Paint Love, Cobb Collaborative, and Cobb PARKS hope to foster mental wellbeing through artistic expression by creating a six-part mural composed of 4×4 foot painted panels, illustrating mental health across different life phases. This transformative, community-driven public art installation will be installed in South Cobb County’s Discovery Park at the River Line.

The Common Stage will be partnering with 7 Stages Theater in Atlanta to launch “Show and Tell at the Commons,” a monthly live event in which participants are encouraged to bring an object and share with others the importance behind it. This grown-up version of a childhood activity is aimed at involving community members in the art and practice of storytelling while encouraging social connection and combatting loneliness.

The grant money received will support the three-month launch phase of this project, and The Common Stage hopes to establish this program as an ongoing series in Atlanta.

Atlanta artist Aysha Pennerman proposed the creation of a mixed-media mural located in Midtown Atlanta featuring 3D doves created by the community. Through a series of workshops, participants will paint dove figures and respond to the prompt, “What are you hopeful for?” The mural will combine these elements into a permanent public artwork focused on hope and unity. It aims to engage diverse groups and make community voices visible in a highly trafficked public space. The intended outcome is a large-scale, mixed-media public mural that incorporates traditional painting and community-created 3D doves. The artwork will reflect the collective voice of the community, visually centered around the theme of hope.

Scraplanta will partner with the Atlanta School of Burlesque to produce “Scraplesque,” a series of costume design programs that will challenge burlesque dancers to upcycle and thrift their looks for a production in January 2026. The workshops will culminate in a final showcase that will be an opportunity to highlight the scrappiness and creativity of the performers.

Workshops are intended to introduce community members to the basics of costuming. The workshop topics will be How to Deconstruct a Ball Gown, Sustainable and Cruelty-Free boas, Found Object Headpieces, and Hand Beading. The final showcase will be a joint fundraiser for both organizations, but the workshops are intended to engage folks across the creative reuse and performing arts communities.

Out on Film: Out On Film and Atlanta Pride are partnering to launch the Reel Resistance Summit & Fellowship, a new initiative that merges art, activism, and history to empower queer storytellers in Georgia. Taking place August 1–2, 2025, at Agnes Scott College, the Reel Resistance Summit will unite filmmakers, civil rights leaders, historians, and queer activists to explore the power of visual storytelling in preserving LGBTQ+ history and catalyzing social change.

Following the summit, Georgia-based filmmakers will be invited to apply to the Reel Resistance Fellowship, which will support five creators with stipends to produce 8–10 short films that archive Georgia’s vibrant LGBTQ+ history. Applications will open in November and December 2025, with filmmaking taking place from January 2 to March 31, 2026.