Central Georgia is a community which values artists and creatives whose work enriches our lives. The recently completed 2020 Cultural Plan for Macon, informed by community leaders, artists, arts organizations and educators, affirmed the value and economic impact of this sector.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused hardships for many artists and creative professionals and will continue to create challenges for quite some time. Rising to challenges, Macon Arts Alliance has established the Creative Response Fund to provide direct support to individual creatives in Central Georgia.
The Creative Relief Fund distributes grants from $500 to $1,000 to artists and creative professionals facing financial emergencies. The fund was been seeded by a generous $40,000 grant from the Central Georgia COVID-19 Response & Recovery Fund established by the Community Foundation of Central Georgia and United Way of Central Georgia.
To date the Creative Response Artist Relief Fund has received 87 unique applications and awarded $40,000 in direct financial relief to 46 artists in 6 counties across Central Georgia. 43% of applicants are musicians. 31% are visual artists with the remaining quarter coming from various other disciplines.