Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College was awarded a Vibrant Communities Grant from Georgia Council for the Arts, the Georgia Department of Economic Development team specialized in empowering arts and culture, for fiscal year 2026. The Vibrant Communities Grant supports a variety of arts programming throughout the state, including murals, artist residencies and performances in schools, community theater productions, festivals, and concerts.

As part of this year’s Vibrant Communities awards, 55 entities in 41 counties received $230,000 in funding.

“Georgia Council for the Arts is excited to support arts programming across the state that expands educational opportunities for students, attracts tourists who support small businesses, and cultivates vibrant communities,” said Georgia Council for the Arts Executive Director Tina Lilly. “These grants are vital in areas of the state that do not have local arts organizations and help communities harness the long-term benefits of the arts and improve quality of life for residents.”

Georgia Council for the Arts received applications from schools, libraries, cities, historical societies, community theaters, Boys & Girls Clubs, and arts and other related organizations. In an effort to support projects across the state, Vibrant Communities Grants were awarded to entities in counties in which no organization had already received Georgia Council for the Arts funding for the fiscal year 2026 grants cycle.

Vice President for Enrollment, Marketing and Communications, Ryan Hogan, spoke to the impact of the Vibrant Communities grant on ABAC.

“We appreciate being awarded the Vibrant Communities Grant and being able to use it to support many programs through our ‘Museum After Dark’ series presented through the Georgia Museum of Agriculture (GMA),” Hogan said. “The $5,000 in Georgia Council grant funds supported five events held at ABAC’s GMA during fall 2025 and spring 2026. We joined with artists to help our community learn about yarn spinning, plein air painting and portrait drawing. We also hosted two interactive performances in our Historic Village: ‘Tall Tales After Dark,’ about American heroes, and ‘Swamp Gravy,’ the official folklife play of Georgia. These programs inspired creativity, built cultural understanding, and reached audiences of all ages and backgrounds.”

Funding for these grants is provided through appropriations from the Georgia General Assembly.