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Morton Theatre Corp Offers Grant Awards to Local Black Artists

Athens-Clarke County Unified Government

The Morton Theatre is offering a new award to area artists in an effort to amplify the Black Lives Matters movement. Thomas Brazzle, Head of Programming at the Morton Theatre Corporation, has more on the Defiance Project Award. 

 

“The Morton Theater has been there now, 110 years and we really wanted to become more of a beacon of the movement in Athens, it's right in downtown, there's a lot of history there from the very beginning with Pink Morton.”

Up to 10 awards of $500 each will be given out to a wide range of artists who identify as Black or African-American. They include photographers, studio artists, poetry artists, singers, musicians, dancers, and filmmakers. Brazzle says the awards are for those creating art that speaks to the social climate in the country today. 

“It came about from the Black Lives Matter movement and the social climate that’s happening in the country today, and we wanted to find a way to connect to the African-American or Black community here in Athens, Georgia, and the surrounding communities, by offering an opportunity to express themselves artistically.”

The artwork will be showcased online and in-person at the Lyndon House and the Morton Theatre when possible. Submissions are due October 31. Visit www.mortontheatre.com

 

Alexia Ridley joined WUGA as Television and Radio News Anchor and Reporter in 2013. When WUGA TV concluded operations, she became the primary Reporter for WUGA Radio. Alexia came to Athens from Macon where she served as the News Director and show host for WGXA TV. She's a career journalist and Savannah native hailing from the University of Michigan. However, Alexia considers herself an honorary UGA DAWG!