On Wednesday, the Georgia Council for the Arts announced recipients for its Partner, Project and Arts Education grants in its first round of grants for fiscal year 2021. More than $1 million in funding for 148 organizations across the state was sent out for a variety of specific projects.
Metro Atlanta readers will be familiar with a few of the grantees – The Atlanta Shakespeare Company, the High Museum, the Fox Theatre, and the Children’s Museum of Atlanta among some of the better known recipients. Lesser known groups include the Georgia Lawyers for the Arts, the Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra and Air Serenbe, which is the artist-in-residence program for the Serenbe Institute for Art, Culture and the Environment (which also got a separate grant).
“This initial round of funding awarded by Georgia Council for the Arts serves to support the critical work arts organizations and artists are doing in communities to foster connectivity, rekindle joy, and support lifelong learning during these dynamic times,” said GCA Executive Director Karen Paty. “Knowing the challenges faced by our colleagues across the state due to the impact of COVID-19, it was a particularly hard to not be able to fund all deserving applicants. The applications we reviewed provided evidence of continued exceptional arts programs in support of education, community development and economic development offered by arts organizations throughout the state.”
The grants are split out into three different categories, one for operating support – a Partner Grant, arts projects – a Project Grant, or for an Arts Education Program Grant. Two more categories, Vibrant Communities and Cultural Facilities program areas will be awarded in the fall. For some organizations, such as the Fox Theatre, the money may not go very far but still be of some assistance, for other smaller organizations that lack an endowment or wide patron support, it may be a critical lifeline.
Being a statewide agency, the grants are intentionally spread geographically across the state. Peer Review Panels judged applications following guidelines from the National Endowment for the Arts. The panels are made up of GCA Council members and arts professional experienced in the discipline or type of grant up for review. The panels also include citizens with a records of arts experience and knowledge.
“We are grateful for the federal support of this essential industry, and while we wish we were able to support all of the organizations that sought this support, we are delighted to be able to fund a small portion of a resiliency plan for the 63 organizations that we are able to fund.”
The announcement comes the same week that the Council for the Arts announced grants for 63 organizations in all 14 of the Congressional districts funded by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. As the Arts Agency for the State of Georgia, the CARES Act designated the Council for the Arts to distribute the funding to help the nonprofit arts sector bridge the worst of the COVID-19 crisis.
Georgia received more than $500,000 in funding, plus an additional $60,000 from South Arts to support rural and/or culturally specific organizations through this program. These are one-time grant funding, known as a “Resiliency Grant.”
