Georgia: Conveying the Impact of the Arts

Image courtesy of Georgia Council for the Arts

Communicating the value of public support for the arts can be challenging without a common language shared by elected officials, local arts leaders, individual artists, educators and other stakeholders. The Georgia Council for the Arts (GCA), acknowledging this barrier while developing its Strategic Plan 2013-2018, resolved to tell a clearer story about the arts in Georgia, one that visually communicates the breadth, depth and variety of its support for the arts. Using its Creative Economy Brochure as launching pad, GCA developed its annual Arts Impact Map, which charts the reach of not only its grant awards but also its arts learning, literary arts, technical assistance, and arts and cultural heritage showcase programs. Drawing on the experiences of artists and citizens, GCA subsequently produced a complementary video. Narrated by Kenny Leon, a Tony Award-winning Broadway and film director and cofounder of Atlanta’s True Colors Theatre Company, it illustrates the rich texture, vibrant diversity and vital economic impact of Georgia’s arts industry. To learn more about GCA’s efforts to tell the story of how the arts benefit Georgians across the state, contact GCA Executive Director Karen Paty.