Photo: Available light [theatre] performs then | after | water, which opened to rave reviews in November. Photo by Kim Rottmayer.

GCAC Awards Project Support Grants

The Greater Columbus Arts Council Board of Trustees in late November announced approval of 26 Project Support grants, which provide funding for specific activities that are distinguishable from an organization's ongoing operations and programming. In addition to listing all awards given, GCAC would like to highlight one standout organization from this most recent round of grants.

Spotlight - Available light [theatre]
Available light [theatre], seeking Project Support funding for the first time, was among six organizations that scored the highest during the review process with 18 out of 20 possible points.

Available light [theatre], based in Columbus, Ohio, produces a broad range of programming, primarily focused on original works created by local artists, as well as regional premieres of important new works from playwrights from Off-Broadway and around the globe.

The organization began when Matt Slaybaugh founded the BlueForms Theatre Group in 2002. BlueForms was acclaimed by the Central Ohio Theatre Critics Circle and the Cincinnati Fringe Festival and in late 2004 was named one of the "hippest, hottest companies in America" by American Theatre magazine.

In early 2006, after BlueForms became inactive, Slaybaugh founded Available light [theatre] with several former BlueForms members. The group quickly built upon BlueForms' reputation for original work. Available light also started the Theatreforte FREE Play Reading Series, which regularly presents significant new plays in a casual atmosphere with ample opportunity for audience members to directly interact with the company and guest artists. Starting with late 2007, Available light [theatre] has headed into its first full season of activity.

GCAC's Project Support grant to Available Light [theatre] will support two Columbus premier productions in the upcoming season.

Total Grants Awarded
GCAC awarded $268,491 in Project Support grants to the following organizations:

Name / Project / Award

• Actors' Theatre of Columbus / Cool Classic Series / $4,495
• Asian Festival / 2008 Asian Festival / $15,620
• Available light [theatre] / Two Columbus Premiere Productions / $3,550
• BalletMet / Summer Series / $17,750
• CATCO / Three Productions: Crowns, Drawer Boy, Doubt / $61,200
• Columbus Dance Theatre / Columbus Dance Theatre WOSU Performance Series / $11,895
• Columbus Jewish Community Center / Artist in Residence - David Moss / $3,876
• Columbus Jewish Film Festival / Columbus Jewish Film Festival / $3,100
• COSI / "Art@COSI": Phase II Tech& Innovation @ COSI / $25,500
• CSCC Development Foundation / Downtown Digitial Arts Festival / $2,310
• Dept of Theater, OSU / Exhibition: The Artists of Notting Hill Carnival / $10,714
• Film Council of Greater Columbus / Columbus International Film & Video Festival / 1,395
• Gallery Players / South Pacific / $2,100
• Kristina Isabelle / Environmental Tones / $5,432
• Lima Company Memorial / Lima Company Memorial / $2,936
• MadLab Theatre / The Angels of Lemnos / $924
• Ohio Designer Craftsman / Best of 2008 / $5,202
• Ohioana Library Association / 2008 Ohioana Book Festival / $10,675
• Opera Columbus / The Mikado / $17,750
• OSU School of Music / Contemporary Music Festival 2008 $12,200
• ProMusica Chamber Orchestra / Thurber's Dogs Project / $20,130
• ROY G BIV / 2008 Exhibition Season / $4,309
• Senior Repertory of Ohio / Tuesdays with Morrie / $1,543
• Six String Concert / Six String Concert Inc. / $2,485
• Thurber House / Expansion of Education Programming / $15,300
• Women in Music / Cantilena Concerts / $6,100

Grants guidelines, application deadlines, and application forms for the next round of Project Support grants are available on GCAC's Web site. The next deadline for Project Support grants will be in April.