Atlanta, GA

New Atlanta arts budget highlights shortfall in funding

Published

5 months ago

January 22, 2026

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.

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Atlanta, GA

Robbie Ray leads SF Giants over Atlanta for first winning homestand since April

Published

1 hour ago

June 28, 2026

Press Room

Robbie Ray leads SF Giants over Atlanta for first winning homestand since April

SAN FRANCISCO — Robbie Ray was everything the Giants could ask for on Sunday afternoon at Oracle Park.

In a performance that continued a strong recent stretch, the 34-year-old went eight innings and gave up a single unearned run, leading San Francisco to a 3-2 win.

It was an outing that will only increase potential interest in Ray at the upcoming MLB trade deadline, one where the Giants figure to be busy after ending their first winning homestand since April with a record of 35-48.

The Braves, who remain in first place in the NL East, are 49-33.

Ray was perfect through four innings until Matt Olson broke up his run of 12 consecutive batters retired with a single to center to lead off the fifth.

His shutout bid was ruined in the eighth when Michael Harris II drove in Eli White with a sacrifice fly, but Ray buckled down and retired Ozzie Albies with a popup to center to end the inning.

The Giants got on the board when Luis Arraez scored in the sixth on an infield single by Rafael Devers, running home when Austin Riley’s throw bounced off Olson’s glove and trickled away from him down the right-field line. They scored again when Albies threw the ball past Olson on Jung Hoo Lee’s grounder to the right side, allowing Heliot Ramos to score.

Ramos made his return from a right quad strain Sunday and played in his first game with the Giants since May 15.

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Atlanta, GA

Would you work here? Georgia’s top office has been revealed

Published

11 hours ago

June 28, 2026

Press Room

Would you work here? Georgia’s top office has been revealed

A new survey suggests that if Georgia workers could choose any office in the state to work from, many would pick Chick-fil-A’s headquarters in Atlanta.

The survey from Resume.io asked more than 3,000 workers nationwide to identify the workplaces they would most like to work from if location were not a factor.

Participants were instructed to judge the office environment itself rather than salary, benefits, company culture or employer reputation.

Among Georgia locations, the Chick-fil-A Support Center ranked highest, followed by Porsche Cars North America’s headquarters in Atlanta.

Chick-fil-A tops Georgia list

The Atlanta-based Chick-fil-A Support Center ranked No. 17 nationally in the survey.

Researchers highlighted the campus-style setting, which includes landscaped grounds, gardens, walking trails and visitor experiences. The workplace was noted for having a more retreat-like atmosphere than a traditional office tower.

The support center serves as the corporate headquarters for the restaurant chain founded by S. Truett Cathy.

Porsche headquarters also earns recognition

Coming in at No. 30 nationally was the headquarters of Porsche Cars North America.

Located in metro Atlanta, the campus is home to the Porsche Experience Center and includes a driver development track, simulators, event space, training facilities and a vehicle restoration workshop.

The survey described the site as a workplace that immerses employees in the brand’s automotive culture.

What workers want from an office

According to Resume.io, respondents were asked to focus strictly on the physical workplace environment when making their selections.

The survey comes as many employers continue balancing in-office, hybrid and remote work arrangements.

Amanda Augustine, a career expert with Resume.io, said employee expectations have changed as flexible work has become more common.

“If people are going to spend time commuting and working onsite, the experience has to offer something more than a desk and fluorescent lighting,” Augustine said.

Which offices ranked highest nationwide?

Nationally, the top-ranked workplace was Bloomberg’s headquarters in New York City.

Other offices appearing near the top of the list included the PGA TOUR Global Home in Florida, Servco Pacific’s headquarters in Hawaii, Google’s St. John’s Terminal in New York and TikTok’s U.S. Data Security office in Arizona.

Georgia was one of only a handful of states to place two workplaces among the survey’s top 30 most desirable offices.

For more information, visit resume.io.

Vanessa Johns is the Trending Topics Reporter for the Deep South Connect Team Georgia, covering food and entertainment. Email her at Vcountryman@gannett.com.

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