Otis Redding Foundation receives ‘CARES Act’ and more grant funding from Georgia Council for the Arts
For Immediate Release
MACON, GA – The Otis Redding Foundation was awarded three grants totaling $27,500 from Georgia Council for the Arts, a division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development as part of its initial disbursement of grants for fiscal year 2021. The Awards were in the areas of Partner, Arts Education and Resiliency.
“These grants are so vital to our mission to empower, enrich, and motivate all young people through programs involving music, writing, and instrumentation,” says Karla Redding-Andrews, VP/Executive Director of the Otis Redding Foundation. “The GCA funding has enabled the Foundation to extend its programs over the years, reaching new audiences with new partnerships within our community and throughout Georgia.”
“This initial round of funding awarded by Georgia Council for the Arts serves to support the critical work arts organizations and artists are doing in communities to foster connectivity, rekindle joy, and support lifelong learning during these dynamic times,” said GCA Executive Director Karen Paty.
Sixty-three Georgia arts organizations in all 14 Congressional districts will receive a one-time competitive grant funded through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. As a State Arts Agency, the Georgia Council for the Arts was designated to distribute these ‘Resiliency Grant’ funds from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to help sustain Georgia’s nonprofit arts sector.
“Georgia arts organizations are an economic engine, and a collective of visionary leadership that has brought us together as one community, to heal, remember, confront challenges, and triumphantly celebrate joy. They comprise an industry devastated by COVID-19 and worth supporting and fighting for,” said Georgia Council for the Arts Executive Director Karen Paty.
In April, the NEA awarded 40% of the agency’s funding provided by Congress in the CARES Act, nearly $30 million, to state and territorial arts agencies and regional arts organizations for their funding programs to ensure wide distribution throughout the country. Georgia received $507,900 in CARES Act funding, which Georgia Council for the Arts utilized for its Resiliency Grant. An additional $60,000 was awarded to GCA from South Arts to support rural and/or culturally specific organizations through this program. One hundred and seventy-one organizations submitted applications for this grant program, requesting a total of $1.78 M. Georgia Council for the Arts today announced recipients of these competitive grants to nonprofit arts organizations across Georgia.
“In these difficult times, funding like the GCA Resiliency Grant is imperative to allow us to pivot and keep bringing high-quality music and arts education to children who are currently at home with a need to keep their minds open and engaged,” says Mrs. Redding-Andrews. “Thanks to these grants, the Otis Redding Center for Creative Arts quickly adapted its private music lessons to a virtual platform, and Otis Music Camp was able to also pivot to offer the Foundation’s first virtual camp, OMC 2.0, which was a huge success as a replacement for our in-person Otis Music Camp.”
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 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. A complete list of fiscal year 2021 grantees in these program areas can be found here.
About Georgia Council of 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.
About the Georgia Department of Economic Development:
The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) plans, manages and mobilizes state resources to attract new business investment to Georgia, drive the expansion of existing industry and small business, locate new markets for Georgia products, inspire tourists to visit Georgia and promote the state as a top destination for arts events and film, music and digital entertainment projects.
About Otis Redding Foundation:
Otis Redding Foundation is a nonprofit organization based in Macon, Ga. Founded in 2007, ORF looks to empower, enrich and motivate all young people through programs involving music, writing and instrumentation. For additional information visit www.otisreddingfoundation.org, follow the foundation on Facebook and Instagram.