The City of Cedartown was recently awarded a $75,000 Cultural Facilities grant from Georgia Council for the Arts. The grant will fund a complete renovation of the stage system at the Cedartown Performing Arts Center.

The renovation will revamp the entire fly system of the performing arts center, ensuring many more years of safe operation. The structural stability of the system will be protected while adding additional safety features.

The completion of the stage renovation will give the Cedartown Performing Arts Center an increased capacity for backdrops, stage pieces, and equipment on the stage system.

This will allow the event venue to fulfill the needs of various touring professional acts that require the hanging space as well as add to the overall experience of school district and community theater performances.

With a seating capacity of 940, the Cedartown Performing Arts Center is the only performing arts center in Polk County capable of holding more than 500 people. The renovations also include training on operating new equipment and will maintain the appearance of the stage and existing structure.

The Cedartown Performing Arts Center was built in 1976. During its operation, the venue has brought and continues to bring all forms of entertainment to the region. From art galas, concerts, dramatic theatre and children’s summer camps to community presentations, events, and hosting school district productions, the Cedartown Performing Arts Center has been the cornerstone of entertainment and tourism in Polk County and surrounding areas for decades.

The Cultural Facilities grant supports the restoration or renovation of a building to be used for arts programming. As part of this year’s Cultural Facilities awards, 31 entities in 18 counties will receive $1.3 million in funding.

“Rarely has arts funding been more needed than it is today, and Georgia Council for the Arts is grateful for the support that the Georgia General Assembly is providing to help our arts communities improve their facilities and carry out their mission to the fullest,” said Georgia Council for the Arts Director Tina Lilly. “We hear firsthand about what this assistance can mean to an organization and a community, and we’re pleased to know that it will touch the lives of so many Georgians.”

Georgia Council for the Arts received applications from schools, libraries, cities, historical societies, community theatres, Boys and Girls Clubs, and arts and other related organizations from across the state.

Cultural Facilities grants are available to arts organizations for repairing, preserving or acquiring an arts facility, or for purchasing equipment.

Funding for these grants is provided through appropriations from the Georgia General Assembly. Additional funding from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) enabled the Georgia Council for the Arts to award 21 more Cultural Facilities grants compared to last year.

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.

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. 

About GDEcD 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, align 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, as well as planning and mobilizing state resources for economic development. 

Visit www.georgia.org for more information.