BROADWAY FOR KIDS

ACTOR’S EXPRESS RECEIVES GRANT FROM GEORGIA COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS

Actor’s Express was awarded a grant by the Georgia Council for the Arts (GCA),
a division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, as part of its initial disbursement of
grants for fiscal year 2022. A total of 218 organizations were awarded 266 grants that provide more than
$2 million in funding to arts organizations throughout the state. The Bridge Grant provided funding for
operating support to 135 organizations, the Project Grant will help fund 54 arts projects, and the Arts
Education Program Grant was awarded to 77 organizations. Additional grants for Vibrant Communities
and Cultural Facilities programs will be awarded in the Fall of 2021.

“As we emerge from this past year’s quarantine, the arts sector is vital to restarting the economy by
attracting tourists, assisting with classroom learning, and igniting events to bring communities back
together,” said GCA Executive Director Tina Lilly. “The 266 grants we have awarded will help cities and
organizations leverage additional funds and bring people back to work while providing fun and
educational opportunities for Georgians across the state.”

Funds awarded by Georgia Council for the Arts include appropriations from the Georgia General
Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts. The $15,000 grant will support Actor’s Express’
return to in-person work and continue to create innovative new digital programs. A supplemental $5,000
grant will support the launch of a pilot program working with schools in Atlanta’s West End
neighborhood.

Development Director Natalie Holly details that, “Actor's Express is a theatre that challenges and reflects
contemporary human experiences. We know the funding from the GCA and other local resources will
help us to achieve our mission. Our goal is to continue nurturing the next generation of playwrights
through commissions and workshops, readings, and full productions of new plays."

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
2022 grantees in these program areas can be found here.

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OTHER RECIPIENTS INCLUDE:

Alliance Theatre 

Atlanta Artist Relief Fund Inc

Atlanta Ballet

Atlanta Radio Theatre Company

Atlanta Shakespeare Company

Atlanta Theatre-To-Go

Aurora Theatre

Ballethnic Dance Company, Inc

Center for Puppetry Arts

Dad's Garage, Inc.

Stage Door Players

Earl and Rachel Smith Strand Theatre

Elm Street Cultural Arts Village

Georgia Ensemble Theatre

Horizon Theatre Company

National Black Arts Festival

Orbit Theatrical Inc

Out Front Theatre Company, Inc.

Out of Hand Theater

PushPush Film & Theater (PushPush Arts)

7 Stages

Springer Opera House

Synchronicity Theatre

Terminus Modern Ballet Theatre

The Atlanta Opera, Inc.

The Essential Theatre, Inc.

The Georgia Ballet, Inc.

True Colors Theatre Company Fulton

Whole World Theatre Co

ONLINE EVENTS PORTAL ART BEATS ATLANTA HAS CHANGED NAME TO 

ART CURRENTS ATLANTA (ART CURRENTS) 

ATLANTA, GA – Online events portal, Art Beats Atlanta, has changed its name to Art Currents Atlanta (Art Currents). The website will still offer the same options for arts organizations and artists throughout the Atlanta-area to showcase virtual events, information, and classes, and member organizations wishing to submit events will follow the same policies and procedures as on the original website, but the branding, website URL, and email have changed. Facebook, Instagram and Twitter handles are @artcurrentsatl. The new website is now live. Please visit ArtCurrentsATL.com. 

Art Currents provides a space to share online arts programming during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a long-term goal to build Art Currents into a permanent resource for the greater Atlanta-area. The goal is also to inspire people to learn more about the arts community, and how they can become more engaged. 

“The idea for Art Currents is rooted in a couple of beliefs,” says Rachel May, Producing Artistic Director of Synchronicity Theatre, and one of the founding members. “First, people need entertainment, amusement and engagement for their emotional well-being. Since this is our business, the arts community has the innate ability to serve this need. Second, having one place where people can find high-quality digital content will keep people engaged in the arts, and bring them back to us when restrictions are lifted.” 

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To become a member organization or to submit events or content, please visit ArtCurrentsATL.com. There is currently no membership fee to join. The public can access ArtCurrentsATL.com at no charge.  

ABOUT ART CURRENTS ATLANTA (ART CURRENTS) 

Art Currents is a co-op of Metro Atlanta-area arts and culture organizations with a mission to increase engagement between the public and the vibrant professional arts community of the greater Atlanta area. Originally created at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic as a space to share innovative online arts programming, the long-term goal is to continue to build Art Currents into a platform promoting Metro Atlanta’s vibrant arts ecology for many years to come. 

