Atlanta’s arts funding is shockingly low. Hear what one gallery owner thinks.

Dwight Elliston, the Atlanta curator and owner of Elliston Fine Art gallery, speaks with the UATL podcast crew about a surprising truth: Georgia ranks last in state arts funding — just 14 cents per capita, which is drastically lower than neighboring Southern states, according to a 2025 report by the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies. So what keeps artists coming? “It’s the community,” Elliston says. "But, there's also the halo effect of Atlanta being the hub of entertainment."