Fifteen Northeast Georgia organizations will benefit from the first round of grant funding released by the Georgia Council for the Arts this fiscal year. Tallulah Falls School, Main Street Toccoa, and the Sautee Nacoochee Community Association are among them.
The arts council awarded a total of 266 grants that will provide more than $2 million in funding to organizations statewide. Regionally, the grants will help organizations in Clarke, Habersham, Hall, Oconee, Rabun, Stephens, Union, and White counties. Other area grant recipients include Rabun County’s Southern Highlands Music Foundation and Hambidge Center for the Creative Arts and Sciences, as well as Hall County’s Arts Council, among others.
When announcing the awards, GCA Executive Director Tina Lilly said, “As we emerge from this past year’s quarantine, the arts sector is vital to restarting the economy by attracting tourists, assisting with classroom learning, and igniting events to bring communities back together.”
GCA is a division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development. Its grants are funded through appropriations from the Georgia General Assembly, the National Endowment for the Arts, and, this year, $904,000 from the American Rescue Plan.
Grant recipients include theaters, dance companies, museums, schools, cities, colleges, and multi-discipline arts entities.
“Considering the numerous challenges faced by arts organizations during the pandemic, we are particularly pleased to distribute this funding to help these organizations create, innovate, and flourish,” said state economic development director Pat Wilson. “Ultimately, these grants will be felt widely as they benefit our economy and contribute to the vibrancy of our state.”
Here’s a breakdown of where the grant funding is going in Northeast Georgia:
Bridge Grants
Funding to support non-profit arts organizations recovering from COVID-19 shutdowns.
CLARKE
Athens Choral Society, Inc
ATHICA
Canopy Studio Inc
Nuçi’s Space
The Classic Center Cultural Foundation
HALL
The Arts Council, Inc. Hall
RABUN
Hambidge Center for the Creative Arts and Sciences
WHITE
Sautee Nacoochee Community Association
Project Grants
Funding to support one-time arts events, or a series of events.
CLARKE
AthFest, Inc
OCONEE
Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation
STEPHENS
Main Street Toccoa
UNION
Georgia Mountain Storytelling Festival
Arts Education Program Grants
Funding for arts education programs produced by organizations and/or schools located in Georgia.
CLARKE
University of Georgia Research Foundation
HABERSHAM
Tallulah Falls School
OCONEE
Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation
RABUN
Southern Highland Music Foundation
WHITE
Sautee Nacoochee Community Association
Additional grants for Vibrant Communities and Cultural Facilities programs will be awarded this fall. A complete list of the first-round fiscal year 2022 grantees can be found here.
According to GCA, Georgia’s creative industries have a reported $62.5 billion impact on the economy, generating roughly $37 billion in revenue and accounting for about 140,000 jobs in the state.
