The Internet has opened a door into Georgia's contemporary arts scene. TbilArtNet was one of the first web sites to offer links to current visual and performing artists.
Music
Musician with a crank-operated music box, below 
Music helps define Georgia. An excellent history of this music can be found at The Best Georgian Music, where you can also listen to and buy CDs. Another great resource is Besiki Sisauri's site, which includes CD reviews and a history of sacred Georgian music.
Katie Melua, born in Georgia, is a popular international artist whose first CD is "Call Off the Search."
Maestro Robert Gogolashvili directs Georgian Voices, a men's vocal group that performs sacred and secular chants.
The Rustavi Choir performs all over the world.
Zedashe Ensemble is a folk music and dance group that occasionally tours in the United States.
Aquarius Records is one of the many online sites that sell Georgian music.
Literature
Where else but in Georgia would one find monumental statues to the country's poets and writers? The country's citizens are justifiably proud of their literary artists, chief among them Shota Rustaveli, the 12th century author of the epic poem The Knight in the Panther's Skin (also translated as Lord of the Panther Skin). All Georgians know passages by heart, and many of Rustaveli's pithy phrases are used in everyday speech. Please see our book list for many other great literary works.
Visual Arts
Traditional visual arts reached their zenith during the country's "golden period" in the 12th and 13th centuries. The Rustaveli Theater still hosts world-class performances. Most large art museums are in the capital city of Tbilisi.
Georgian Art Portal is perhaps the largest web site with links to contemporary artists and craftspeople.
Georgia Development Gateway links to hundreds of Georgian artists.
Escape Artist is another portal for traditional and contemporary artisans.
Niko Pirosmani is one of the most famous of modern Georgian painters. Unfortunately, no English-language books about his works are currently in print.
Niko Chocheli is a Georgian artist living in the Philadelphia, PA area. A GCOF family writes, “His children's books are gorgeous...very typical Georgian art...and he was kind enough to sign a book for Dominic, writing in both English and Georgian. He showed us the hidden Georgian tidbits in the art in the book, like his church in Tbilisi and the Georgian flag.” He has illustrated several children's books.
Dance
The State Ballet of Georgia is coming to the U.S. in Spring 2008. Their performances will feature celebrated ballerina and the artistic director of the troupe Nina Ananiashvili. The State Ballet will visit New York, California, Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota.
Tickets: http://calperfs.berkeley.edu/presents/season/2007/dance/gsb.php
The Georgian State Dance Company toured in the U.S. in 2007, and many GCOF families were able to see their performances.
GCOF member Jessica writes: "Our family and several sets of grandparents went to see the Georgian Dance Company this weekend and it was fantastic! James Ross was “dancing” on his toes all evening and the next day and wanted his Georgian sword to use in his sword dance—we compromised and he used a Buzz Lightyear Disney sword. Troy and I were so happy to have a Georgian cultural event to take James Ross to."
A traditional dance, left
In June 2004 the Dancing Crane Georgian Music Ensemble performed traditional Georgian music in New York City. Dancing Crane performers are masters of Georgian music now resident in NY state, who have performed with the major Georgian professional companies.
Gocha Chertkoev and Shorena Gachechiladze are Georgian dancers living in the Dallas, TX area of the U.S. They are international Latin-American dance champions, coaches, and choreographers.
Fascinating Fast Fact: Georgian National Ballet Sukhishvili is the country’s internationally-known ballet company. Many video clips of the dancers can be found on the Internet by searching for “Sukhishvili.”
Film
Power Trip is a motion picture by Paul Devun: "Amidst pervasive corruption, high drama, and hot tempers, an American power company tries to keep the lights on in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia."
Since Otar Left is a motion picture by Julie Bertrucelli: "Three women -- a grandmother, a middle-aged daughter, and a university-student granddaughter -- live together, male-less, in Tbilisi amid post-Soviet economic collapse."
Our book list includes texts that feature sculptures, paintings, and iconography from the country's many museums.
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Old city wall, left