Athens nonprofit AthFest Educates announced the recipients of over $80,000 in grants for the 2026-2027 school year.
Over $65,000 will go to local arts educators around Athens-Clarke County to support a variety of music, dance and art classes for kids in grades K-12.
Cedar Shoals High School, for example, received three grants: one for safety and accessibility equipment in the dance program, one for electric and acoustic guitars to meet the school’s growing demand for guitar classes, and one for a field trip to the Civil Rights Museum in Atlanta.
Orchestra students at Clarke and Hilsman middle schools and music students at Fowler Drive and Whitehead elementary schools will have the opportunity to play on new and freshly repaired instruments.
The Athens Area Homeless Shelter was also awarded a grant to provide residents with access to the Ink Museum and the Aurora Theatre. Other recipients include Books for Keeps, Winterville Elementary, Nuci’s Space, DanceFX, HEART Music, Inc. and several other Clarke County School District schools.
CCSD will receive $10,000 for the new Artist in Residence Program, and the University of Georgia Performing Arts Center will receive $5,000.
AthFest Educates began as part of the Athens Downtown Development Authority and became an independent nonprofit in 2007. Its mission is to promote accessibility, diversity and inclusivity in the arts by funding music and arts education for the youth of Athens-Clarke County.
It has awarded over $830,000 in grants to CCSD schools and 17 local nonprofits. The grants are funded by donations and foundation grants, as well as profits from the annual AthFest Music and Arts Festival and the AthHalf Half Marathon and 5K races.
This year’s AthHalf will take place on Oct. 10 and 11.
