Rockdale Citizen

Photo by Howard Reed

CONYERS -- The Conyers/Rockdale Council for the Arts was one of 12 metro-Atlanta organizations that recently received part of a $500,000 grant.

CRCA received a $22,500 grant from the Metropolitan Atlanta Arts Fund as part of MAAF's Fall 2010 grant cycle.

MAAF was created in 1992 under a partnership with the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, according to the Fund's website. It was created to help small and midsize organizations with an operating budget of less than $2 million.

Tieler Giles, communications associate with the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, said grant funds have already been disbursed and funding will be used for CRCA's general operating expenses.

CRCA was notified in October that it received the grant after finishing up the application process in August.

CRCA Executive Director Jackie Sprague declined to comment on the grant. Conyers City Councilman Gerald A. Hinesley commented on the grant award during the City Council's Nov. 3 meeting.

The application process included a site visit "in which Arts Fund staff and advisory committee members meet at the organization's location to discuss all aspects of the organization, how it is run and governed, the impact of its programming and importance to the community it serves," Hinesley said.

"Successful applications to the Arts Fund are reflective of active and committed board members, administrators, artists, and volunteers," Giles said. "They reveal community participation in programs and audiences that demonstrate an interest in the artistic work of the applicant organization. In short, arts organizations are self-confident about who they are, what they do, who they serve and who have a clear vision of where they need to go."

The Metropolitan Atlanta Arts Fund supported CRCA three other times in the past with a $75,000 grant in 2007, a $25,000 grant in 2003 and another $25,000 grant in 2000. The 2007 grant was used to renovate the Center Street black box theater with new theater lighting, office space, a back stage area and new safety and storage features.

Also, the Rockdale County Board of Commissioners has also supported CRCA, donating a total of $190,000 between 2008 and 2010.