By Mark Woolsey

The executive director of Marietta’s Strand Theatre has been named a recipient of the Governor’s Awards for the Arts and Humanities.

Andy Gaines is one of 10 individuals and groups recognized this year for significant contributions to the arts and humanities.

Gaines has worked at the Strand for more than 11 years in various roles, rising to become executive director in 2023. A news release from the governor’s office credits the Strand with generating $5.4 million in economic impact in 2024 while supporting more than 80 jobs and contributing more than $230,000 in government revenue.

“I think we have played a vital role in the redevelopment and achieving the dream of what the (Marietta )Square could become,” Gaines told the Courier in September, as the community mainstay observed its 90^th anniversary.

The 1935 Art Deco theatre sat faded and vacant for a time before Friends of the Strand started a $5 million campaign in the early aughts that was designed to shore up the building and restore it to its former glory.

Community officials say that as the Strand reopened and began presenting a varied menu of concerts, comedy, plays, films, and other fare, it was instrumental in attracting Cobb Countians to the square and bolstering the business of new restaurants and shops.

The awards have been presented since 2012 under the auspices of Georgia Humanities, the Georgia Council for the Arts and the governor’s office.

They are designed to honor individuals and organizations that have made contributions to the state’s civic and cultural vitality.