Community arts groups receive grants
Several Bonner County groups were among those receiving grants from the Idaho Commission on the Arts.
The commission announced its Fiscal Year 2022 annual grants Monday, totaling $578,000 to 100 organizations and schools spanning 25 communities throughout the state. Organizations and schools receiving grants will match their awards with locally generated funds.
“We are grateful to Governor Little and the Idaho Legislature for their dedication to Idahoans’ rich artistic heritage," ICA Executive Director Michael Faison said in expressing appreciation to Idaho’s elected leaders for their support of the commission’s statewide services. "Through these grants and the programs they support, Idahoans of all ages in every region gain access to their cultural legacies and Idaho students enjoy creative learning opportunities in and out of school.”
In announcing the grants, Idaho Commission on the Arts Chair Steve Allred said the state's arts organizations contribute to the economic vitality of towns and cities across Idaho. "Arts and cultural production in Idaho accounts for $2 billion and 2.4% of our state economy and supports 21,371 jobs, 3,907 of them directly. Arts mean business.”
Among local grants received are:
Arts Education Project grants provide funding for activities that unite effective practices in education and the arts, and involve schools, artists, and community organizations. They support teaching and learning opportunities for pre-K through grade 12.
Entry Track grants and Public Programs in the Arts grants provide stable, ongoing support for the arts programs delivered by Idaho’s professional arts organizations. Funding for these programs strengthens our state culturally and economically, while providing Idahoans with the invaluable experiences of performances, gallery exhibits, special events, and workshops in all artistic disciplines. Successful applicants demonstrated exceptional artistic merit, clearly defined management, and the public value of their work.
Local grants include:
Arts Education Project grants
• Music Conservatory of Sandpoint, Sandpoint, $4,645
Public Programs in the Arts grants
• Arts Alliance (Creations for Sandpoint), Sandpoint, $5,107
• The Festival at Sandpoint, Sandpoint, $11,069
• Music Conservatory of Sandpoint, Sandpoint, $4,501
• The Panida Theater Committee, Sandpoint, $5,073
The Idaho Commission on the Arts is the official state agency for the support and development of the arts in Idaho. The Commission promotes excellence, education in the arts, access to the arts, and community investment in the arts. Its professional staff develops and administers the programs and services of the agency, assists grant applicants, and provides technical assistance.