The City of Thomasville was recently awarded a $500,000 multiyear grant from Fox Gives to fund essential life-safety and accessibility improvements at the historic Thomasville Municipal Auditorium. Fox Gives is the nonprofit arm of Atlanta’s Fox Theatre.
“The Municipal Auditorium has long stood as a centerpiece of civic life in Downtown Thomasville, where generations have gathered for performances, public meetings, concerts, and moments that not only cultivate community, but promote tourism,” said April Norton, Managing Director of Marketing and Communications. “This grant ensures that our historic auditorium will continue to serve as a vibrant cultural and community gathering space for years to come.”
As a cornerstone of Thomasville’s cultural landscape, the Auditorium hosts performances, events and gatherings that strengthen community connection and contribute to the city’s vibrancy. The planned improvements will address fire suppression, structural repairs, key systems upgrades, and accessibility, making the venue more inclusive, safer, welcoming, and functional for future use.
“We’re proud to partner again with the City of Thomasville on the full rehabilitation of this exceptional local and statewide historic landmark,” said Leigh Burns, Fox Gives Director of Community Partnerships. “Beyond the importance of reusing the building, the investment of public funding to preserve this type of structure is critically important. Once a common civic landmark, municipal auditoriums are becoming increasingly rare across Georgia’s architectural landscape.”
The City previously received a $22,500 grant for planning activities related to the upcoming full rehabilitation of the historic landmark.
The grant is part of a $1 million multiyear investment, to two historic theatres, from Fox Gives—marking the first time the program has awarded two multiyear grants in a single year—demonstrating a continued commitment to preserving Georgia’s historic performance spaces. Since 2008, Fox Gives has invested more than $5.7 million in historic theaters and cultural landmarks throughout Georgia and the Southeast.
For more information about the Fox Gives Grant or the Thomasville Municipal Auditorium, please visit Thomasville.org or call the City of Thomasville Visitors Center at 229-228-7977.