Stage system at CPAC will get overhaul from Georgia Council for the Arts Grant

The Cedartown Performing Arts Center received a $75,000 grant from the Georgia Council for the Arts. The grant will fund a complete renovation of the stage system at the Cedartown Performing Arts Center.

The renovation will revamp the entire fly system of the performing arts center, ensuring many more years of safe operation. The structural stability of the system will be protected while adding additional safety features.

The completion of the stage renovation will give the Cedartown Performing Arts Center an increased capacity for backdrops, stage pieces, and equipment on the stage system. This will allow the event venue to fulfill the needs of various touring professional acts that require the hanging space as well as add to the overall experience of school district and community theater performances.

With a seating capacity of 940, the Cedartown Performing Arts Center is the only performing arts center in Polk County capable of holding more than 500 people. The renovations also include training on operating new equipment and will maintain the appearance of the stage and existing structure.

The Cedartown Performing Arts Center was built in 1976. During its operation, the venue has brought and continues to bring all forms of entertainment to the region.

From art galas, concerts, dramatic theatre and children’s summer camps to community presentations, events, and hosting school district productions, the Cedartown Performing Arts Center has been the cornerstone of entertainment and tourism in Polk County and surrounding areas for decades.

The Cultural Facilities grant supports the restoration or renovation of a building to be used for arts programming. As part of this year’s Cultural Facilities awards, 31 entities in 18 counties will receive $1.3 million in funding.

Atlanta United grant secures mini pitch for Cedartown

The Atlanta United Foundation and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) has awarded a $75,000 grant to the Boys and Girls Club of Northwest Georgia and the City of Cedartown. The grant was made possible by the GA 100 Initiative, a campaign aiming to create 100 mini-pitches across the state leading up to the 2026 World Cup in Atlanta.

The grant will be used to install a mini-pitch soccer field at the Boys and Girls Club of Cedartown. A mini-pitch field is ideal for urban areas. These small, customized, hard-court surfaces are perfectly suited for organized soccer programs and pick-up games. Mini-Pitches are surrounded by a rebound board system with integrated goals. They carry a much smaller footprint (60 x 104 feet) than regular pitch fields and creates more opportunity for ball contact and faster plays.

“The Boys & Girls Clubs has partnered with the City of Cedartown for approximately 20 years to serve hundreds of kids annually at our Cedartown Club,” said J.R. Davis, Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest Georgia CEO. “With the help of the LISC grant and some matching funds from the City of Cedartown, we will now be able to construct a new mini-pitch soccer field for this community to have expanded access to physical fitness, and we’re grateful for the support to help our youth”

Once completed, the field will provide the Boys and Girls Club and the City of Cedartown with the ability to improve the quality, safety and accessibility of local mini-pitch fields in the community. In addition, the field will create opportunities for education and recreation for youth served by the Boys and Girls Club, the surrounding neighborhood and the local school system.

The field should be installed by late spring 2023.