The Vermont Arts Council has announced the recipients of 12 grants to be awarded to organizations providing art and cultural programming in Vermont. Projects ranging from the installation of HVAC and sound systems to rigging, lighting and room darkening equipment will be funded by these grants.
‘What sets this grant program apart from other grants the Council awards,’ said Alexander L. Aldrich, Executive Director, ‘is that the money goes to the most critical and yet most often invisible aspects of cultural activities. Audiences expect facilities to be accessible (entries and restrooms in particular); they expect lighting, sound, and projection systems to work; and they expect their venues to stay on top of the latest technological developments’all without creating a negative impact on the overall aesthetic expectations they have. The organizations receiving funding in this category have demonstrated a critical need and have the know-how and cultural background to make the most of this opportunity to ensure that, going forward, Vermont audiences will enjoy their programs for years to come.’
The Cultural Facilities Grant program is administered by the Vermont Arts Council in conjunction with the Vermont Historical Society and the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation. These grants are intended to help Vermont nonprofit organizations and municipalities enhance, create, or expand the capacity of an existing building to provide cultural activities for the public.
The awards went to:
All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church of West Brattleboro in Windham County
$1,515.00 to support the installation of a ramp at the main hall fire exit and to add an assistive listening system
Catamount Film and Arts of St. Johnsbury in Caledonia County
$30,000.00to support the purchase and installation of a digital theater system
City of Winooski in Chittenden County
$5,781.00 to support the installation of a ceiling-mounted projector and a dividing wall for the O'Brien Community Center's Community Room
Friends of the Wardsboro Library of Wardsboro in Windham County
$9,082.00 to support the installation of an HVAC system
Goddard College of Plainfield in Washington County
$30,000.00 to support the construction of ADA-compliant bathrooms and install light and sound systems in the Haybarn Theatre
Lamoille County Players of Hyde Park in Lamoille County
$13,710.00 to support the installation of air conditioning in the Hyde Park Opera House
Main Street Arts of Saxtons River in Windham County
$30,000.00 to support the installation of a sprinkler system that meets current fire code
Paramount Theatre of Rutland in Rutland County
$30,000.00 to support the installation of a projection, reception, and sound enhancement system
Pentangle Arts Council of Woodstock in Windsor County
$16,000.00 to support the replacement of rigging, lighting, and curtain elements in the historic Woodstock Town Hall Theatre
Pope Memorial Library of Danville in Caledonia County
$9,536.00 to support the installation of a new floor and room darkening curtains and to purchase a portable stage
Town of Huntington in Chittenden County
$28,942.00 to support the installation of a lift to improve accessibility to the second floor
Town of West Rutland in Rutland County
$30,000.00 to support the renovation of the basement bathrooms in the Town Hall Auditorium
Since 1964, the Vermont Arts Council has been the state’s primary provider of funding, advocacy and information for the arts in Vermont. It strives to increase public awareness of the positive role artists and arts organizations play in communities and to increase opportunities for Vermonters to experience the arts in everyday life. The Council is the only designated State Arts Agency in the U.S. that is also an independent nonprofit membership organization.
For more information on the programs and services of the Vermont Arts Council, visit www.vermontartscouncil.org.