Main Street Toccoa Receives Grant from Georgia Council for the Arts
Press Release
Release: Immediate
Date: 7.24.23
Contact: Kristen Deal, 706.898.5777
RE: Main Street Toccoa Receives Grant from Georgia Council for the Arts
ATLANTA – July 24, 2023 – Main Street Toccoa was awarded a Project 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.”
“This grant funding will support Season Seven of Night at the Ritz,” said Ritz Theatre General Manager Tami Mayhugh. Night at the Ritz consists of a series of monthly performances from September through May, all with $10 admission tickets for adults and $5 for students and kids. Main Street Toccoa’s mission
regarding the Ritz Theatre is to fill an arts and education void in the region. The Ritz Theatre is the only entity in Stephens County with the funding and support to create a regular event series of this magnitude for the community. Shows throughout the series range in genre, paying tribute to a variety of cultural arts, education, and entertainment. “We’ve been fortunate to host the previous six seasons successfully, bringing 10,125 patrons to Downtown Toccoa through the series since its beginning in 2017.” Season Seven will kick off September 1st, 2023 with Sail On: Beach Boys Tribute. For tickets and
more information on the upcoming Night at the Ritz series, go to www.RitzTheatreToccoa.com.
The FY23 first-round funding includes Bridge, Project, and Arts Education grants. The Bridge Grant will provide funding for operating support to 162 nonprofit arts organizations, many of which may have been negatively affected by COVID-19. The Project Grant will help fund 44 single art projects, which may include an art exhibit, a theatre production, a series of children’s workshops, an artist residency, or may be used for capacity building projects, such as developing a strategic plan, creating a development plan, or providing professional development. The Arts Education Program Grant will be distributed to 63
organizations to support the arts in K-12 education, and may include a variety of disciplines, from visual art to music or theatre, to dance and creative writing.
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.
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About Georgia Council for the 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. Visit www.gaarts.org for more information.
