CSO receives funding from Georgia Council for the Arts
COLUMBUS, GA – September 20, 2022 – The Columbus Symphony Orchestra (CSO) was awarded two grants by the Georgia Council for the Arts (GCA), a strategic arm of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, as part of its initial disbursement of grants for fiscal year 2023. A total of 213 organizations were awarded 253 grants that provide more than $3.1 million in funding to arts organizations throughout the state. The Bridge Grant will provide operating support funding to 134 organizations, the Project Grant will help fund 59 arts projects, and the Arts Education Program Grant will be distributed to 60 organizations.
“The arts sector has proven its resilience over the last two years, and it has played a major role in restarting the economy through attracting tourism, bringing communities back together, and aiding classroom learning as we inspire the workforce of the future,” said Georgia Council for the Arts Executive Director Tina Lilly. “The 253 grants we have awarded will help cities and organizations bring people more back to work while enhancing the qualities that make Georgia so special.”
The Columbus Symphony Orchestra was awarded two grants totaling $35,000 for the 2022-23 Season. The Bridge Grant will provide operating support to enhance and strengthen our artistic programming producing a varied concert season of classical masterwork, chamber orchestra, and contemporary pop concerts as well as an educational concert for local children and families. The Arts Education Grant will provide support for our Making Music Matters after-school programming to provide free group music instruction to underserved children in our community. Programming will take place at Brewer, Dawson, Dorothy Height, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary Schools.
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. A complete list of fiscal year 2023 grantees in these program areas can be found here.
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About the Columbus Symphony Orchestra
The Columbus Symphony Orchestra, formed in 1855, is the second orchestra founded in the nation and the first founded in Georgia. The CSO, under the direction of George Del Gobbo, has long been considered one of the Southeast’s premier musical ensembles. The CSO’s performance venue at RiverCenter for the Performing Arts, Bill Heard Theatre, seats 2,000 patrons and provides a state-of-the-art visual and acoustic experience. For more information about the CSO, visit our website at csoga.org.
About Georgia Council for the Arts
Georgia Council for the Arts (GCA) is a strategic arm 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, 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.