The Arts Council Smithgall Arts Center
The Arts Council Depot was built in 1914 as one of the only two-story railroad passenger stations in northeast Georgia. The building operated as a passenger station for the Jefferson and Southern 
Railroad until its purchase by the Gainesville Midland Railroad.
In the 1940's passenger service began to wane and the facility was converted into a freight depot. It was a working freight depot for the Gainesville Midland Railroad and later under CSX Railroad until its purchase by the Arts Council in 1992.
The Arts Council renovated the original structure and added two additional buildings. Additions were made to the depot to give it a grand entrance with beveled glass doors and crystal chandelier. To honor one of the major benefactors of the Arts Council, this facility was renamed from The Arts Council Depot to the Arts Council Smithgall Arts Center.
The Arts Council Smithgall Arts Center is now home to The Arts Council, Inc. and our Evenings of Intimate Jazz Series, Summer MusicFest, 
permanent art gallery and our recently completed sculpture garden. In addition to arts programming, the Arts Council Smithgall Arts Center is available forrent on a limited basis for special events including, weddings, receptions, parties, meetings and corporate functions.
The Arts Council Presents: Evenings of Intimate Jazz with Karla Harris
The Arts Council Smithgall Arts Center 331 Spring Street SW, Gainesville, GAPowerful & Expansive Vocalist Who Taps into the Emotion of a Tune
Jazz vocalist Karla Harris has made a career within the art form she loves for more than three decades. Karla ’s art lies not only in expansive vocals but also in tapping into the emotion of a tune and delivering it fully. Bringing dynamic diversity and sophisticated nuance to the music, she remains respectful of a song’s roots.
The Arts Council Presents: Evenings of Intimate Jazz with Karla Harris
The Arts Council Smithgall Arts Center 331 Spring Street SW, Gainesville, GAPowerful & Expansive Vocalist Who Taps into the Emotion of a Tune
Jazz vocalist Karla Harris has made a career within the art form she loves for more than three decades. Karla ’s art lies not only in expansive vocals but also in tapping into the emotion of a tune and delivering it fully. Bringing dynamic diversity and sophisticated nuance to the music, she remains respectful of a song’s roots.
The Arts Council Presents: Evenings of Intimate Jazz with The Venue Jazz Orchestra
The Arts Council Smithgall Arts Center 331 Spring Street SW, Gainesville, GAThe Venue Jazz Orchestra is a sizzling modern ‘big band’ based out of the Venue at Friendship Springs, a multi-purpose event center in Flowery Branch, Georgia. Made up of twenty of the finest musicians in Notheast Georgia, the VJO not only brings back those memories of the Golden Age of Jazz, but also performs popular hits from throughout the decades, including the best in jazz standards, latin jazz, contemporary commercial music, and the greatest hits from the American Song Book.
