ATLANTA, GA — National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Jane Chu has approved more than $25 million in grants as part of the NEA’s first major funding announcement for fiscal year 2018.  Included in this announcement is an Art Works grant of $15,000 to the Atlanta Film Society for Atlanta Film Festival. The Art Works category is the NEA’s largest funding category and supports projects that focus on the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence, public engagement with diverse and excellent art, lifelong learning in the arts, and/or the strengthening of communities through the arts.

“It is energizing to see the impact that the arts are making throughout the United States. These NEA-supported projects, such as this one to the Atlanta Film Society, are good examples of how the arts build stronger and more vibrant communities, improve well-being, prepare our children to succeed, and increase the quality of our lives,” said NEA Chairman Jane Chu. “At the National Endowment for the Arts, we believe that all people should have access to the joy, opportunities and connections the arts bring.”

"We are ecstatic to receive this continued support from the NEA," said ATLFS Executive Director Christopher Escobar. "In a state that is known for some of the lowest arts funding in the country, we are so privileged to be able to have a greater community impact as a result of this endorsement and funding from the NEA."

Now celebrating it's 42nd year, the Atlanta Film Festival's primary goal is to showcasing the work of independent filmmakers and enrich the interests of film lovers throughout Atlanta. ATLFF's screenings include narrative, documentary, and experimental film as well as animation, puppetry, and musical works. In addition, the Creative Conference is made up of educational panels, workshops and masterclasses for artists and audiences on a variety of industry topics. 

For more information on projects included in the NEA grant announcement, visit www.arts.gov/news.
For more information on the Atlanta Film Society, visit www.atlantafilmsociety.org.
Stay connected with the Atlanta Film Society on social media: @AtlFilmSociety, #ATLFS
For more information on the Atlanta Film Festival, visit www.atlantafilmfestival.com.

About the Atlanta Film Society        
The Atlanta Film Society is one of the largest organizations dedicated to the promotion and education of film in the Southeastern United States. Enriching the community through screenings, classes, workshops and other events year-­round, including the Atlanta Film Society’s flagship program, the Atlanta Film Festival. One of only two dozen Academy Award­-qualifying events in the country, the Atlanta Film Festival annually showcases over 200 films along with a full Creative Conference focusing on various filmmaking topics to over 27,000 attendees across a ten day event each spring. The Atlanta Film Festival was recently named one of the “25 Coolest Film Festival in the World” and one of “50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee” by MovieMaker Magazine. Major funding for the Atlanta Film Society is provided by Turner, XFINITY, the Fulton County Board of Commissioners through the Fulton County Arts & Culture Department, MailChimp, Capital One and the National Endowment for the Arts.