Buddhist Building Board, South Valley Youth Ochestra are among
recipients
Arts Council Silicon Valley has awarded grants to 103 small to mid-sized arts groups. Despite the stagnant economy, Arts Council increased its award amount by 6.5 percent over 2002 for a total of $290,686 for theatre, dance, music and visual and literary art forms.
Fifty-eight arts groups were this year through the Community Arts Fund (CAF), for arts activities reflective of the multicultural region. The funding is for project support with an emphasis is on community-based, volunteer-driven organizations, such as Oriki Theatre, Arab Film Festival and Chinese Moon Festival. Groups with annual budgets from $6,000 to $100,000 can apply for grants up to $3,000.
Forty-five organizations received grants through the Organizational Enhancement Fund (OEF). OEF gives general operating support for administrative and artistic development for professional and semi-professional groups including MACLA, San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles and Community School of Music & Arts. Grants range from $5,000 to $8,000 for annual budgets of $100,000 to $2 million.
Grantees from Gilroy and Morgan Hill CAF: Theatre Angels Art League; $2,061; Morgan Hill Buddhist Building Board, $1,720; South Valley Youth Orchestra, $2,063.
“We’re very pleased to maintain and actually increase our support for the small to mid-size arts groups in the county,” said Bruce W. Davis, executive director of Arts Council Silicon Valley. “Times are tough and we remain committed to our grants programs and these emerging and mid-size groups.”
As a regional nonprofit arts agency, the Arts Council funds the largest number of arts organizations in the county through its grant programs. Applications are submitted for OEF in February and in March for CAF and are screened by ACSV staff for completeness and eligibility. A grants panel of community members representative of county demographics and professional expertise review the applicants and make a funding recommendation to the Arts Council Board of Trustees. Grants are distributed each year in July.
Incorporated in 1983, Arts Council Silicon Valley is celebrating its 20th anniversary as an independent regional arts agency, providing funding, advocacy and services to the region’s arts organizations and artists. As the official state/local partner with the California Arts Council and the County of Santa Clara, Arts Council Silicon Valley is now the largest nonprofit arts council in the state.
In the past 11 years the Arts Council has distributed $6.5 million to local arts and cultural organizations, individual artists, schools and community groups.
