The Fox Theatre Institute proudly announces 13 grant recipients of the 2017-18 Historic Preservation, Historic Structure Studies or Planning, and Technical Assistance and Service grants completing a record-breaking year of giving totaling $470,541 including the previously announced Urgent/Emergency Need grants. These grants allow Georgia’s historic theaters or structures to receive much needed financial assistance, restoration support, and operations mentoring.
 
As part of its ongoing commitment to Georgia’s historic theaters, the Fox Theatre’s newly expanded 2017-18 FTI grant program seeks to provide significant economic and cultural impact to local communities across the state. FTI is part of the Fox Theatre’s overall strategic plan to further increase its impact and outreach.
 
“In less than a decade, the Fox Theatre Institute has truly flourished and brought our goals to life allowing greater access for the arts throughout the state of Georgia,” said Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Fox Theatre, Inc. Adina Erwin. “Historic preservation will mobilize greater economic development through the positive rehabilitation of our partner theaters. By increasing our financial commitments to historic preservation and implementation of specialized grant categories, we hope to make this our most impactful year for the Fox Theatre Institute.”
 
The 2017-18 FTI Grant Recipients are as follows:
 
FTI Preservation Grant: Also known as the ‘brick and mortar’ grant, this annual grant assists theaters in completing projects that directly affect the integrity of the building or structure itself.
 
Averitt Center for the Arts (Statesboro), Amount to receive: $18,819 – The Averitt Center for the Arts provides an array of dance, theater, music and visual arts. FTI financial assistance will support the instillation of necessary lighting upgrades to the Emma Kelly Theatre. The Emma Kelly Theatre is part of the larger Averitt Center for the Arts complex in historic downtown Statesboro.
 
Colquitt County Arts Center (Moultrie), Amount to receive: $14,640 – Colquitt County Arts Center was transformed from the old Moultrie High School and currently provides visual and performing arts to Moultrie. With the FTI grant, the historic theater will assist with the upgrading of light and sound equipment to enhance the patron experience. This is the first FTI grant for Colquitt County Arts Center.
 
Dixie Theatre (Swainsboro), Amount to receive: $61,576 – First opened to the public in 1934, the FTI grant will support the Dixie Theatre’s economic development project allowing for repairs to the stucco and historic plaster, window and door instillation, as well as other important rehabilitation steps in their long-term commitment to preserving the community landmark.
 
Imperial Theatre (Augusta), Amount to receive: $25,000 – The Imperial Theatre is a 853-seat theater that opened nearly 100 years ago. The Imperial Theatre will utilize the FTI grant to repair the historic plaster within the interior of the theatre. This is the second FTI grant the Imperial Theatre has received.
 
Madison-Morgan Cultural Center (Madison), Amount to receive: $16,195 – Madison-Morgan Cultural Center offers performing and visual arts in the heart of the historic district of Madison. FTI financial assistance will support the repair and replacement of the seating fabric within the theater to improve the patron experience in the auditorium. This is the second FTI grant Madison-Morgan Cultural Center has received.
 
7 Stages (Atlanta), Amount to receive: $50,000 – 7 Stages is a nonprofit theater that hosts a range of shows on two stages in Atlanta’s Little 5 Points area. 7 Stages shares an ongoing commitment of historic preservation in the diverse, growing theater community in the heart of Atlanta. The FTI grant will help to restore the marquee and support necessary HVAC and system repairs.
 
Tift Theatre (Tifton), Amount to receive: $77,027 – Tift Theatre opened in 1937 with the premiere performance of “Pennies From Heaven.” The Tift Theatre will utilize its first grant from FTI to repair and restore the interior seating of the theater. The grant to Tift Theatre is FTI’s largest single-amount grant awarded in the history of the program.
 
Winterville Auditorium (Winterville), Amount to receive: $55,476 – The Winterville Auditorium is a defining community landmark in Winterville, Georgia. The Winterville Auditorium will receive necessary funding to install new sound and lighting systems as well as other support systems for its ongoing historic theatre rehabilitation efforts. This is the first major grant Winterville Auditorium will receive from a private organization.
 
FTI Historic Structures Studies or Planning Grant: Recipients will receive support to complete a historic structure study or assistance in planning. Additionally, FTI will provide guidance on the study, including implementation process planning and securing project experts.
 
Festival Hall (Greensboro), Amount to receive: $1,250 – Festival Hall is a performing and visual arts facility in historic downtown Greensboro. FTI funds will secure consulting services to assess and support necessary additional space planning for the historic auditorium. Festival Hall previously received Urgent/Emergency Grant funds from FTI.
 
Grove Theatre (Atlanta), Amount to receive: $20,000 – The Grove Theatre is part of the development project of the Grove Park Foundation for the City of Atlanta. FTI funds will support the services of a specialized historic preservation architectural firm to perform feasibility studies for the Grove Theatre.
 
Habersham Community Theatre (Clarkesville), Amount to receive: $3,900 – Habersham Community Theatre showcases a variety of shows ranging from children productions to dinner theater performances. Partners at the Habersham Community Theatre will utilize FTI grant funding to pursue an architectural study. The architectural study will determine the repairs needed to restore the historic marquee. Additionally, the study will identify needed stucco repairs and façade restoration.
 
Royal Theatre (Hogansville), Amount to receive: $29,125 – Constructed in 1937, the historic Royal Theatre has functioned as Hogansville’s City Hall since 1980. With the financial support of the FTI grant, the Royal Theatre will move forward with architectural planning to support ongoing preservation efforts.
 
FTI Periodic Technical Assistance and Services Grant:  – Recipients will receive direct access to experts and resources to meet a range of specific technical, organizational or operational needs.
 
Grand Opera House (Macon), Amount to receive: $23,500 – The Grand Opera house is a prominent architectural and community landmark of downtown Macon. With the FTI grant, the Grand Opera House will pursue a comprehensive historic assets study. The study will explore if the venue’s second balcony, an intact and historic African-American seating section, could be expanded. This would turn the Grand Opera House into an over 1,200-seat venue.
 
“It is such an honor to support these historic theaters beyond the much needed financial assistance. The Fox Theatre Institute offers others a successful model on how to thrive as a historical theater and an active entertainment destination,” said Leigh Burns, director of the Fox Theatre Institute. “This is a grant program is singular to itself. It is unlike any other, in that it is solely invested in preserving theaters and structures to ensure a positive economic development. I’m excited to see how these organizations will serve as a catalyst to positively impact the financial revenue of the surrounding community as well as grow access to the performing arts.”