AthFest Educates Distributes Over $80,000 in Arts Grants for 2026-2027
AthFest Educates, a nonprofit dedicated to fostering arts education in Athens-Clarke County, has unveiled its latest grant recipients, allocating upwards of $80,000 for the upcoming school year. This funding aims to enrich the creative experiences of students from kindergarten through high school.
More than $65,000 has been dedicated to supporting music, dance, and art programs across the county. At Cedar Shoals High School, the financial support will enhance various aspects of its arts programs, including upgrading safety equipment for dance classes, acquiring electric and acoustic guitars to cater to the rising interest in guitar lessons, and organizing an educational excursion to Atlanta’s Civil Rights Museum.
Moreover, Clarke and Hilsman middle schools’ orchestra students, along with music pupils at Fowler Drive and Whitehead elementary schools, are set to benefit from new and repaired musical instruments, enabling them to explore and develop their musical skills further.
The Athens Area Homeless Shelter is among the grant beneficiaries, providing its residents with cultural experiences at the Ink Museum and Aurora Theatre. Other entities, such as Books for Keeps, Winterville Elementary, Nuci’s Space, DanceFX, and HEART Music, Inc., are also on the list of grant recipients, reflecting a wide-reaching impact on the community’s arts education landscape.
The Clarke County School District (CCSD) is poised to receive $10,000 for an innovative Artist in Residence Program, while the University of Georgia Performing Arts Center will obtain $5,000 to support its initiatives.
Established as an independent nonprofit in 2007, AthFest Educates originated from the Athens Downtown Development Authority. It is committed to enhancing arts accessibility, diversity, and inclusivity by funding educational programs for young people in Athens-Clarke County. To date, it has distributed over $830,000 to CCSD schools and numerous local nonprofits.
The grants are made possible through donations, foundation grants, and profits generated from events such as the annual AthFest Music and Arts Festival and the AthHalf Half Marathon and 5K races. The upcoming AthHalf event is scheduled for October 10 and 11.
