Ed Lawrence

Public Information Officer

              Grant awards have been announced for the Community Arts Development Program, a three year sequence of grants and technical assistance to organizations that provide year-round arts programming for integrating arts into their community. “This grant program is designed to give our start-up organizations a solid business foundation for long term success,” says Arts Council Executive Director Gerri Combs. “Organizational stability for arts groups in these underserved areas takes a lot more than the little seed money we have to offer.”

The first- year awards are $500 accompanied by targeted technical assistance in planning, board development and applying for non-profit status. Second-year awards are $1000 with technical assistance and on-site evaluations by Kentucky Peer Advisory Network consultants. Organizations match with $500 budgeted for IRS tax-exemption filing expenses, initiate the long range planning process and complete the incorporation process.  Third-year awards are $2000 with an organizational match of  $1,000 for implementation of the long-range plan for providing arts programming.

Starting with the FY2005 funding cycle, the Community Arts Development Program has been reduced from a five-year program to a three-year program.  Successful applicants previously on track for 4^th or 5^th year support received $4,000 or $5,000 and are required to provide 75% and 100% cash match respectively.  Once completing the Community Arts Development Program cycle, arts organizations are eligible to compete for the organizational support grant categories of General Operating Support or Challenge grants.

The next deadlines for the Community Arts Development Grant Program are October 1, 2004 for the required Intent to Apply form and January 15, 2005 for Application. For more information, contact Kentucky Arts Council Community Arts Program Director Amber Luallen at 1-888-833-2787 ext 4809 or Amber.Luallen@ky.gov .

The Kentucky Arts Council is a state agency in the Commerce Cabinet.  Working in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the Arts Council invests in programs that develop vibrant communities, provide lifelong education in the arts and support arts participation. Every $1 in grant funds awarded by the Kentucky Arts Council helps grantees secure $20 in earned income and matching funds from individuals, philanthropic sources and other levels of government.

EDITORS NOTE: See Kentucky Arts Council Web Newsroom www.artscouncil.ky.gov for complete Community Arts Development Grantees listing with brief descriptions and contact information for interviews.

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