Vermont Business Magazine Burlington City Arts is pleased to announce 13 recipients of the 2021 BCA Community Fund Grants. The City of Burlington launched the grant program in 2016 to foster a vibrant creative community and encourage equity and inclusion through the arts by supporting projects that benefit a broad public. This year, the program also aims to help artists recover from and adapt projects for Covid-19.
“Bringing back successful programs like the BCA Community Fund Grants is more important than ever as our work in the recovery continues. These funded projects will bring joy and healing to the community and new vibrancy to spaces across the city, from senior living facilities to whole neighborhoods. I look forward to the new work our local artists will create with the support of these grants," says Mayor Miro Weinberger.
“Burlington is dependent on the arts to foster a healthy vibrant community,” said Burlington South District City Councilor Joan Shannon. “As we come out of our Covid dormancy, this is another sign that we are coming back to life. I am grateful to Burlington City Arts and all of our artists for invigorating the fabric of our community culture and look forward to enjoying each of these projects, performances and displays.”
This is the fifth year that The BCA Community Fund will distribute $35,000 to eligible artists and arts organizations based in the City of Burlington. Of the 36 proposals received, 36% were funded.
“The proposals we received this year really reflected the creative generosity that has come to define Burlington-based artists over this very difficult period,” says Sara Katz, Assistant Director for Burlington City Arts. “Artists have been and will continue to be there for this community.”
More information about Community Fund projects can be found on BCA’s website.
Projects are reviewed and selected by an independent grant panel comprised of Burlington residents, representation from local arts organizations, and arts professionals with expertise in a range of artistic disciplines. New panels are formed for each grant round and selections are based on criteria provided for applicants prior to submission.
Due to Covid-19, the 2020 Community Grant Fund round was postponed. Instead, in April of 2020, BCA and the BCA Foundation fundraised for and administered an Artist Relief Fund that supported 81 artists working in all media with emergency grants of up to $500 each.
2021 Community Fund Grantees:
Bhutanese Nepali Cultural Heritage Dance Group of Vermont: $3,000
To support the Bhutanese Nepali Cultural Heritage Dance Group of VT teach folk and modern Nepali dance to 15-20 youth from the Burlington area’s Bhutanese Nepali refugee community and to provide a safe, welcoming (now virtual) space for youth to gather, speak/learn Nepali, and explore/share their cultural heritage with a diverse audience.
Brian Perkins: $2,400
To support the creation of a booklet of photographic portraits and musical notations based on children’s interviews with elders in the Burlington Bhutanese/Nepali community. The Old North End Neighborhood Band will perform the music at public events in Burlington.
Lydia Kern: $3,000
To support an outdoor art show and celebration of work created by adults with disabilities in the Burlington area, through a partnership with Homebase Inc., Howard Community Services, and Northwest Counseling and Support Services. The grant will also support one adult with disabilities in learning how to plan and facilitate her own craft-making workshop, and co-facilitating two outdoor workshops for 13 peers.
Carolyn Sandoval: $3,000
To support Burlington’s Foul Contending Rebels Theater Cooperative’s (FCR) production of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet in August of 2021, which aims to explore questions of grief and recovery which have been raised by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Alissa Faber: $2,700
To support students at the alternative high school program, Ontop, start a screen printing business, learn the process of silk screen printing and graphic design art, and create a sustainable business plan to make and market their print ideas to the Burlington community.
Greater Burlington Children's Chorus: $3,000
To support Project Serenade, an initiative of the Youth Opera Workshop, developed in response to the COVID pandemic, offering outdoor performances by teen opera singers to isolated residents at senior living centers.
Corinne Yonce: $3,000
To support Voices of Home, specifically to support outdoor art and story display that will build community amongst the residents of Juniper House and Laurentide Apartments, two new affordable developments in Burlington's Cambrian Rise, and the production of a 7-10-minute video that will highlight voices from both communities.
Big Heavy World: $3,000
To gather the recorded voices of dozens of Vermont musicians and their portrait and live photographs to create a 40'-long cloth mural & soundtrack commemorating Vermont's music community during the time of COVID-19.
Burlington Writers Workshop: $1,500
To support The Burlington Writers Workshop’s efforts to expand their mission to offer educational opportunities that foster emerging writers of all backgrounds and abilities, and offer a series of Master Classes focused on writing excellence and the efforts needed to get work published.
Matt Hagen: $3,000
To produce Vinyl Vermont, an album of Vermont musicians with a focus on BIPOC and female artists that showcases the talented diversity and culture found in the Vermont music community.
VT Stage Picnic Plays: $3,000
To support Vermont Stage’s reopening with two outdoor theater productions, Popcorn Falls by James Hindman and Maytag Virgin by Audrey Cefaly.
Michael Rakoto Razafy: $2,200
To support Michael Rakoto Razafy sharing his music and culture from the magical island of Madagascar with school children at several Burlington School District elementary school classrooms.
Shawn Dumont: $2,200
To support the Shelter Cultivation Project, a gallery exhibition and pop up shop featuring contemporary artwork and unique handcrafted product from emerging and established artists from Vermont and around the globe.
About Burlington City Arts
Burlington City Arts is dedicated to connecting community to the arts through creation, experimentation, and education in all forms of contemporary art. BCA offers exhibitions, special events, classes, workshops, and many other activities in Burlington.