Macon Arts Alliance was awarded a bridge grant by Georgia Council for the Arts (GCA), a strategic arm of the Georgia Department of Economic Development. This first-round grant funding for fiscal year 2024 includes a total of 269 grants across 47 counties in three funding categories, which range from COVID-19 recovery support to specific projects to educational programming.

“These vital funds bring life into communities all across the state. Music, theatre, dance, and visual art attract tourists, bring community members together, teach children self-confidence, revitalize downtowns, and more,” said Georgia Council for the Arts Executive Director Tina Lilly. “Through this program, GCA is able to support vibrant communities where people want to live and businesses want to locate.”

“Our programs provide direct support for artists and arts organizations, fuel economic development in depressed neighborhoods, and focus on advocating for arts funding and arts friendly policies”, said Macon Arts Alliance Executive Director Julie Wilkerson. “It is our priority to implement the Macon Cultural Plan and to accomplish the plan’s goals of equity and economic prosperity. Support from our local government and state resources such as GCA are vital to the success of that endeavor”.  

Funds awarded by Georgia Council for the Arts include appropriations from the Georgia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts.  

Georgia Council for the Arts (GCA) uses Peer Review Panels to judge and review applications following standard practices set by the National Endowment for the Arts. Panelists are GCA Council members and fellow professionals who are experienced in the arts discipline or type of grant being reviewed, or are citizens with a record of arts activities, experience, and knowledge. Grant recipients include theaters, dance companies, museums, cities, colleges, and multi-discipline arts entities.  

According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, arts and cultural production in Georgia account for $29.2 billion in the state, totaling 4.2% of Georgia’s economy, and accounting for more than 149,000 jobs.