Fulton County Arts & Culture director departs, more OCA grant delays

• Fulton County Arts & Culture

Fulton County Arts & Culture Director Michael Simanga is leaving his post after six years. Simanga, an artist and scholar, had also served as artistic director for the Southwest Arts Center, home to Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre Company. Calls by CL to FCAC about his departure and possible replacement have not yet been returned.

In September CL reported on a delay in the City of Atlanta's Office of Cultural Affairs grant cycle. Applications for the grants, formally known as Contracts for Arts Services, were released more than a month behind schedule. At the time, OCA director Camille Russell Love pointed to staffing changes as the reason for the lag — namely a Contracts For Arts Services project supervisor vacancy following Monica Prothro's transfer to facilities manager of Cyclorama earlier this year. Selena Harper has since been hired as CAS project coordinator.

When asked in September about a timeline, Love assured CL that the grants would still be awarded by the end of the year.

But on the phone today Love said, "We've slipped a little. The panels are being conducted now, we actually did the first one today for visual arts." Love says the panels will be completed by the end of January with the grant announcements happening in February. "We have less staff than we'd like," said Love about the new hire and the delay.