On Wednesday, October 27, the City of Sandersville announced that it has been awarded a Vibrant Communities grant by the Georgia Council for the Arts (GCA), a division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development. Fifty-seven entities in 43 counties across the state received grants through the 2022 program. The funding will be used for mural programming in the downtown.
“Arts events supported by Vibrant Communities grants will help jumpstart tourism and bring communities together in all parts of Georgia,” said Georgia Council for the Arts Executive Director Tina Lilly. “As the effects of a worldwide pandemic are still being felt, we are especially happy to announce this funding to help support the work of our grantees as they reconnect and engage with Georgians of all ages.”
The Georgia Council for the Arts received Vibrant Communities grant applications from schools, libraries, cities, historical societies, community theatres, Boys & Girls Clubs, and other related organizations from across the state.
This grant will help fund a mural honoring Private Willie Lee Duckworth Sr., the author of the “Sound Off” cadence, which is one of the most popular marching cadences in United States Army history. The grant provides funding to support public art in the downtown area as part of a planned mural trail to highlight the history and people of Sandersville and Washington County.
Funding for the Vibrant Communities grant is provided through appropriations from the Georgia General Assembly. Grant applications were reviewed by Peer Review Panels, which included fellow professionals who are experienced in type of grant being reviewed or are Georgia citizens with a record of involvement in arts activities.
In the State of Georgia, creative industries have a reported a $62.5 billion impact on the economy, generating roughly $37 billion in revenue and accounting for nearly 200,000 jobs in the state.
The Georgia Council for the Arts (GCA) is a division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, who hold a mission 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.
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, aligning 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.