DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran Johnson told the Board of Commissioners on Oct. 7 that she will reconstitute a DeKalb Council for the Arts and begin the initiative with seed funding and formal governance steps.

The proposal would start with $500,000 in county support, an MOU to house the council at Discover DeKalb, and the recruitment of a full‑time director. Johnson said the plan calls for the council to be incorporated as a nonprofit so it can pursue grants and earned revenue, and for a slate of countywide programs including public art installations in all 12 cities, arts camps, traveling exhibits, a film series and a monthlong jazz festival.

Why it matters: County leaders said a formal arts council could centralize programming that currently exists in scattered pockets, increase tourism and create earned‑revenue opportunities. Commissioners said they supported the idea in principle but asked for clarity on local partnerships, use of existing planning funds and how the council would coordinate with cities and nonprofits.

Johnson summarized the program’s near‑term steps and timeline, saying the administration will complete a memorandum of understanding with Discover DeKalb, direct the county law office to prepare articles of incorporation for a nonprofit, develop a director job description and call for nominations under an executive order to roll out the council on Jan. 1, 2026. "What I'm recommending ... we would begin with a funding amount of $500,000," Johnson said during the presentation.

The suggested $500,000 is presented as seed funding; Johnson described additional revenue plans including ticketed festivals, a fashion/arts fundraiser and a pet‑themed fundraiser to help underwrite programming. She also proposed commissioning permanent public art pieces to be displayed across the county and quarterly “art strolls” hosted in rotating cities.

Commissioners and community partners who spoke following the presentation generally praised the concept and urged a strong emphasis on local artist engagement. Commissioner Ladina Bolton noted the importance of operating the office as a freestanding county division with a direct report who would carry operational responsibility. Commissioner Marita Davis Johnson said the administration should hire a director who can immediately implement programming rather than invest heavily in another study, though she and others said modest planning funds previously approved (noted in the budget) remain useful.

No formal vote or appropriation was recorded during the meeting; the presentation was an administrative recommendation and will move through the board’s committee process and upcoming budget discussions. The CEO indicated the executive order and recruitment materials will be finalized in the coming months.

The full proposal as presented includes: an initial $500,000 seed allocation; an MOU with Discover DeKalb to house the council; county‑prepared nonprofit articles of incorporation; a director job description and hiring; a programming plan (public art in 12 cities, arts camps, classes, a film series and a jazz festival); and an expectation that the council will develop earned revenue and fundraising events to sustain operations.

The administration said more details and the executive order will be available online and in the board packet. Commissioners who requested edits to the resolution and budget language were advised the item will be discussed further in the Planning, Economic and Community Services (PECS) committee and the budget process.