HUNTSVILLE – The arts are alive and well in Huntsville as evidenced by annual grants awarded Wednesday night to nearly two dozen nonprofits.
Arts Huntsville, with support from The Pei Ling Charitable Trust, celebrated the vibrant arts scene by honoring the 2024 Arts & Cultural Grant program recipients. Now in its 12th year, the program awarded grants to 22 Huntsville nonprofit arts organizations, fueling their community programming.
The Huntsville City Council awarded $300,000 in pass-through grant funding as part of the FY24 budget, and eligible local arts organizations completed detailed grant applications in the fall of 2023.
A citizen-grant panel with experience in varied artistic disciplines and representative of each of Huntsville’s five City Council districts reviewed the applications. The FY24 Arts & Cultural grant panel included: Kim Davis, District 1; Peggy Bilbro, District 2; Anna Castellanos, District 3; Lee Roop, District 4; and Wayne Bucknor, District 5. The panel convened in meetings in November and December 2023 to assess the grants and allocate the available city grant funds to eligible applicants.
“Vibrant, thriving cities are home to a dynamic arts community, and tonight we celebrate Huntsville’s innovative and growing arts and entertainment scene,’’ Allison Dillon-Jauken, Arts Huntsville executive director, said in a statement. “A record number of Huntsville residents and visitors are engaging with the arts thanks in large part to the Huntsville Arts & Cultural Grant Program, and this year’s grant-funded projects are projected to serve over 180,000 children and adults in 2024.”
As part of the State of the Arts event, Arts Huntsville announced Huntsville’s new Arts IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access) Grant Program. This $25,000 initiative, funded through the city’s FY24 budget, focuses on growing and supporting community-driven, neighborhood-based, culturally diverse, inclusive, and accessible arts programming.
Arts Huntsville is working with Huntsville’s DEI and Music Offices to implement the grant program.
“This innovative new funding initiative focuses on nurturing diverse, inclusive, and accessible arts experiences across Huntsville neighborhoods,” said Patrice Johnson, Arts Huntsville’s Arts Equity, Marketing and PR Manager. “We are excited to partner with the City’s DEI and Music Offices to support expanded access to arts experiences throughout the city.”
The winning organizations are: Above The Barre Dance Experience, $6,545; Alabama Youth Ballet Theatre, $13,352; Brass Band of Huntsville, $24,468; Broadway Theatre League of Huntsville, $12,409; Dance All Productions, $24,113; Fantasy Playhouse Children’s Theater, $7,750; Huntsville Chamber Music Guild, $17,394; Huntsville Community Chorus Association, $18,043; Huntsville Community Drumline, $19,053; Huntsville Concert Band, $3,591; Huntsville Literary Association, $2,474; Huntsville Master Chorale, $10,468; Huntsville Traditional Music Association, $3,882; Huntsville Youth Orchestra, $13,622; Independent Music Productions, $16,527; Inside Out Studio, $17,201; Maitland Arts Initiative, $15,685; Merrimack Hall Performing Arts Center, $16,022; Opera Huntsville, $19,558; Shenanigans Comedy Theatre, $11,812; Southern Fried Film Festival, $9,672; and Theatre Huntsville, $16,359.
Arts IDEA grant applications of $1,000 to $4,000 are open and will be reviewed in March, May, July, September, November, and January annually until all funds are expended for the year.
“The arts mean business in Huntsville and Madison County,” Dillon-Jauken said. “Tonight’s celebration underscores our community’s dedication to nurturing its vibrant arts scene. Investment in the arts not only enriches lives but also fuels economic growth and fosters a strong sense of community and belonging.
“Through initiatives like the Huntsville Arts & Cultural Grant and Arts IDEA Grant Programs and the AEP6 study, Huntsville embraces the arts as a vital force for a thriving future.”
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