Press releases [Oct. 16, 2012]

Specialty License Plate to Support Arts in Georgia
Atlanta, October 16, 2012 Georgia has a new way to show support for the creative industry throughout the state. Georgia Council for the Arts invites all state motor vehicle owners to support the arts by purchasing an arts specialty plate. The agency is currently accepting reservations for the plate which has been approved for manufacture by the motor vehicle division of the Georgia Department of Revenue. The fee to reserve the arts plate is $25 which will be applied towards the total cost of $80 once one-thousand reservations have been received by GCA. The plate reservation fee does not include motor vehicle ad valorem taxes which are determined by the Department of Revenue. Ten dollars from the sales of each plate will generate an additional source of revenue for the state arts agency which will use the funds to support arts programs in communities statewide.
The arts specialty plate was designed by renowned Georgia artist Steve Penley and features the image of General James Oglethorpe who settled Georgia. "General Oglethorpe was a humanitarian, visionary and social reformer," said Karen Paty, director of Georgia Council for the Arts. "In that same spirit of Oglethorpe's idealized Georgia, we believe that the arts call each of us to build a stronger, healthier and more connected state. We invite all Georgians to join us in the awareness campaign to explore the arts in Georgia, and support the arts by purchasing a license plate that will benefit the creative industry in our state."
In order for the production of the arts plate to begin, one thousand reservations must be received. Forms to reserve a plate are available on the GCA website and must be mailed back to GCA accompanied by the $25 reservation fee. Personalized, or "vanity" plates are not available. The tag numbers are issued randomly and requests for specific numbers cannot be honored. In addition to the forms, complete details are also available via the agency website.
The design for the arts specialty plate was conceived and created by one of the most renowned artists in the United States Steve Penley. He has created vividly drawn and immediately recognizable works of art for more than twenty years. Valued by collectors around the world, his subject matter has included historical icons such as presidents and celebrities, national landmarks such as the statue of liberty and, most recently, a mural depicting the 2012 Olympics.

"Georgia Council for the Arts appreciates the generous contributions of Steve's time and talent to this project," added Paty. "Having an iconic image created by Steve Penley on our license plate will help bring increased awareness to not only the cultural vitality of Georgia, but also to the impact of the arts in our state."
Penley's art is featured in museums and galleries in Atlanta, Washington, D.C. and New York as well as in many public and private collections. In 2000, he received a Georgia Author of the Year award for his first book, Penley. His work has also appeared in many notable books, many of which have increased in value due to his contribution.
Georgia Council for the Arts is a division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development that provides support for nonprofit arts organizations throughout the state. Established in 1965 as the Georgia Commission on the Arts, its mission is to encourage excellence in the arts, support the arts many forms of expressions and make the arts available to all Georgians by providing funding, leadership, programming and other services. Funding for Georgia Council for the Arts is provided by appropriations from the Georgia General Assembly, the National Endowment for the Arts and other private and public sources.
Download a hi-res image of the arts specialty plate.
To request a hi-res image of Steve Penley, contact Jhai James via the information below.