This is part of a series of monthly articles about people who support the University of Georgia Performing Arts Center.

Meet John A. Maltese. He is the Albert Berry Saye Professor of American Government and Constitutional Law and a Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor at UGA. He is Associate Dean of the School of Public and International Affairs. He and his father won Grammy Awards for their liner notes to the 65-CD BMG Classics set The Heifetz Collection, featuring recordings by the legendary violinist Jascha Heifetz. 

Can you imagine life without the performing arts? Without the shared experience of live performance? It is all too easy to take the Performing Arts Center for granted, but we are, indeed, so very lucky. Only a handful of universities have performing arts facilities that rival ours. Only a few communities can boast the range and caliber of creative genius presented here on a regular basis.

The extraordinary array of artists who perform at the PAC do more than entertain us. They share creative insights by teaching master classes at UGA, engage the community through outreach, and encourage a love for the arts by giving special performances for schoolchildren. Some, like Kathleen Battle, the Martha Graham Dance Company, Kishi Bashi, and the Indigo Girls, even share the stage with our students. In so doing, they call forth creativity, break down barriers, and inspire new generations of audiences and great performers.

The PAC is my home away from home — a place that nourishes my soul. That is why I give.

Learn how you can support the University of Georgia Performing Arts Center here.