Georgia’s Council for the Arts (GCA) has announced 69 organizations it has collectively awarded $1.4 million in competitive grant funding for fiscal year 2025. The Vibrant Communities Grants and Cultural Facilities grants aid organizations and facilities that support the arts across the state, including rural communities.
In an effort to support arts across the state, the 2025 grants were awarded only to entities in counties where no organization had already received Georgia GCA funding. For counties in the immediate Atlanta region, this included Fulton and Gwinnett.
Six recipients in Fulton County and one in Gwinnett County were awarded with fiscal 2025 grants including: Atlanta Ballet, Atlanta Center for Photography, Aurora Theatre, Center for Puppetry Arts, City of Roswell, Woodruff Arts Center and 7 Stages.
“Arts are at the heart of what makes our communities feel like home,” said Georgia Council for the Arts Executive Director Tina Lilly in a press release. “By supporting the arts, we’re not just supporting events but investing in a more vibrant and resilient Georgia.”
Credit: Casey Gardner Ford
Credit: Casey Gardner Ford
The Vibrant Communities grants specifically support single art projects such as an art exhibit, a theater production, a series of workshops for children, or an artist residency. These grants are between $1,000 and $5,000, with an organization matching contribution requirement of 50 percent of the requested grant amount. The projects will take place between Oct. 15 and June 1, 2025.
The Cultural Facilities Grants provide support for the renovation, restoration, preservation or acquisition of an arts facility, and the purchase of equipment that supports arts programs. The grants are between $10,000 and $75,000. For organizations with budgets more than $500,000, a 100 percent match was required for the requested grant amount. For the organizations with budgets under $500,000, a 50 percent match was required. The Cultural Facilities projects will take place between Nov. 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025.
GCA received applications for grants from schools, libraries, museums, cities, historical societies, community theaters, dance companies, Boys & Girls Clubs, multidisciplinary arts and other related organizations.
“By attracting visitors to our towns and expanding educational opportunities, arts organizations enhance quality of life and drive job creation in every corner of the state."
GCA used peer review panels made up of GCA council members, arts professionals and citizens with arts-related knowledge to judge the applications. The panel utilized best practices set by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Funding for the grants is provided through appropriations from the Georgia General Assembly. The grants are a much-needed boost for state arts organizations. This year, Cultural Facilities Grant awards are also supported by funding from the American Rescue Plan (ARP). This additional supplementary funding for three fiscal years has allowed GCA to award an increased amount of Cultural Facilities Grants to help combat the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on arts organizations in the state.
Georgia ranks dead last in the nation for per capita state arts funding according to the 2024 assessment by the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies. Georgia funds 14 cents per Georgian compared to Minnesota in first place with $10.20 per capita.
“Georgia Council for the Arts continues to be an important resource to communities,” said Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) Commissioner Pat Wilson in a press release. “The arts industry is fundamental to GDEcD’s mission of bringing jobs, hope, and opportunity to Georgians. By attracting visitors to our towns and expanding educational opportunities, arts organizations enhance quality of life and drive job creation in every corner of the state.”
According to The Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6) study, a national tool provided by Americans for the Arts and facilitated by GCA, Georgia’s nonprofit arts and culture sector delivers an economic impact of at least $1.27 billion and supports nearly 20,000 jobs. The AEP6 used insights from more than 400 participating organizations.
In addition to announcing the grant recipients, the GCA also recently announced in a press release a new AEP6 tool launched on its website which allows organizations and communities to determine their unique impacts within a sector.
For a full list of the grant recipients or to utilize GCA’s new impact calculator, visit gaarts.org.
