ArtsNOW Announces New Projects in Barrow County Thanks to Grant Award from The Georgia Council for the Arts

At a red table, a woman in glasses, affiliated with ArtsNOW, assists children with an art activity. Holding a bowl of gray paint, she uses a spoon to apply it on paper while the kids watch eagerly. Amidst various art supplies and casual-clad youngsters—one wearing a mask—creativity flourishes under the Barrow County sky.

ArtsNOW and two schools in Barrow County have been selected as recipients of the Georgia Council for the Arts (GCA) 2025 Vibrant Communities and Cultural Facilities competitive grants, receiving part of the $1.4 million allocated to 69 entities across 51 counties statewide.

Through the Vibrant Communities Grant, ArtsNOW will expand its decade-long partnership with the Barrow County School System to provide new arts-integrated learning experiences for students and teachers.

Artful Afternoons at the Center for Innovative Teaching

With grant funding, ArtsNOW will launch "Artful Afternoons," a series of afterschool arts-integrated camps for elementary and middle school students at the Center for Innovative Teaching in Winder this year. The program will focus on arts-based problem-solving and real-world issues, guided by Barrow County Teacher Leaders and ArtsNOW consultants.

Artful Hawk Hallways at Holsenbeck Elementary

Holsenbeck Elementary will use the grant funding they received to host "Artful Hawk Hallways" in conjunction with ArtsNOW. This six-day visual arts residency will integrate the arts with educational standards and positive behavior. Students will create individual collages to contribute to a mixed-media installation, which will be displayed in the school’s hallway.

Say YES to the Arts at Yargo Elementary

Yargo Elementary School will use their funding to implement the "Say YES to the Arts" initiative, a six-day residency focused on increasing student engagement after the pandemic. ArtsNOW consultants will work with teachers to integrate arts-based lessons into the curriculum.

With the support from Georgia Council for the Arts, ArtsNOW will further strengthen its collaboration with Barrow County School System. Throughout these innovative projects, ArtsNOW will be able to enrich education and foster creativity in the community.

"With the Georgia Council for the Arts’ support, we’re not just enriching education in Barrow County—we’re opening doors to creativity that ignite new ways of learning, thinking, and connecting,” said ArtsNOW President & CEO Pamela Walker. “We’re excited to continue this journey with Barrow County, empowering students and teachers to reimagine what’s possible in, and beyond, the classroom.”