Arts Association in Newton County Announces Retirement of
Longtime Executive Director Buncie Hay Lanners
Chief Operations Officer Abigail Morgan Coggin Named Successor

Covington, GA — October 8, 2025 — After three decades of dedicated service to the local arts community, Buncie Hay Lanners will officially retire as Executive Director of the Arts Association in Newton County in March 2026. Lanners has led the organization for 25 years, following five years of service on the board of directors.

Buncie succeeded Scott Daniell as Executive Director of the then-Concert Association of Newton County in March 2001. Under her leadership, the organization expanded its mission and rebranded as the Arts Association in Newton County in 2002, reflecting a broadened commitment to arts education and community engagement.

Over the past 25 years, the Arts Association has grown into a million-dollar nonprofit that reaches over 100,000 people across an eight-county area east of Atlanta, using the arts to inspire and enrich lives. The organization now serves more than 1,000 students each year through school-year classes, rehearsals, and beloved annual performances—including the Nutcracker, Broadway musicals, and summer intensives for the Covington Regional Ballet Company and School, Acting Classes, Oxford Acting Company, Oxford Singers, Newton County Youth Strings, and the Newton County Community Band for the “young and young at heart.”

Partnerships with Downtown Covington have also flourished, creating cherished traditions like Live at Lunch and Live at Legion, which provide free concerts and have dramatically expanded both audience participation and donor support.

As part of a carefully planned transition, Abigail Morgan Coggin, the organization’s Chief Operations Officer and a 24-year veteran of the Arts Association, will succeed Lanners as Executive Director in March 2026.

“Buncie’s leadership has transformed the arts in Newton County,” said James Johnson, President of the Arts Association board and program alumni, “Her vision and tireless dedication have made the Arts Association a vibrant force in our community and an inspiration to future generations.”

Community Arts Celebration Planned
The staff of the Arts Association invites the entire community to a drop-in celebration honoring Buncie on Sunday, February 22, 2026, from 3:00–5:00 p.m. at Porter Performing Arts Center. This open-invitation event will feature pop-up performances from the Association’s ensembles and offer friends, alumni, and supporters a chance to personally thank Buncie for her extraordinary 25 years of leadership.

Celebrate the Legacy; Create the Future
In honor of Buncie’s remarkable tenure, the Arts Association invites friends, alumni, and supporters to “Celebrate the Legacy; Create the Future.” Gifts made in her honor will sustain the high-quality performances, arts education programs, and free community events that have become the hallmark of her leadership.

 

Make a contribution and help carry Buncie’s vision forward, click here!

About the Arts Association in Newton County
The Arts Association in Newton County enriches lives through high-quality performances, arts education programs, and free community events. Each year, the Association reaches thousands of residents and students across the region, fostering creativity and ensuring that the arts remain accessible to all.