DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran Johnson on Oct. 7 proposed reconstituting the DeKalb Council for the Arts, asking the Board of Commissioners to provide an initial $500,000, authorize the county to complete nonprofit incorporation paperwork and support hiring a full-time director to run countywide arts programming beginning Jan. 1, 2026.

Cochran Johnson said the office recommends housing the council’s administrative home at Discover DeKalb and instructed the county law department to prepare articles of incorporation so the council can operate as a nonprofit. “We would begin with a funding amount of $500,000. We would establish a memorandum of understanding,” Cochran Johnson said. She also said the council should generate revenue through festivals and fundraising events to help sustain itself.

Why it matters: Commissioners and arts advocates told the CEO the council could boost local cultural programming, tourism and community connections across all 12 DeKalb cities. Cochran Johnson framed the proposal as both an economic-development and quality-of-life initiative, pointing to plans for permanent public-art installations in each city, quarterly “art strolls,” arts camps, a film series, a jazz festival and other exhibits and classes.

Most important details: Cochran Johnson said the council would: reconstitute the DeKalb Council for the Arts rather than create an entirely new agency; appoint a director with a job description aligned to the board’s resolution; house administrative support at Discover DeKalb under a memorandum of understanding; and pursue nonprofit articles of incorporation to aid fundraising. She said rollout would begin Jan. 1, 2026. Discover DeKalb’s Jane Sysmanakis (spelled in the meeting as Sysmanakis) joined presentations about programming and festival logistics.

Commissioner reaction: Commissioners praised the presentation and raised practical questions about staffing, local artist engagement and seed funding. Commissioner Ladina Bolton said she wanted the council to inventory local arts partners so county programming builds on existing talent. Commissioner Marita Davis Johnson and others said the CEO’s office should manage day-to-day operations and hire the director, rather than rely on commissioners to run the program.

Background and budget: Cochran Johnson said $50,000 had already been approved in the 2025 budget for planning and that a $150,000 seed fund was discussed earlier in the year. The CEO’s plan asks the board to approve a $500,000 initial allocation and to authorize law to incorporate the nonprofit and the CEO to post a director position. Cochran Johnson also said the council should pursue earned revenue (tickets, sponsorships) and philanthropic fundraising to sustain programming.

Next steps: The CEO said she will circulate the executive order and that a formal rollout would begin Jan. 1, 2026, pending board approval of seed funding, the memorandum of understanding with Discover DeKalb and hiring a director. Commissioners asked for the presentation slides and the executive order to be shared with the Board and public.

Ending: Commissioners agreed to continue discussions in committee and to consider the funding and staffing requests during the upcoming budget and committee meetings.