Atlanta Theatre Artists for Justice is a Facebook group for members of the Atlanta Theatre Community to organize support for the response to the murder of George Floyd and the BLM Movement. Use this group: - To share information about peaceful protests going on throughout the Metro-Atlanta area. - To meet up with others to attend protests as a unit and keep each other safe. - To provide assistance (providing waters, babysitting, petsitting, giving rides) if not able to attend the protests in person. - To do safety check-ins following the protests, especially if there is police intervention. I understand that there are countless issues in our community in regards to the lack of action from the institutions we work for. But please keep this group about how WE act and how WE respond. The moderators reserve the right to keep this a safe, peaceful group.

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CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO OR TO JOIN

A Letter to the Community: Local theatres respond to the coronavirus pandemic

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Below is an open letter from a group of Atlanta theatres, which was published by Atlanta InTown Paper. We'd like to share it with you.

To Our Local Theatre Fans, Friends, and Family:

Right now is an unprecedented time for our community, and the local theatre community will likely be hit especially hard. COVID-19 has caused a great deal of change, and we are all facing a tremendous amount of uncertainty. Currently, our leaders are making the hard but necessary choice to ban mass gatherings of people, and nobody is sure how long this may go on for. This directly affects theatres, as we will most likely be unable to host shows and sell tickets for an extended period of time. Theatres are facing a major loss in revenue because of this. In addition to the impact on our organizations, the performers, artisans, and administrative staff of local theatres are also likely to have personal financial struggles through the coming weeks.

We are coming to you now to ask for your continued support of local theatre, even as we
temporarily shutter our doors. There are three easy ways you can help support us through these uncertain times: make a donation, buy a gift certificate, and talk to your legislators.

Make a donation. All of the theatres listed in this letter are nonprofit organizations. That means that we re-invest any profits we make back into our mission, rather than paying shareholders. As nonprofit organizations, it also means we can accept tax-deductible donations! This is by far the best thing you can do right now to support your local theatres. A pledge for monthly support is also a wonderful way to provide sustained support as we work to recover in the coming months. Finally, if you bought a ticket to a show that gets cancelled, consider turning the cost of that ticket into a donation, rather than asking for a refund.

Buy a gift certificate. Many local theatres have the ability to issue gift certificates that patrons can use for future shows. Please check with the theatres you frequent, and inquire if they can sell a gift certificate. Treat your future self to a night of entertainment, and once life returns to normal we look forward to welcoming you into our theatres!

Talk to your legislators. In the coming weeks there will likely be bills put forth on the state and national levels for economic relief for those affected by COVID-19. Please reach out to your legislators and let them know that nonprofit arts organizations and artists should be included in these relief packages.

We can make it through this together, but local theatres need your support to help weather this storm. Even once COVID-19 passes, theatres will still be facing financial gaps and tight budgets, and will likely be asking for your donation to offset our losses. Please have patience with us. We are all dedicated to bringing you amazing theatrical experiences

We look forward to seeing you once again at our theatres. Until then, stay safe and healthy.

This too shall pass.

7 Stages
Actor’s Express
Alliance Theatre
Aris Theatre
Atlanta Lyric Theatre
Aurora Theatre
Center for Puppetry Arts
City Springs Theatre
Dad’s Garage Theatre
Georgia Ensemble Theatre

Horizon Theatre Company
Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre
Out Front Theatre Company
Serenbe Playhouse
Stage Door Players
Synchronicity Theatre
Theatre Buford
Theatre du Reve
Theatrical Outfit

LISTEN HERE AS ACTOR'S EXPRESS' FREDDIE ASHLEY DISCUSSES WITH WABE'S LOIS REITZES HOW ATLANTA THEATRE'S ARE RESPONDING

AN OPEN LETTER FROM ROB BROOKSHER

Hi folks,

Theatres and theatre artists across the country are facing a potential existential threat due to COVID-19. Most theatre artists live on a paycheck to paycheck, gig to gig basis and have to supplement their art with a second and oftentimes third part-time job.

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Many of these artists might soon find themselves out of work, and as the infection rates continue, we will, guaranteed, have members of our community under quarantine, unable to leave their house and unable to earn an income. To many ATL artists, this will be a devastating financial blow.

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I've started this campaign to do as much as I can for my friends and peers who will be affected. A lot of things are still falling into place, but the first steps of where your money goes are:

- Purchasing of food supplies for a frozen meal prep volunteering group that will create a meal train for those who are quarantined or financially in need due to being out of work, delivering nutritious food and supplies to the doorsteps of those artists who are in financial need.

- Purchasing of necessary essentials for artists in financial need (pain medications, fever reducers, electrolytes, etc)

**NONE OF THIS MONEY WILL GO TO ME, JUST DOING MY PART :) **

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Please consider donating if you have the means, and please share!     CLICK HERE TO DONATE

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If you are interested in volunteering/organizing, please visit our Facebook group:

Atlanta Artist Emergency Relief Volunteers

https://www.facebook.com/groups/199541764601434/

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Stay safe out there!