Grants given, more on way

The Metropolitan Atlanta Arts Fund announced its annual grants totaling $500,000 to small and medium cultural groups this week, and for the first time plans to make a second round of grants this year and next to help organizations survive the tough economy.

“We now feel small and medium-size arts organizations need additional funding to stay afloat because they have no endowments of their own or a financial cushion,” arts fund director Lisa Cremin said Tuesday.

The arts fund has launched the Atlanta Arts Recovery initiative with a fund-raising goal of $2.5 million that will fund the second round of $500,000 in grants this year and in 2010. In addition, the initiative will help groups update strategic and financial planning and build stronger boards. The fund is also increasing the maximum size of cash loans it offers groups, from $25,000 to $40,000.

The Robert W. Woodruff Foundation, Kendeda Fund, Zeist Foundation and Bank of America have contributed $2 million to the recovery initiative, chaired by Carol Tome of Home Depot and Bahnson Stanley of Ellis, McQuary & Stanley, with $500,000 remaining to be raised.

Grant recipients in this year’s first round are led by Marietta’s Theatre in the Square and Atlanta’s True Colors Theatre Company ($75,000 each).

Other grantees include Madison-Morgan Cultural Center, Madison ($70,000); Actor’s Express, Atlanta ($60,000); Georgia Shakespeare, Atlanta ($50,000); Dad’s Garage Theatre Company, Atlanta ($45,000); Quinlan Visual Arts Center, Gainesville ($40,000); Youth Ensemble of Atlanta ($30,000); Cultural Arts Council of Douglasville and Douglas County ($25,000); Atlanta Celebrates Photography ($20,000); and Atlanta Chamber Players ($10,000).

“We now feel small and medium-size arts organizations need additional funding to stay afloat because they have no endowments of their own or a financial cushion.”

Lisa Cremin

Arts fund director