DeKalb Council for the Arts Wins Award for Stone Mountain Project

The DeKalb Council for the Arts was recognized by the Georgia Assembly of Community Arts Agencies Tuesday for its work in helping establish the arts incubator project SMart, Inc. in downtown Stone Mountain.

Jack Sartain, co-founder of the council, was given GACAA's annual stART award at a luncheon during the GACAA conference in Athens. 

"We are proud to give your group DeKalb Council for the Arts, Inc., this award for your achievement in community arts programming and the innovative StART to changing your community through the arts," Nelah S. Gabler, a GACAA coordinator, said in an email to Sartain.

It's recognition of what "you and others are doing to bring the village to life and create the economic situation we need," Sartain said at a Stone Mountain city council Tuesday evening.

The arts incubator project in the village set up two galleries, Center Town Gallery and North Town Gallery, last year. The project allows artists to open and operate a business and requires them to take regular business classes. A third gallery, South Town, will open soon, and a fourth is planned.