Atlanta, GA – Georgia Council for the Arts, Georgia Humanities, Governor Brian P. Kemp, and First Lady Marty Kemp announced the recipients of the 10th annual Governor’s Awards for the Arts and Humanities to honor outstanding individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to Georgia through their work in the creative arts, a press release said.

Dad’s Garage was among the organizations selected for this prestigious honor, in recognition of our company’s efforts to support and grow the arts in Atlanta and beyond.

For the past 25 years, Dad’s Garage Theatre Co. has used comedy and laughter to explore important social themes while supporting the growth and development of artists early in their careers, the press release says. Actors, designers, directors, technicians, and administrators of Dad’s Garage have gone on to become leaders in their fields locally, nationally, and internationally.

“This award affirms the importance of supporting new and innovative work being done by emerging creative professionals,” says Dad’s Garage artistic director Tim Stoltenberg. “We believe that it’s vital to the entire arts ecosystem to have a place where artists can try something new, express themselves, succeed or fail without judgment, and hone their creative vision.”

Among the artists who got their start at Dad’s Garage are Lauren Gunderson, the most produced living playwright in the United States; television writer and producer Steve Yockey; Jon Carr, the executive producer of The Second City in Chicago; actress and voice over artist Amber Nash; and many other folks throughout our history. Dad’s Garage helped these creatives produce some of their first works, make industry connections, and strengthen the skills to launch their creative careers.

“It’s my honor to congratulate the individuals and organizations who have earned this year’s Governor’s Award for the Arts and Humanities and thank them for the contributions they have made to our state and culture,” said Governor Kemp. “These recipients are great examples of Georgia’s creative industries, which play a key role in the economic health of our state, not only providing jobs, but also contributing to our growing tourism numbers.”

Please click here to view the Dad’s Garage acceptance video for this award.

If you appreciate our work on this story, please become a paying supporter. For as little as $3 a month, you can help us keep you in the loop about your community. To become a supporter, click here. 

Want Decaturish delivered to your inbox every day? Sign up for our free newsletter by clicking here.