The Averitt Center for the Arts will welcome an eighth member into its exclusive Legend of the Arts Gallery, with the induction of the late Kelly Berry on Tuesday, March 18.
The ceremony will begin inside the Emma Kelly Theater at 5:30 p.m., followed by a reception in the adjacent Rosengart Art Gallery
Berry passed away in June 2023 at the age of 50. He was active in the Averitt Center for many years and served in several capacities and offices, including president of the Center’s Board of Directors in the two years prior to his death.
Berry moved to Statesboro in 2003 and began his career with Georgia Southern University as a professor of theatre. He was the director of theatre at the time of his death.
His 20 years of service with Georgia Southern University allowed Berry to work with hundreds of students, instructing them in the fields of stagecraft, set design, lighting design, stage management and theater management.
In May 2024, a Professor Kelly Berry Memorial Scholarship Fund was established to help children from low-income families attend summer art camps at the Averitt Center for the Arts during the Summer.
Since opening in 2004, the Averitt Center has inducted seven members into its Legends Gallery, beginning in 2005 with Emma Kelly.
To be eligible for Legend in the Arts status, an artist must have been born in Bulloch County or resided there for two or more consecutive years. Nominees are evaluated on their level of achievement, which includes the scope of their artistic endeavors, their influence on others and their professional conduct and image.
Previous inductees include the theater namesake, Kelly. Dubbed the “Lady of 6,000 Songs” by Johnny Mercer, Kelly was a Bulloch County native and her lively performances at church services, civic clubs, school graduation, senior proms, weddings and recitals, endeared her to thousands of Georgians.
Kelly was followed in 2007 by Blind Willie McTell, who is considered one of the greatest 12-string guitar players. Blind from birth, McTell was raised in Statesboro and is best known for his song, “Statesboro Blues,” which the Allman Brothers famously covered.
In 2009, Dr. Michael Braz, a renowned musician and composer joined the Legend’s group. A professor of music at Georgia Southern University for many years, Braz recently joined the Peace Corps where he is teaching English as a second language in Armenia.
In 2011, legendary Georgia Southern arts professor Roxie Remley was honored as an Averitt Legend. A brilliant artist in her own right, the Averitt Center’s visual arts campus on Vine Street is named in her honor – the Roxie Remley Center for Fine Arts.
After a four-year break, Statesboro native Betty Foy Sanders, who established the Betty Foy Sanders Georgia Artists Collection, was selected as a Legend in 2015. The Betty Foy Sanders Department of Art at Georgia Southern is named for Sanders.
Following an even longer break, Mical Whitaker, a theater director, producer, actor and Georgia Southern professor, was inducted as a Legend in 2021. A beloved figure in Statesboro and the area, Whitaker has offered sharing his talents with all ages and all audiences on stages, in schools, through camps and his own theater companies.