More than 60 Georgia arts organizations struggling to stay viable as their doors remain shuttered because of the coronavirus pandemic, will get federal and state aid to weather the uncertain months ahead.
The Georgia Council for the Arts has named 63 groups, representing a range of artistic disciplines, to receive one-time Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act grants. The National Endowment for the Arts received at least $30 million federal CARES grants and selected the Georgia Council for the Arts as one of six agencies to distribute the money to small, state and regional arts groups. Georgia’s arts council received $507,000 of the CARES money for distribution.
Then, a state-level, peer-review panel selected the 63 organizations out of 171, to receive grants ranging from $2,500 to $15,000. Georgia dubbed the awards “Resiliency Grants.” In addition, South Arts, the regional arts non-profit agency, gave $60,000 to be used toward the Resiliency Grants.
Metro Atlanta groups that received grants include the Horizon Theatre Company, Manga African Dance, Inc. and Atlanta Celebrates Photography.
“Georgia arts organizations are an economic engine, and a collective of visionary leadership that has brought us together as one community, to heal, remember, confront challenges, and triumphantly celebrate joy,” said Georgia Council for the Arts Executive Director Karen Paty. “They comprise an industry devastated by COVID-19 and worth supporting and fighting for. 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 organizations that we are able to fund.”
For a full list of awardees, go to:
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