The 2021 Grant Award Recipients represent eleven different Forsyth County arts organizations, projects, or entities. In 2021, close to $40,000 was available to distribute, with awards generally ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 per project. The 2021 grant award recipients (in alphabetical order):

• City of Cumming – Cumming City Center Mural Project
• Forsyth County Arts and Learning (FoCAL) Center – Penguin Project Musical
• Forsyth County Public Library – Virtual author talks, virtual writing workshops, and arts programming
• Forsyth Philharmonic – Sheet music and instrument purchases
• Pianos for Peace – 2021 Pianos for Peace Festival and Community Arts programs
• Piney Grove Middle School – 7th grade spoken and written word enrichment class
• Sawnee Association of the Arts – Art Walk, Christmas Arts and Crafts Festival, and World of Art events
• Sawnee Ballet Theatre – 30th annual Nutcracker
• Soorya Foundation for Performing Arts – 2021 Forsyth Indian Dance Festival
• West Forsyth High School Band Boosters – Wolverine Classic marching band competition
• West Forsyth High School – Forsyth County Schools Art Honors Day

Due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the grant proposal plans as originally submitted to the FCAA in the Spring of 2020 had to be revised and in some cases reimagined almost entirely in order to be carried out safely. The FCAA has been very impressed at the courage and ingenuity of the many organizations and schools who continue to provide artistic outlets and opportunities in the community, despite the challenges of the current circumstances. Please note that in any cases where the proposed event or project is completely cancelled or the revised proposal is not approved, the FCAA will not be able to distribute those funds. However, the above-named awardees have all submitted successful grant applications and should be recognized for their accomplishment.

(Awards to 15 different projects totaling nearly $40,000)

• Alpharetta Symphony Orchestra – Concert and performance expenses
• Boys and Girls Clubs of Lanier – Fine arts enrichment (theatre) at Cumming Elementary School
• Cumming Arts Center (AKA Sawnee Association of the Arts) – Christmas Festival and Springtime Show
• Forsyth Central High School Theatre Dept. – World of Puppetry play
• Forsyth County Public Library – Little Rembrandts program and virtual author appearances
• Forsyth Philharmonic – Instrument and sheet music purchases
• Lambert High School – United Forsyth Orchestra Day
• North Forsyth High School – Science Ambassadors (STEAM program) art supplies
• Pianos for Peace – Administrative and artist expenses
• Sawnee Ballet Theatre – 29th Annual Nutcracker and Spring Concert expenses
• Sawnee Elementary School – Sawnee Show Stoppers drama club
• Soorya Foundation for Performing Arts – Cultural dance event
• West Forsyth High School – Art Honors Day

(10 Awards totaling $28,500)

• Alpharetta Symphony Orchestra
• Forsyth Central High School: 2020 Children’s World of Puppetry Production
• Forsyth County Public Library: Forsyth Reads Together
• Northside Hospital Forsyth Auxiliary: Healing Sounds
• Pianos for Peace Festival
• Sawnee Association of the Arts: Christmas Arts and Crafts Festival; Springtime in the City Exhibit and Art Market
• Sawnee Ballet Theatre: 28th Annual Nutcracker; Story Ballet Double Feature
• Strings of Mercy: Healing Forsyth Memory Care Initiative

2018 Grants (8 Awards totaling $28,500)

• FCPL (Forsyth County Public Library) Forsyth Reads Together: An Evening with Martha Hall Kelly
• Forsyth Central High School’s Children’s Puppetry Production
• Sawnee Ballet Theater: Cracking a New Nutcracker
• Sawnee Association of the Arts: The 15th Annual Christmas Arts & Crafts Festival at Lanier Tech
• Sawnee Ballet: The Beauty of Ballet
• Sawnee Association of the Arts: The SAA Fall Art & Craft Market
• Sawnee Association of the Arts: Springtime in the City
• Strings of Mercy: 6 Month Live Therapeutic Pilot Program

2017 Grants (7 Awards totaling $33,000)

• Forsyth County Public Library – Forsyth Reads Together
• Forsyth County Public Library – Sharon Forks Library Art Piece
• Northside Hospital Forsyth – Healing Sounds
• Sawnee Association of the Arts – 14th Annual Christmas Arts & Crafts Festival
• Sawnee Association of the Arts – Springtime in the City Fine Arts Show
• Sawnee Ballet Theater – Cracking a New Nutcracker
• Strings of Mercy – Healing Forsyth

2016 Grants Awarded (8 Awards Totaling: $30,500)

• Acting Troupe of Lambert High School – Lighting equipment
• Forsyth County Public Library – “Forsyth Reads Together – An Evening with Dennis Lehane”
• Literacy Forsyth – “Seminar Series”
• Sawnee Association of the Arts – “March Art Madness”
• Sawnee Association of the Arts – “Colors of the Fall”
• Sawnee Association of the Arts – “Christmas Arts & Crafts Festival at Lanier Tech”
• Shiloh Point Elementary School – “We Are All Connected Mural Project”
• Strings of Mercy – “Healing Forsyth”

