ATLANTA, October 21, 2020—Georgia Council for the Arts, a division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, today announced the recipients of the Vibrant Communities and Cultural Facilities grant awards for fiscal year 2021. The Vibrant Communities Grant supports a variety of arts programming opportunities in communities, and the Cultural Facilities Grant supports the restoration or renovation of a building to be used for arts programming. Seventy-seven entities in 58 counties will receive more than $585,000 in funding as part of this year’s awards.

“A thriving arts community creates thousands of jobs and contributes to a healthy and diverse economy.  The Georgia Council for the Arts is proud to continue to support our state’s arts organizations through the distribution of Vibrant Communities and Cultural Facilities grants,” said GDEcD Commissioner Pat Wilson. “The arts community needs our support more than ever, and this funding offers immediate assistance in housing and facilitating arts programs that provide meaningful experiences for Georgians.”

Georgia Council for the Arts received 115 applications from arts organizations, schools, libraries, cities, historical societies, community theatres, Boys & Girls Clubs and more. The Vibrant Communities Grant is available to organizations in counties that did not receive a fiscal year 2021 Project, Partner or Arts Education Grant, and allowed applications to support online programming due to COVID-19. Cultural Facilities Grants are available to arts organizations for repairing, preserving or acquiring an arts facility, or for purchasing equipment. 

Following precedent set by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the Georgia Council for the Arts used Peer Review Panels to adjudicate applications. These panels included fellow professionals who are experienced in the arts discipline or type of grant being reviewed, or are Georgia citizens with a record of involvement in arts activities, experience and knowledge.

Georgia’s creative industries have a reported $62.5 billion impact on the economy, generating roughly $37 billion in revenue and accounting for about 200,000 jobs in the state.

Click here to view the recipients of the fiscal year 2021 Vibrant Communities and Cultural Facilities grants.

About Georgia Council of Arts
Georgia Council for the Arts (GCA) is a division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development whose mission is to cultivate the growth of vibrant, thriving Georgia communities through the arts. GCA provides grant funding, programs and services statewide that support the vital arts industry, preserve the state's cultural heritage, increase tourism and nurture strong communities. Funding for Georgia Council for the Arts is provided by appropriations from the Georgia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts. www.gaarts.org

About GDEcD
The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) is the state's sales and marketing arm, the lead agency for attracting new business investment, encouraging the expansion of existing industry and small businesses, align workforce education and training with in-demand jobs, locating new markets for Georgia products, attracting tourists to Georgia, and promoting the state as a destination for arts and location for film, music and digital entertainment projects, as well as planning and mobilizing state resources for economic development. www.georgia.org

Marie Gordon
Director of Communications
404-962-4075
[email protected]

Emily Murray
Sr. Communications Specialist
404-640-3195
[email protected]