Photo: Streetline Percussion performs at Macon Soap Box Derby. Photo credit: Patrick Hobbs/The Cluster.
MACON – May 16, 2014 – Helping to strengthen Macon’s rich music tradition, its growing film scene and the city’s creative sector, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation today announced $363,000 in funding for local arts.
Support will honor Otis Redding’s legacy by sending more Macon youth to a summer camp created in his honor, promote the city’s indie music scene by bringing touring bands for concerts at Fresh Produce Records, and help the Macon Film Festival select more films that reflect Central Georgia’s Southern roots.
Also, as announced this week, Knight Foundation funding will bring Grammy Award-winning artists the Blind Boys of Alabama to this summer’s Bragg Jam Music, Kids and Art Festival. A full list of grant recipients is below.
“These projects are authentically Macon, reflecting our local culture in a way that both keeps our traditions alive and ensures they are a relevant and vibrant part of the city’s future,” said Beverly Blake, Macon program director for Knight Foundation.
Locally, the foundation works to find, foster and disseminate ideas that help build a vibrant community.
“Few things bring people together like the arts, helping to create those shared experiences that connect us to our communities and to each other,” said Dennis Scholl, vice president for Knight Foundation’s arts program. “When we look to support local culture, we seek out projects we know will help build that sense of place and community.”
The awards, some of which are through the Knight Foundation fund at the Community Foundation of Central Georgia, will be celebrated tonight at a private event at the Grand Opera House, which is receiving funding for a strategic plan for its future.
The grant recipients are:
Macon Film Festival: ($72,000) To hire a festival programmer who will identify and seek film submissions that reflect Central Georgia’s Southern culture and musical legacy, elevating the event and bringing high-quality films to Macon.
Macon Arts Alliance ($67,000) To launch Amplify, a new professional development program that will identify and meet the needs of creative professionals in Central Georgia. Amplify, which launched this year, will support entrepreneurs with resources, training and networking opportunities to advance their careers. In addition, Knight is supporting Macon Arts Alliance’s Momentum for the Arts, as well as startup funding for the Macon Chapter of the League of Creative Interventionists, a global network of people working to build community through creativity.
Otis Redding Foundation ($50,000) To celebrate the legacy of Otis Redding by providing scholarships for The Big “O” Singer/Songwriter Camp to 20 aspiring young Macon musicians. Knight support will double the duration of the camp, which will pair students with professional musicians, composers, producers and choreographers for an immersive two-week program, culminating in a public showcase of their final compositions.
Streetline ($50,000) To enable and encourage Macon’s youngest residents to pursue excellence in the performing arts by expanding the successful Camp Drums and Dreams by 50 students. The eight-week summer camp provides lessons in music theory, percussion techniques and showmanship.
Bragg Jam Music, Kids and Art Festival ($30,000) To bring five-time Grammy-winning artists the Blind Boys of Alabama to the 15th annual festival this year, and help the event continue to bring emerging musical talent to Macon in 2015.
Macon-Bibb County Department of Parks and Recreation ($25,000) To expand cinematic offerings in Macon’s neighborhoods by presenting outdoor screenings in parks and other venues for two years.
Mercer University ($20,000) To support strategic planning that will ensure the sustainability and future of Macon’s Grand Opera House.
Cherry Blossom Festival ($15,000) To provide a place for Macon residents to enjoy nationally recognized gospel music through PraiseFest, a new Cherry Blossom Festival event that will stage performances during the spring festival and in the fall.
Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation ($19,500) To invite Macon residents into the historic Hay House for free cultural events, including a Macon Film Festival screening, a classical music performance, a Spirits of the Hay House theatrical tour and an exhibit of original art by Winston Churchill.
Fresh Produce Records ($10,000) To promote Macon as a musical destination by providing a stipend for touring bands to perform free concerts for all-ages audiences.
The 567 Center for Renewal ($4,740) To support LunchBeat Macon, a monthly mid-day gathering that unites professionals to enjoy an hour of music, dancing and networking from February to May 2014.
For continuous updates on Knight Foundation’s arts program, connect on Facebook and via @KnightArts on Twitter.
About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Knight Foundation supports transformational ideas that promote quality journalism, advance media innovation, engage communities and foster the arts. We believe that democracy thrives when people and communities are informed and engaged. For more, visit www.knightfoundation.org/macon.
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Media Contacts:
Anusha Alikhan, communications director, Knight Foundation, 305-908-2677, [email protected]
Beverly Blake, Macon program director, Knight Foundation, 478-442-1335; [email protected]; @knightmacon