Five area arts programs, including two in Liberty County and one in Long, have been selected for grants through the Grassroots Arts Program.
Golden Isles Arts and Humanities Association, which administers the program in this area announced the awards from the remaining fiscal year 2008 totaling $7,937. The awards included:
Liberty County
• Sams Memorial -- $1,000 for The Gathering at Geechee Kunda, a festival celebrating and preserving the history and culture of African Americans through music, food and dance.
• Sams Memorial -- $1,000 for Sugarcane Harvest, a demonstration of the cultivation, harvest and processing of sugarcane.
• Delta Sigma Theta Sorority -- $1,549 for Red Pizzazz and All That Jazz, a performance by Atlanta-based group Five Men on a Stool.
Long County
• UGA Cooperative Extension Services - $1,939 for Sailing through the Arts, a hands-on program where rural youth learn and explore different art genres.
The Wayne County also received two grants; one for a summer art camp for children and the other to host an exhibit of local artists' work.
The Grassroots Arts Program helps fund community-based art projects in every county in the state. The Georgia Legislature has appropriated GAP funds since 1993 to expand arts experiences and opportunities. GIAHA serves as the re-granting agency for the Georgia Council for the Arts for seven counties in Southeast Georgia: Bryan, Camden, Glynn, Liberty, Long, McIntosh and Wayne.  
For more information on the program or to attend any of the events, call GIAHA at (912) 262-6934 or visit its Web site, www.goldenislesarts.org.