $5 million campaign that launched in 2004, the theater underwent a massive renovation. It now hosts classic films, concerts and stage productions, and it has become a cultural center of Cobb County.

The Liberty Theatre in Columbus first opened in 1925, and at the time was the only theater in the area where Black people could perform or attend shows. In 2023, the city purchased the Liberty with plans to make it the centerpiece of a mixed-use neighborhood that will revitalize the area.

There is also talk of reviving The Roxy, a historic Black movie house in Macon where Otis Redding, Little Richard and James Brown reportedly performed in their heyday.

The Royal Theater in Hogansville was built in 1937 and remains a much-loved community landmark. The Royal is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and has had $3.7 million in renovations since 2011. It hosts a mix of classic movies and live concerts, with acts like Colin Raye and Michelle Malone.

Dublin revived its 620-seat Martin Movie House at Theatre Dublin in late 2017. Its custom built 40-foot projection screen is said to be the largest retractable movie screen in Georgia.

The Tift Theatre in Tifton was built in 1937 in Art Moderne style, complete with a multicolored tile façade, a neon-lit sign and marquee and a circus-themed interior. It was renovated a few years ago, in part with Fox funding, and is home to stage performances, concerts, pageants and movies.

Rome’s fabulous DeSoto Theatre, which opened in 1929, has an Art Deco marquee, auditorium and concessions lounge. When Augusta’s Miller Theater opened in 1940 with an Art Moderne design, it was the second largest theater in Georgia after the Fox. It now brings fabulous tours downtown after a more than seven-year, $25 million renovation project.

Consider spending a hot August night in a cool theater near you – and perhaps, get involved, so you can own your own part of a landmark’s history and cultural impact.