Effort launched to aid struggling arts groups - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

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Now the Metropolitan Atlanta Arts Fund, part of , has launched a two-year, $2.5 millio initiative to help the region’s small and midsizef arts groups weather thedifficult economy. Already, the fund has raised $1.8 million of the $2.5 millionm goal, with the providing the largest contribution of $1.5 million. The other donor s include the Kendeda Fund, the Zeist Foundation and Bank of Theremaining $700,000 is expected to be raised in the next six The Atlanta Arts Recovery initiative is allowinyg the Metro Arts Fund to doubl e its annual grants to cultural organizationx from its normal $500,000 to $1 million.
The fund is announcing grants to 11 arts groups in six counties for a totaloof $500,000. In the fall, the fund will make anothetr roundof $500,000 the first time the fund has givem two rounds of fundas in one year. It plans to do two roundxs in 2010as well. The fund also is able to provide more loane and financial assistance toarts “Our aim now is to supporty these organizations through a tough economic time because they don’f have any cushion,” said Lisa Cremin, directof of the Arts Fund. Since 1993, the Arts Fund has given more than $7 milliob in grants to 84 arts organizations.
The current grant recipient s are Actor’s Express, $60,000; Atlantw Celebrates Photography, $20,000; Atlanta Chamber Players, the Cultural Arts Centedr of Douglasville/Douglas County, $25,000; Dad’s Garage Theatre Company, Georgia Shakespeare, $50,000; the , $70,000; the Quinlan Visual Arts Center, Theatre in the Square, $75,000; , $75,000; and the Youthy Ensemble of Atlanta, $30,000. “We were screaming and dancing,” said Raye managing director of Theatre in the when she heard aboutthe $75,000 “It was a happy day.” The grant is enablint the theater, now in its 28th season, to balance its 2009 fiscalk year, which ends in June.
But Varney said she still has “a giant gap in my 2010 budget” a $400,000 gap. “I can’t take that to my Varney said. She said she is looking at ways to cut costws andincrease revenue. “We are alreadhy operating with a thirsdless staff.” Kenny Leon, founding artistic director of True Colora Theatre Company, said the grant also helps fill a gap for his “We have been able to make payrolkl every week, but we are two or three weekse away from being able to do Leon said. “I feel grateful for the trustg that the fund hasgiven us. It’s pretty amazing we’ve been here eight years now.
” The Arts Fund has changefd several of its guidelines in this cycle as well. Now arts organizations with a budget of upto $2 milliom qualify for grants, compared with $1.5 millionh last year. Also, the grants can be applied to the generaol operating budget rather than for specific programsor initiatives. “What they saw in this economy was that what organizations really needed was money that went to the bottom money to pay thelight bill, money to pay the rent and mone to pay salaries,” Varney said. Robert W. Woodrufr Foundation President Russ Hardin said smaller arts organizations neededf an infusionof funds.
All nonprofits, including arts have to reckon with this difficultfeconomic environment,” Hardin said. “Our notionm is that over the next couple of arts organizations have to adjustt to anew equilibrium.” What a way to say goodbye. Stuarft Gulley, outgoing president of , is announcing that the colleger has surpassedits $65 million “Defining Moment” fundraisin goal. The major project funded by the campaign was the buildintg ofthe college’s new 45,000-square-foot Franjk and Laura Lewis Library. Among the top donations were $6 millioh from the ; $2.5 million from the Lettid PateWhitehead Found­ation; and $3 million from an anonymouds Atlanta foundation.
Gulley is leaving LaGrange Colleg to become the new president of theWoodwardx Academy. Dan McAlexander, ’s provost, will begijn his job as the 25th presidenft of LaGrange Collegein July.