Fox Theatre’s nonprofit grants $479K to help 13 historic theaters

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A dozen Georgia theaters and one in Alabama are receiving nearly $480,000 in grants from the Fox Theatre Institute.

The historic Peachtree Street theater's nonprofit arm, which offers financial assistance and operations advice to regional arts venues, recently announced the 2018-19 recipients. Chosen from more than 20 applications, this year's group includesthe largest grant given for a rehabilitation project and the first out-of-state theater to be awarded funds.

The FTI program has supported 47 projects totaling more than $1,370,800 in maintenance and physical improvement efforts since launching in 2008, a press release said.

“The geographical reach and sheer scope of these recipients and their impacted audiences encompasses the Fox Theatre Institute’s commitment to continually engaging new partners to fully maximize our organization’s financial support to other theaters throughout the region,” Leigh Burns, FTI director, said in a statement.

The $479,465 in awards are being distributed in three categories, as follows:

Recipients of the FTI Preservation Grant:

• Academy Theatre in Hapeville will receive $25,000 to purchase a main theater drape, theater seats, LED lighting and sound equipment.

• Grove Theatre in Atlanta will receive $100,000 — the largest grant FTI has given for a rehabilitation project statewide — to support the theater’s roof replacement and masonry repairs.

• Habersham Community Theatre in Clarkesville will receive $48,400 for a project that includes the stabilization of the building’s façade, a potential beam installation and historic brick and stucco repair.

• Waycross Area Community Theatre in Waycross will receive $19,625 in matching FTI grant funding to repair its HVAC equipment.

• Royal Theatre in Hogansville will receive $51,250 for a project that includes architecture plans and specifications for ongoing rehabilitation.

• The Plaza Theatre Arts Center in Eatonton will receive $66,400 to preserve the venue’s exterior façade.

• Warrenton Cultural Center in Warrenton will receive $17,600 to support the repair and replacement as needed for the roof of the cultural center.

• Winterville Auditorium in Warrenton will receive $47,500 for the installation of a soundproof wall with sound and lighting booth equipment.

Recipients of the FTI Historic Structures Studies or Planning Grant:

• Holly Theatre in Dahlonega will receive $6,600 to study structural areas of the stage and supporting backstage areas.

• Imperial Theatre in Augusta will receive $15,000 for a project that includes schematic plans and drawings to provide the scope for continuing preservation work.

• Sara O’Kelly Municipal Auditorium in Grantville will receive $32,190 for professional consulting and to plan for the rehabilitation and restoration of their historic auditorium.

FTI Urgent/Emergency Grant Recipients:

• Theatre Macon in Macon will receive: $25,000 to help fund the building’s “desperately needed” roof repair.

• Elba Theatre in Elba, Alabama will receive $25,000 toward the cost of roof repair.

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