Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s youngest and oldest will soon have more opportunities to learn and socialize through painting, storytelling, dance, music, and other arts programming supported by grants from the Vermont Arts Council.
“Arts education not only provides opportunities to learn new creative skills, it also helps us to connect with others and bring purpose and joy. We’re excited to be able to support these innovative programs across Vermont to develop artistic skills and deepen social engagement,” said Vermont Arts Council Executive Director Susan Evans McClure.
Twelve organizations received a total of $50,000 in funding through the Council’s Creative Aging grant program, which awards grants of up to $6,000 to support skill-based instruction alongside opportunities for social engagement and community building in and through the arts for older adults. Eligible applicants are non-profits with 501(c)(3) status, such as arts organizations, libraries, senior centers, area agencies on aging, or social service organizations.
Among the funded projects are creative movement and circus arts instruction in St. Johnsbury; clay, photography, printmaking, and writing classes in Lamoille County; movement for Parkinson’s classes in Burlington; and ceramics, fiber arts, and more in White River Junction.
A full listing of supported programs can be found at https://www.vermontartscouncil.org/grants/organizations/creative-aging.
The Council’s creative aging initiatives are made possible by a grant from the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies in partnership with E.A. Michelson Philanthropy. This includes partnerships with Clemmons Family Farm and Teaching Artists Connect to expand the capacity of teaching artists and organizations to lead creative aging programming and to expand culturally responsive engagements for older adults in the state.
For the much younger set, six organizations received a total of $30,000 in funding through the Council’s Early Childhood Arts Partnership grant program, which awards grants of up to $6,000 to support early education programs with direct opportunities to help children and families gain an appreciation for the arts and be better prepared for school. Eligible applicants are non-profit organizations with 501(c)(3) status, such as arts organizations, Head Start centers, or social service organizations as well as public schools/districts with preschools.
Among the funded projects are visual arts and movement residences in Brattleboro; a dramatic literacy residency in Waitsfield; arts-integrated residencies in Albany and North Troy; and yoga and puppetry workshops in Bennington and Rutland counties.
A full listing of supported programs can be found at https://www.vermontartscouncil.org/grants/find-a-grant/organizations/early-childhood-arts-partnership/
About the Vermont Arts Council
The Vermont Arts Council envisions a Vermont where all people have access to the arts and creativity in their lives, education, and communities. Engagement with the arts transforms individuals, connects us more deeply to each other, energizes the economy, and sustains the vibrant cultural landscape that makes Vermont a great place to live. Since 1965, the Council has been the state's primary provider of funding, advocacy, and information for the arts in Vermont. Learn more at www.vermontartscouncil.org
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