AthFest Educates is getting some much-appreciated assistance for the 2020 AthFest Music and Arts Festival. Executive Director Jill Helme the Athens nonprofit is receiving federal funds.
“It’s really exciting, we got awarded a $30,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, which is fantastic.”
Funds from that Art Works grant can only be used for the festival and Helme says they will be put to good use.
“We take great pride in the fact that all of the band that perform for AthFest either on outdoor stages or in the Club Crawl, all of those bands are paid,’ Helme said. “It’s not a huge amount but it matters. It’s a statement to say that we support our artists. This award is enabling us to increase that, so the amount that we pay the artists, we’re able to increase that by 50% this year.”
Helme says the funds will also allow for some practical applications to make the festival more enjoyable for those attending.
“We can’t do anything about the heat. It’s June in Georgia, it’s going to be what it’s going to be. But if there are some more tents that we can put up, or whatever the case is to make some more shade, but you know all those tents, everything has a cost, nothing is free.”
The grant funds can only be used for the festival.
AthFest Educates has awarded more than $414 thousand for music and arts education for youth. High schools be included in the 2020/2021 school year. This year’s festival is June 26th through 28th.
AthFest Music & Arts Festival is a three day, free outdoor festival showcasing Athens’ creative culture, including music on three outdoor stages, an artist market, and KidsFest.
The festival includes a Club Crawl, with a dozen local venues hosting ticketed shows including dozens of bands, genre showcases and DJs. Attendees can partake of all the Club Crawl shows by purchasing a wristband. AthFest also includes related events including the Flagpole Music Awards Thursday June 25th.