Dozens of arts organization leaders from across the state met at the Center for Puppetry Arts for the first in-person Georgia Arts Advocacy Day since 2020 on Feb. 5.
The Feb. 5 conference was the first part of a two-day program aimed at helping art groups lobby for increased state funding. Nationally, Georgia ranks last in per-capita arts funding — only 14 cents per person.
Nonprofit Georgians for the Arts, the largest arts and culture advocacy organization in the state, organized the Feb. 5 conference and Feb.6 lobbying day. At the conference, Executive Director Waduda Muhammad and President and CEO Patrick Kelsey scheduled a roster of “success stories” from state groups, panel discussions and performance pieces from local artists.
Muhammad said the daylong conference aimed to “empower” arts organizations before lobbying Georgia’s congress on Feb. 6. The Georgian for the Arts leaders also hoped to educate smaller organizations on how to communicate with legislators.
“It’s getting people the information and the data that they can be familiar with when they are going to speak with their officials,” Muhammad said. “Having these handouts that they can leave behind and having a uniform message, you know, when we’re visiting.”
Throughout the day, representatives from event sponsors, including South Arts, Fox Theatre, and Fulton County Arts and Culture, said that smaller organizations needed to present more than just data points. That’s why CEO Kelsey pushed for “success story” presentations.
“That’s what it’s about, that storytelling,” Kelsey said. “Everyone has a great job with visuals, and all they have to do is cut that down to become an elevator speech.”
Kelsey said the biggest ask is increased funding because “that is the one rallying point everyone can get behind.” National organization Americans for the Arts found in a study that in 2022, over 19,000 jobs were supported by the nonprofit arts and culture sector, and $1.3 billion was spent on nonprofit arts and culture.
The national group said that arts organizations are “vital” at supporting local commerce, driving tourism and “promoting diversity.”
The specific funding requested from Georgians for the Arts is to bring the 14 percent per capita spending up by 36 percent, which brings the total statewide investment to $2.13 million.
But funding is not the only concern, especially when some counties are in different financial standing.
Statewide, Georgia has allocated $1.5 million to arts funding in its budget. Fulton County has a $3 million arts budget, though. Those arts organizations can also pull from Atlanta’s budget, giving what Kelsey calls a “triumvirate of dollars.” Other groups only have state funding to choose from.
Legacy nonprofits that are well-known also have an easier time getting funding than smaller groups, thanks to legislative connections and strong reputations. Muhammad hopes the advocacy day can build up nonprofits with less access.
“At the end of the day, it comes down to advocacy, relationship building, and getting to know your elected official,” Muhammad said.
Increased funding isn’t the only ask, though. Kelsey said the possibility of bringing casino venues to Georgia is a key concern for arts and entertainment venues.
Georgia has not legalized casino gambling, but the legislation has been discussed for years. Senate Resolution 538 was introduced at the start of the 2024 session and proposed a constitutional amendment that could allow sports betting and casinos in the state.
The gambling locales use a loss leader model to bring people into the casinos, which allows them to pay acts significantly higher rates than a smaller venue like the Fox Theatre.
Kelsey said the venues and organizations are opposed to the model. He also wants to see how the tax revenue generated from a casino could be used to bolster the arts – in the current legislative wording; the funds are primarily earmarked for education.
“I don’t think it would be too much to ask if the legislation does get traction that the language would change to include arts education,” Kelsey said.
David Manuel, the Fulton County director of arts and culture, encouraged arts organizations to invite mayors, commissioners and community leaders to future arts advocacy meetings. He wants to “keep this thing moving” after the $3 million funding.
“In order to grow this, we have to come together, and there’s a philosophy that we have in our department: collaboration over competition,” Manuel said. “So as we all come together in this thing called the art world, we’ve got to deal with it together, we’ve got to grow together, we’ve got to support each other.”
