The Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts was awarded a $10,000 General Operating Support Grant from the Georgia Council for the Arts (GCA), the Georgia Department of Economic Development team specialized in empowering arts and culture, for fiscal year 2027.

The grant provides funding for operating support to nonprofit arts organizations. As part of this year’s General Operating Support awards, 90 entities in 25 counties will receive $1.3 million in funding.

“Through high-quality arts and cultural events, Georgia’s nonprofit arts organizations foster economic vitality in their communities and provide opportunities for young people to grow and connect,” said GCA Director Tina Lilly. “These grant funds will relieve some of the burden of operating expenses, allowing the recipients to focus on their primary mission. We are grateful to the Georgia General Assembly for providing this support.”

GCA received applications from arts organizations from across the state, including performing arts centers, museums, galleries, amphitheaters, and music festivals. General Operating Support Grants are available to arts organizations for eligible operating expenses like rent, utilities, programming expenses, and marketing.

"The Lowndes-Valdosta Arts Commission Board, the Turner Center Staff, and I are deeply grateful to receive this grant award as a vote of confidence in our mission and an investment in the future of our community," said Executive Director Sementha Mathews, Ph.D. "This funding helps sustain our six-facility campus—including the newly opened Children's Imagination Station—and the arts, educational programs, and cultural resources that serve residents throughout our region. We are proud to foster creativity, lifelong learning, cultural awareness, and meaningful community dialogue while strengthening Valdosta's identity as a vibrant cultural destination for generations to come."

Funding for these grants is provided through appropriations from the Georgia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts. GCA uses Peer Review Panels to evaluate applications following standard practices set by the National Endowment for the Arts. Panelists are GCA Council members and fellow professionals who are experienced in the arts discipline or type of grant being reviewed, or are citizens with a record of arts activities, experience, and knowledge.

For more information about the Turner Center offerings and the Children’s Imagination Station, visit www.turnercenter.org.