156 Patrick Henry Highway
Amherst, VA 24521
United States
Amherst Glebe Arts Response, Inc.
PO Box 117
Clifford, VA 24533
United States
Amherst Glebe Arts Response, Inc. (AGAR) is an arts and humanities nonprofit organization in Amherst County that features both a chamber music and a jazz music series and numerous programs in the humanities. AGAR's humanities program has interviewed over 135 individuals and made 21 documentaries about their schooling in Amherst County 1916-1975. During the COVID-19 pandemic, AGAR presented, with funding from Chamber Music America and Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation, virtual jazz events to hospitals and senior programs aimed at mitigating isolation and depression and supporting resilience of staff, patients, and families.
In 2025-2026, AGAR’s Amherst Java & Jazz programs presented at Second Stage Amherst feature TSB Jazz (Lew Taylor, Larry Scott and Bob Bowen), Patti Finn and Friends, Joseph Henson Quartet, Quantum Mechanics Jazz, Ken Matthews in Ken and His Rhythm Changers, Donna Kaye, Quintana All-Stars, and the Gary Meisner Trio. Major concert programs in 2025-2026 include: Paddy Dougherty and the Paddy D Quartet at Second Stage Amherst in August 2025 and May 2026; bass clarinetist Baltimore-based Egyptian and American Todd Marcus and Toronto Rising Star clarinetist Virginia MacDonald and a quintet performed in September at Sydnor Performance Hall, University of Lynchburg (funded in part by Jazz Road of South Arts); Renaissance quartet Ayreheart performed in October at Second Stage Amherst, featuring Grammy-nominated lutenist Ronn MacFarlane; NEA and VCA Touring co-sponsored award-winning jazz saxophonist J. Plunky Branch and his band Oneness on February first as the kickoff to Black History Month at the University of Lynchburg’s Snidow Chapel, presented in collaboration with the Lynchburg Arts Consortium and the Black History Month Committee; and on April 11, 2026, baroque fiddler David McCormick of Early Music Access Project of Charlottesville and NEA/VCA touring storyteller Sheila Arnold in a family friendly afternoon open to the public at First Christian Church, Lynchburg. AGAR’s humanities and history programs will culminate at the Amherst County Museum in a program on June 7 featuring Lynn Rainville, PhD and local historian Crystal Rosson highlighting life in the Coolwell Community.
AGAR is also sponsoring a pre-show concert for the Amherst Christmas Parade on December 5th, 2025 and colonial and Revolutionary War music programs by Virginia Humanities Folk Artist Jim Robertson at three CVACL Senior nutrition programs for Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, Campbell and Lynchburg. We will have music concerts at senior residences the Summit, Lynchburg and Fairmont Crossing, Amherst. AGAR will feature storyteller Sheila Arnold with David McCormick in folk stories and music from Monticello at the GO program of R.S. Payne Elementary School, Lynchburg on April 13th.
AGAR belongs to the VCA Passport program. Families who are WIC card holders may have admission free to any AGAR event that is open to the public by showing their WIC card.
GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION
In 2025-2026 we are serving towns and neighborhoods of Amherst, Clifford, Coolwell, and Madison Heights in Amherst County, as well as the counties of Appomattox, Bedford, and Campbell and the City of Lynchburg.
- We've presented early chamber music in Amherst since 2012 and added a jazz series in 2019.
- AGAR interviewed 135 teachers and students about their schools in Amherst County from 1917 to 1974 and created 21 documentary films that can be viewed free on A
- AGAR has commissioned and presented world premieres of chamber music, plays, jazz and choral music.
Amherst, Madison Heights, Appomattox, Bedford County, Campbell County, City of Lynchburg
