Local groups awarded state arts grants
Three local groups have been awarded part of $600,000 in recent arts grants from the Georgia Council for the Arts.
Calhoun Gordon Arts Council, Red Bud Middle School Chorus, and the Sugar Valley Theatre Company will each receive Vibrant Community Grants for Fiscal Year 2022.
A division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, GCA announced recipients of the Vibrant Communities and Cultural Facilities grant awards Tuesday.
The funding provided to the Arts Council/Harris Arts Center will be used for The Georgia String Band Festival and the Gordon County Fiddler’s Convention, HAC announced Wednesday.
According to GCA, Vibrant Communities Grants support a variety of arts programming opportunities throughout the state, while the Cultural Facilities Grants support the restoration or renovation of a building to be used for arts programming.
“The arts are the soul of who we are as Georgians and play a significant role in the strength of our economy and vitality of our communities. They contribute to our rich culture and our thriving economy, providing opportunities and experiences along with thousands of jobs,” said Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson. “As economic recovery from COVID-19 continues, we are pleased to congratulate the recipients of this year’s Vibrant Communities and Cultural Facilities grants. I look forward to seeing this funding put to use to preserve and restore facilities and bolster the impactful work of arts programming in every corner of the state.”
GCA reviewed 96 applications from organizations from across the state. Following that process, this year’s awards will be handed out to 67 organizations in 50 Georgia counties.
Grant funding is provided through appropriations from the Georgia General Assembly.
The Vibrant Communities grant is made available to groups in counties that did not receive a fiscal year 2022 Project, Bridge, or Arts Education grant, and allowed applications to support online programming due to COVID-19. Meanwhile, Cultural Facilities Grants are available to arts organizations for repairing, preserving or acquiring an arts facility, or for purchasing equipment.
“Arts events supported by Vibrant Communities grants will help jumpstart tourism and bring communities together in all parts of the state, while Cultural Facilities grants will allow organizations to focus on their primary mission by ensuring that the facilities where art and cultural events occur are in good condition,” said Georgia Council for the Arts Director Tina Lilly. “Georgia Council for the Arts receives reports from grant recipients about how these dollars are invested and their long-term benefits for their communities. We are grateful to the Georgia General Assembly for the opportunity to provide this type of support for our state.”
Georgia’s creative industries have a reported $62.5 billion impact on the economy, according to the state, generating around $37 billion in revenue and accounting for about 200,000 jobs.