The My Athens Art Show will showcase the art of up-and-coming and established artists who celebrate the beauty and culture of Athens, Ga., through photos on Instagram. Throughout February, photographers—of any experience—are asked to post on the social network their photos of people, places and experiences that capture the essence of The Classic City and tag them with the hashtag #my_athens.

The photos will be curated and showcased during an April gallery exhibit, which will benefit Habitat for Humanity. The exhibit will unite the people of Athens, Ga., to celebrate the many beautiful aspects of the city using social media to drive an in-person experience. A series of events in the gallery will put additional local art, music, creativity, nonprofits and causes on display.

“Social media connects people online, and has the power to unite them,” said Greg Gilbert, My Athens founder. “Everyone is looking for community in this increasingly disconnected world. But in this case, we want to bring them together for a purpose.”

The My Athens exhibit will be on display April 6-20 at The Bottleworks on Prince. A VIP night April 5 will kick-off the exhibit with special guests, entertainment, and a preview of the collection and vision for the event. The April 6 opening will be free and open to the public. Throughout the two weeks, local organizations and prominent residents will host special events in the space and sponsor concerts by up-and-coming bands, lectures, and conversations themed around art and creativity, social good and the community.

Prints and local items will be on sale at the gallery with proceeds going to Habitat for Humanity. Additional prints will be used to decorate local Habitat homes. Thursday, April 18 is designated as "My Athens Gives Back." The night will be dedicated to connecting and promoting causes that are reaching the needs of the city and the disadvantaged. Meaningful ideas and conversation will surround mobilizing volunteers to make a difference collectively.