ABOUT US

In the 1960s, the Georgia Council for the Arts (GCA) developed a program to bring art to the citizens of Georgia through a project called the Georgia Art Bus Program.

The Georgia Art Bus Program was transferred to the High Museum of Art in the 1970s and was expanded to include traveling exhibitions to schools, libraries, and small arts organizations. The Georgia Council for the Arts reacquired the program in the late 1970s.

The Georgia Art Acquisition Program was later formed by the Georgia General Assembly to purchase art created by Georgia artists. The art was displayed in state buildings across Georgia.

In 1991, the Georgia Art Bus Program ended and works from this program were combined with the Georgia Art Acquisition Program to form the Georgia State Art Collection. Media in the Collection include sculpture, photography, printmaking, painting, ceramics, jewelry, fiber and silver work.

Today, the Georgia State Art Collection contains more than 600 original works by Georgia artists. Many of these artists are recognized nationally, including Benny Andrews, Lamar Dodd, Cheryl Goldsleger, Roccio Rodriguez and Joseph Perrin.

Georgia Council for the Arts

In 1953, the State of Georgia established a special commission to determine the appropriate role the state should play regarding support of the arts. The commission consisted of the governor and five appointed citizens with no staff or budget.

The mission of the Georgia Council for the Arts is to encourage excellence in the arts, to support the arts' many forms of expression and to make the arts available to all Georgians by providing funding, programming and services.

The Governor appoints an Executive Director and an Advisory Council to work with the Council staff to plan and implement the work of the agency and to promote the arts throughout Georgia. The Georgia General Assembly, the National Endowment for the Arts and public/ private partnerships provide funding for Georgia Council for the Arts.

The Georgia Council for the Arts offers support to non-profit arts organizations, educational institutions, community arts councils, municipal arts agencies, school systems and other entities that offer arts programming. The Georgia Council for the Arts awards grants annually to present, preserve, promote and produce the arts in Georgia.