Roswell-area arts nonprofits can apply for a share of more than $1 million in unrestricted funding through Arts Capital Atlanta's inaugural Redistribution Fund before the deadline closes Thursday.
Every eligible organization that applies receives an equal share, estimated at $2,000 to $5,000 per group, according to Rough Draft, which reported on the fund's details. Arts Capital Atlanta (AC|A) aims to distribute awards by the end of the year.
The fund requires no narrative proposal. Applications are not scored on writing quality or artistic merit.
"The people running these organizations know what keeps them open better than any funder does," Laura Hennighausen, director of strategic philanthropy at Purpose Possible, which facilitates AC|A, told Rough Draft.
The money is unrestricted. Recipients can spend it on rent, artist pay, insurance or building a first reserve.
Who qualifies
Eligible applicants must be independent 501(c)(3) nonprofits or groups operating under an established fiscal sponsorship. They need at least three years of continuous operation, an arts-focused mission and public arts programming as their main activity. Annual operating budgets must fall between $5,000 and $15 million.
Organizations must be headquartered in and primarily serve the 11-county Metro Atlanta region, which includes Fulton County. Roswell sits in Fulton County, putting local arts groups in the eligible territory. Subsidiaries of schools, governments, other nonprofits or companies do not qualify.
A local group that could fit
Roswell Arts Fund, the city's designated arts agency since 2015, is an independent 501(c)(3) established in September 2014, according to the organization's website. Whether its formal designation as the city's arts agency affects its eligibility under AC|A's independence requirement is unclear. AC|A's rules exclude subsidiaries of governmental entities, but Roswell Arts Fund describes itself as an independent nonprofit. No public statement from Roswell Arts Fund about the fund or its eligibility appears in available records.
Other Roswell-based arts nonprofits may also qualify. AC|A estimates at least 200 organizations across Metro Atlanta could be eligible, SaportaReport reported in September.
Why the fund exists
Metro Atlanta's public arts funding averages about $1.96 per person, compared with a national average of about $5.44, according to data AC|A compiled from federal, state and local sources. The collaborative puts the gap at roughly $18 million in unmet investment each year.
AC|A grew out of meetings arts leaders held during the pandemic. In March 2023, after the Lyric Theatre closed following 42 seasons, 38 arts leaders signed an open letter about the state of the arts in Atlanta. A board and steering committee of more than 30 arts leaders and funders guide the effort.
The pooled fund is hosted by the Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia. Foundations, corporations and individuals can contribute.
How to apply
Applications close Thursday, Oct. 29, at artscapitalatlanta.org. Applicants share basic organizational information and describe three public programs from their past two seasons, with photos, videos or links as proof. Questions can be directed to Hennighausen at [email protected].
