Atlanta Arts category interest

Georgia ranks near the bottom in federal funding for the arts, providing only $0.14 per capita.

The Turner Center for the Arts had a $1.4 million economic impact last year and serves 40,000 patrons annually.

Watch the video to hear from local artists about the importance of art funding.

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT

Georgia is near the bottom when it comes to federal funding for the Arts.

Now, South Georgia artists are working to change that.

"We all know about the hustle, but it's also really important to do things that help you as a human being."

I’m Malia Thomas, your neighborhood reporter in Valdosta, and I’m checking in to see why art funding is needed for the Azalea City.

Emma Kostopolus's been making art for the last decade, and she's called Valdosta home for two years.

She now teaches bead-making classes at the Turner Center's Glass Studio.

"I was actually one of the first students when this studio opened in January 2022."

She tells me she would've never found her passion for glass-making if it weren't for Valdosta's diverse art scene.

"Having the arts as a public resource is a really, really essential because not only does it give people an outlet to express themselves, but it helps us build community."

She was disappointed, but not surprised to hear about Axious Atlanta's report on Georgia's lowing ranking in providing funding to agencies supporting visual artists and small centers.

"I have seen that a lot of places think of the arts as something that is nice to have, but not a necessity."

Georgia funds the Georgia Council of the Arts to the tune of $0.14 per capita — at or near the bottom in the United States.

However, Sementha Mathews, director of the Turner Center, tells me the art is one of the most economically viable industries in the region, with the Turner Center alone seeing

-$1.4 million in economic impact in the last year

-40,000 patrons per year

-providing youth-oriented classes like glass-blowing, graphic design, and photography to introduce local students to careers.

That's why state and donor support for planned STEAM Center, the Imagination Station, is so important to Sementha, so it can...

"build the skillset for the workforce of tomorrow and show kids what they can do."

The Imagination Station is still on track to open fall of next year. In Valdosta, I’m Malia Thomas, reporting for ABC27.