2015 Grant Recipients – (8 Awards totaling $29,500.00)

• Forsyth County Library – An Evening with Kathryn Stockett
• Northside Hospital-Forsyth Auxiliary – Therapeutic Music Program
• University of North Georgia Symphony – North Georgia Symphony Orchestra
• Sawnee Association of the Arts – Colors of Fall and Through The Lens
• Vine Community Church – Art and Soul of North Georgia
• Sawnee Association of the Arts – March Art Madness Member Show and Sale
• Sawnee Association of the Arts – Christmas Arts and Crafts Festival
• Poole’s Mill Bridge Park – Welch’s Mills Signage Project

2014 Grant Recipients – (13 Awards totaling $67,215.00)

• Forsyth County Library – An Evening with Lisa See
• Northside Hospital-Forsyth Auxiliary – Therapeutic Music Program
• University of North Georgia – Excursion – connecting contemporary online art to Forsyth’s treasured locations
• University of North Georgia Symphony – North Georgia Symphony Orchestra
• Sawnee Association of the Arts – Colors of Fall and Through The Lens
• Vine Community Church – Art and Soul of North Georgia
• Forsyth County Library – Art panels at the Hampton Park Library
• Lanier Technical College – Mixed Media art display
• Riverwatch Middle School and PTA – Rock for the Arts
• Sawnee Association of the Arts – Christmas Arts and Crafts Festival
• Sounds of Sawnee Community Band – Symphonic Chines Acquisition
• Forsyth Central High School Drama Department – Children’s Drama and Art Experience
• Sawnee Association of the Arts – March Art Madness

(11 Awards totaling $48,860.00)

• Forsyth Central High School Drama Department – Children’s Drama and Art Experience
• Forsyth County Public Library – Historical Collage for Cumming Library
• Lanier Technical College – Media Art Display
• North Forsyth High School Drama Department – Seuss Produced!
• North Forsyth High School Fine Arts Department – Music Production Studio
• Northside Hospital – Forsyth Auxiliary – Music Therapy Program
• Riverwatch Middle School Drama Department – Riverwatch Middle/Lambert High Theater Productions
• Sawnee Artists Association – March Art Madness
• The Cumming Playhouse – Forsyth Youth Summer Orchestra Program
• University of North Georgia Department of Music – North Georgia Symphony Orchestra
• University of North Georgia Foundation – Poets/Authors Exhibit at Forsyth County Library

(9 Awards Totaling: $50,000)

• Cumming First United Methodist Church – Festival of Arts
• Cumming Playhouse – Theater Curtain Replacement
• Forsyth Central High School – Children’s Drama and Art Experience
• Forsyth County Public Library – Post Road Library Art Installations
• Lambert Allied Stampede Support Organization – Lambert Family Music Festival
• North Georgia Symphony Orchestra – Festival of the Arts
• Northside Hospital-Forsyth Auxiliary – Healing Sounds
• Sawnee Arts Association – Through the Lens and March Art Madness

• Forsyth County Parks and Recreation—“Sawnee Arts Festival” and “Eggstraordinary Outdoor Art Exhibit”
• Eggstraordinary Outdoor Art Exhibit – Humpus Bumpus
• South Forsyth Band Boosters—“Instruments for our Future”
• North Georgia College and State University—“Jazz in the Schools”
• Sawnee Ballet Theatre—“Costumes and Props”
• Sounds of Sawnee Concert Band—“Purchase equipment”
• North Georgia College and State University—“Symphony Orchestra Concert”
• Forsyth Central High School—“Theatre curtain replacement”
• Cumming First United Methodist Church—“Festival of Arts”
• Forsyth County Parks and Recreation Department—Big Creek Greenway Trail Art Project
• Forsyth Central High School Drama Department—“Children’s Play”
• Jesse’s House—Summer Dance and Jam”
• 1201/S400 Corporation—“Concert in the Quarry”
• North Georgia College and State University—“Jazz in the Schools”
• North Georgia College and State University—“North Georgia Symphony Orchestra”
• Northside Hospital-Forsyth Auxilary—“Therapeutic Music Program”
• Sawnee Arts Association—“Through the Lens”
• Sawnee Womens Club—“Culture for Kids”
• Whitlow Elementary School—“Whitlow Elementary Festival of Arts”
• Cumming First United Methodist Church—“Festival of Arts”
• Forsyth Central High School—“Children’s Play”
• Sawnee Arts Association—“Through the Lens Photography”
• Forsyth County Parks and Recreation—“The Story of Big Creek (phase 11)”
• North Georgia College and State University—“North Georgia Symphony Orchestra”
• The Cumming Playhouse—“Elevated Band Stand and Stage Flooring”
• North Georgia Chamber Orchestra—“December Concert”
• Northside Hospital-Forsyth Auxilary—“Therapeutic Music Program”
• Sawnee Arts Association—“11th Annual Bellazza Art Show”