Atlanta, GA
New Atlanta arts budget highlights shortfall in funding
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — The Atlanta City Council passed a $2 million budget on Tuesday to fund arts organizations in metro Atlanta, the same budget as last year.
The state of the arts in Atlanta isn’t good, according to advocates who say funding challenges are making it harder for Atlanta to maintain its position as a cultural center.
“Atlanta likes to call itself the ‘Cultural Capital of the South,’” said Laura Hennighausen of Arts Capital Atlanta. “Unfortunately, we don’t have the capital to make that the case.”
Arts Capital Atlanta is a nonprofit of more than 200 metro arts organizations trying to raise awareness about Georgia’s arts spending. About 50% of the organizations in Arts Capital Atlanta have budgets under $150,000.
The funding crisis stems from the COVID-19 pandemic and nationwide spending cuts.
“The difference in Georgia is that most other states reinstated that funding a couple of years later, and Georgia didn’t,” Hennighausen said.
With a budget surplus, the state isn’t hurting for cash, but political considerations have affected funding. Some arts organizations found themselves cut from National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grants.
“Anything about the Revolutionary War or the founding fathers is getting preference,” Hennighausen said.
The preference relates to America’s 250th birthday. In Fulton County, there are also new forms to fill out to qualify for funding.
“We now have to fill out an E-Verify immigration affidavit,” she said.
Metro Atlanta’s 11 counties receive $1.96 per capita in funding, below the national average of $5.54.
The battle for funds is constant, with organizations raising money to raise more money.
“I think we always feel like Sisyphus, because we are always fundraising and needing funds to do our work,” Hennighausen said.
Despite the challenges, Hennighausen believes there is reason to hope.
“We did see Fulton County increase its funding last year back to 2020 levels,” she said.
Hennighausen believes continued advocacy can restore emphasis on culture.
“I think most people realize how low we are compared to the rest of the nation,” she said.
Copyright 2026 WANF. All rights reserved.
Atlanta, GA
The Best Vintage Shops in Atlanta
Vogue’s guide to the best vintage stores in Atlanta is part of our directory of the very best vintage around the world, curated by editors from all over. Whether you’re traveling and searching for some superb stores to visit on your trip or are curious about your local vintage treasure chests, Vogue’s directory has you covered.
Come to Atlanta for its southern charm and lush greenery, stay for its vintage. The Hollywood of the South has a lot more than on-set locations and an upcoming roster of FIFA World Cup games, and whether exploring shops along the Beltline, losing your voice at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, or itching for the eccentric pleasures of a roadside antique mall, these vintage gems make the journey to the A more than worth it.
Photo: Courtesy of The Clothing Warehouse
Dutch field pants, netted shirts, prairie dresses, and a floor-to-ceiling selection of cowboy boots are a few of the many goods awaiting your search at this Atlanta mainstay. Opened by Jim Buckley in 1992, the Clothing Warehouse now calls the hipster Little 5 Points home. Its redbrick exterior is hard to miss—head upstairs for womenswear and union-made dresses, then downstairs to a room of seriously color-coded tees—it’s likely you will find plenty of Atlanta history in the form of 1996 Summer Olympics shirts. Plus, its wholesale location is a 15-minute drive away in West Midtown, if you’re up for an afternoon dig.
Address: 420 Moreland Ave NE, Atlanta
At the vintage and makers market Mother Lode, there’s something for every lover of old things. Founder Lindsay Short’s estate sale background is well-reflected in the shop’s range of garments, decor, and wares. Find 1930s beach pajamas beside bowling shirts and Edwardian tunics at Fellows Vintage’s booth, or ’60s wedding dresses that seem more Factory Girl than bride-to-be from Iron Pony. The hunt continues at Mother Lode’s sister location in college town Athens, which opened in 2023.
Address: 3429 Covington Hwy Ste B, Decatur
Monet Brewerton-Palmer first got her love for bridal from her grandmother, who was a shop seamstress. Then, after shopping for her own wedding dress in 2014 and ending up with four, her interest (and personal collection) only grew. Now, Brewerton-Palmer offers brides an array of dresses by Vera Wang, Oscar de la Renta, Catherine Rayner, and more. Standout pieces include a 1959 one-of-one from Jacques Heim, a silk rose-covered Christian Dior for the romantic, and a fur-accented Muriel Martin for the nontraditionalist.
Atlanta, GA
Former Atlanta principal back at his old school as its new handyman:
Retirement did not last long for one Atlanta school principal.
After 10 years leading Burgess Peterson Academy, David White is back, and this time he’s making sure everything inside the school’s building runs smoothly.
White retired last September from being the school’s principal, but home didn’t suit him for long.
“I found myself really kind of lonely and disconnected,” White said. “I had lost my sense of community, for sure, so when this position became available, I kind of laughed because I used to say that it would be the perfect retirement job.”
White applied for the open site manager position and got the job. Now he enjoys being back in the same halls that bring him joy.
He is six weeks into the new job.
“I find myself now always looking to see if there are lights that are burned out, if there are issues that need to be addressed,” said White. “There’s always the need for touch-up painting, right? Because kids have dirty little hands, and they love to pick paint.”
During CBS News Atlanta’s visit, White was repairing a broken lightbulb in the boy’s bathroom.
“The light started flickering, like, just blinking off and on, and so of course the kids were saying it was haunted,” he said.
Around the school, his impact hasn’t faded.
Students and staff light up when they see him.
“It’s been really great to see their excitement to be here every day and to see Mr. White,” said principal Dr. Holly Brookins. “I really feel that having him back has added so much value to our community, and it’s really been a joyful thing for all of us.”
With a tool belt and new titles, White proves that no matter the role, some people never stop showing up for the places they love.
Atlanta, GA
APS bus struck by stray bullet in southwest Atlanta; 2 children injured, police say
A shooting in southwest Atlanta on Wednesday afternoon left a young man injured and sent glass flying inside an Atlanta Public Schools bus carrying children.
Atlanta Police say officers responded around 3:10 p.m. to a report of a person shot in the 2600 block of Campbellton Road SW.
When officers arrived, they found a 20-year-old man with an apparent gunshot wound. He was alert, conscious, and breathing when he was transported to the hospital.
As investigators began piecing together what happened, they discovered the violence had extended beyond the initial shooting scene.
Police say an Atlanta Public Schools bus was struck by a stray bullet during the incident, shattering one of its windows.
At the time, only the driver and two students were on board.
The children suffered minor scratches from the broken glass, according to police. The bus driver was not injured.
No further details have been released about the condition of the shooting victim or what led to the gunfire.
Atlanta Police say investigators with the Aggravated Assault Unit are working to determine the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
The investigation remains ongoing.
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