The Gadsden Arts Center & Museum….what began as a small annual art exhibition to support local artists and improve the quality of life in Gadsden County, has morphed into an American Alliance of Museums Accredited Museum with a state of the art exhibition space, a leader in the Florida art community, with top scoring state grants and innovative educational and exhibition programming.
In 1989, local artist Beth Appleton and her husband David Harbaugh developed Art in Gadsden: a juried exhibition of fine art. Organized by the community and managed by the Quincy Mainstreet Program during its initial years, Art in Gadsden was originally hosted in empty storefronts on the courthouse square.
The Gadsden Arts Center (GAC) was incorporated in 1994, as Art in Gadsden grew and community feedback indicated the need for more exhibitions of fine art and art education. Originally GAC was housed in a small historic building near downtown Quincy.