Georgia Council for the Arts Awards Grants to Groups in Franklin, Hart Counties

Several groups and one municipality in Franklin and Hart Counties are the recipients of grants from the Georgia Council for the Arts.

A strategic arm of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, on Tuesday the Georgia Council for the Arts announced the grant recipients for fiscal year 2024.

As part of this year’s awards, 87 entities in 59 counties will receive more than $1.45 million in funding.

Two types of grants were awarded, the Vibrant Communities grant and the Cultural Facilities grant.

The Vibrant Communities grant supports a variety of arts programming opportunities throughout the state, and the Cultural Facilities grant supports capital improvements to or construction of buildings to be used for arts programming.

The City of Lavonia received a $5,000 Vibrant Communities grant, which City Manager Charles Cawthon said will go towards funding Ren Fest.

Savannah River Players in Franklin County also received $5,000 as well as the VFW Post 8076 in Hart County.

Vibrant Communities grants were awarded to entities in counties in which no organization had already received Georgia Council for the Arts funding for the fiscal year 2024 grants cycle.

Hart Regional Arts Council received an FY2024 Cultural Facilities Grant in the amount of $50,750.

Cultural Facilities grants are available to arts organizations for repairing, preserving, renovating, constructing, or acquiring an arts facility, or for purchasing equipment.

“Arts and culture are the heart and soul of Georgia and play a significant role in the strength of our economy and the vibrancy of our communities. Georgia’s arts organizations bring visitors to our downtowns, expand educational opportunities, and create experiences that feed the soul and inspire the mind. Located in every corner of the state, arts organizations enhance the quality of life for all Georgians,” said Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson. “The grants announced by Georgia Council for the Arts today will help these organizations preserve and restore facilities and bolster the impactful work of arts programming.”

Wilson added that Georgia’s arts organizations bring visitors to our downtowns, expand educational opportunities, and create experiences that feed the soul and inspire the mind.

Georgia Council for the Arts received applications from schools, libraries, museums, cities, historical societies, community theatres, dance companies, Boys & Girls Clubs, and multi-disciplinary arts and other related organizations.