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Fulton County arts leaders urge commissioners to preserve $3 million arts fund during budget hearings
Summary
Dozens of arts leaders and organizations told the Fulton County Board of Commissioners during public comment that cutting the county's arts appropriation would harm small arts businesses, youth programming and tourism; many asked the board to sustain the FY24 arts allocation of $3,000,000.
At a Fulton County Board of Commissioners meeting, more than two dozen arts leaders and nonprofit directors urged commissioners to retain at least $3,000,000 for Fulton County arts and culture programs during the FY2025 budget process.
Speakers representing theaters, museums and community arts groups said the county's direct funding helps keep small arts organizations solvent, supports jobs and expands access for children and underserved communities. "Continue to support arts and culture because it is sound fiscal policy," said Christopher Escobar, executive director of the Atlanta Film Society.
The call to sustain the arts allocation came from a broad cross-section of local groups: representatives of the Atlanta Film Society, Push Push Arts, Soul Food Cypher, the Alliance Theater, Hammonds House Museum, Synchronicity Theatre, the National Black Arts Festival and many smaller groups and individual artists. Several speakers cited recent county data and national reports on arts-driven spending and tourism; others described programs that bring students to arts venues and arts-based workforce training.
"The arts are not an expense. It is a lifeline," said Alex Acosta, founding executive director of Soul Food Cypher, summarizing testimony from multiple presenters. Other speakers said county support leverages private and philanthropic dollars and helps retain creative workers who otherwise might leave the region.
Supporters repeatedly asked commissioners to maintain the "$3,000,000" funding level used in FY2024. Several speakers noted cuts at the state level and urged Fulton County to sustain local support so arts organizations can continue outreach to schools, veterans, students with special needs and economically vulnerable residents.
Commission staff and commissioners took public comment on the budget later in the meeting; the public comment period and the budget vote are covered in the separate budget article. Testimony was almost entirely public comment; no formal county action on arts funding was finalized during the public-comment portion of the meeting.
Ending: Commissioners heard roughly 60 minutes of in-person public comment on arts funding among many other budget topics. The commissioners and county staff said budget details would be discussed during the formal budget review and votes later in the meeting.
