Schools, Community Groups Recieve $29,987 Through GCAC's Franklin County Neighborhood Arts Program

Production of the musical Groucho, A Life in Review. A series of five poetry workshops at the Southside Settlement House. And an exhibition of African-American student artwork.

What do these three events have in common? They all received a grant in December as part of the Greater Columbus Arts Council's Franklin County Neighborhood Arts program.

GCAC awarded a total of $29,987 to 17 organizations during its third round of grants for the 2007 Franklin County Neighborhood Arts program, an initiative designed to increase community participation in the arts throughout Franklin County.

The Franklin County Neighborhood Arts program assists neighborhood and community groups including amateur and avocational, traditional arts organizations, civic and neighborhood associations, guilds, social service organizations, youth centered and cultural organizations with specific arts projects in all disciplines, provided they are offered to the public. Programming that actively provides access to the arts for people of all cultural backgrounds, economic status, sexual orientation, age and physical ability receives priority consideration.

GCAC funds and administers the Franklin County Neighborhood Arts Program through its Community Arts Education Department. In 2007, GCAC has awarded a total of $71,910 to 49 organizations. The Franklin County Neighborhood Arts program is funded by the Franklin County Board of Commissioners and is also supported by a donation from Ashland Inc. The following is a list of organizations that will receive grants and the amount they will receive:

Organization / Amount:

• Bread and Circus Theatre Company / $1,500
• Columbus Gay Men's Chorus / $2,000
• Duxberry Park Arts IMPACT / $2,000
• Ecole Kenwood / $2,000
• First English Lutheran Church / $1,600
• Footsteps on Wings Dance Company / $1,000
• Fort Hayes PTA / $2,000
• Hixon Dance and shove gently dance / $2,000
• Southeast Inc. / $1,387
• Southside Settlement House / $2,000
• St. Stephan's Community House / $1,700
• The Spirituality Network, Inc. / $2,000
• Twin Rivers Chapters of Links / $1,000
• UCP of Central Ohio / $1,800
• Upper Arlington Community Orchestra / $2,000
• Vaud-Villities / $2,000
• Worthington Arts Council / $2,000

The deadline for the next round of Franklin County Neighborhood Arts grants is Friday, February 29. GCAC will hold two workshops to help organizations with their applications. The first workshop will be at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 31 at the King Arts Complex, and the second workshop will be at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, February 5 at GCAC's offices, 100 E. Broad St. To receive an application, contact GCAC by calling (614) 224-2606, by e-mailing info@gcac.org or click here to download the guidelines and application form.