Nearly 200 arts and cultural organizations across Fulton County will share $3 million in grant funding after the Board of Commissioners voted on July 15, to approve the awards through the county's Contracts for Services program.

Sandy Springs is among the communities set to benefit. The city applied in January for a $50,000 grant to expand free events at City Springs, including the annual Juneteenth Celebration and the Blue Stone Arts and Music Festival. Whether that application was approved has not been publicly confirmed.

The $2.86 million approved on July 15 will be supplemented by an additional $142,357 expected later, bringing the total to $3 million for fiscal year 2026, according to county records reported by WSB-TV. The money flows to 200 organizations across 14 categories: nonprofit arts groups, cultural institutions, colleges and universities, municipalities, and community-based organizations. Individual awards range from $1,000 to $50,000.

Board of Commissioners Chairman Robb Pitts said the investments strengthen communities, expand access to creative opportunities for residents of all ages, and reflect the county's continued commitment to supporting arts across Fulton County.

The funding marks a full recovery for the program. In a prior fiscal year, commissioners slashed arts funding from $3 million to $1.3 million to address federally mandated repairs at the Fulton County Jail following a Department of Justice investigation. On September 17, 2025, the board voted unanimously to restore the $3 million level.

William Haggett, executive director of the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center at City Springs, said in January, when the City Council authorized the grant application, that "the need for additional resources to maintain the high quality of the events has become more pressing." Since City Springs opened in 2018, the venue has expanded community engagement through a growing slate of free programming.

In the prior funding cycle, Sandy Springs received two county arts awards totaling $27,500. The city's January application sought nearly double that amount, with a proposed $50,000 city match that would create a combined $100,000 investment in local arts programming.

This year's funding cycle also launches the Veterans Creative Arts Pool, a new dedicated source for organizations providing creative arts programs to Fulton County veterans and their families.

David Manuel, Fulton County's arts and culture director, said in December 2025 that the Contracts for Services program strengthens the county's creative community and expands access to meaningful arts experiences.

The full list of 2026 grant recipients has not been publicly released. Residents can visit fultoncountyga.gov for program details and citysprings.com for upcoming Sandy Springs performing arts events and programming schedules.