News

Board Approves Grants for Artists, Cultural Groups

(Updated at 1:00 p.m.) The County Board has voted unanimously to follow the recommendation of the Arlington Commission for the Arts, approving $249,100 in grants for local artists and art organizations.

Of the 33 direct financial support application the Commission received, it recommended the Board approve 25 of them. All 25 recommended grant recipients are Arlington arts organizations or individual artists.

The Commission recommends three types of support for the arts — general operating grants, project grants and spotlight grants. General operating grants help organizations with the cost of overall administration and program offerings. Project grants assist organizations or individual artists with completing a specific project. Spotlight grants go to individual artists for their development and presentation of innovative new arts projects or programs.

The largest allocations of funds will go to Signature Theatre and Synetic Theatre, both slated to receive $45,000. Arlington Arts Center receives the next largest sum, at more than $20,000.

WSC Avant Bard is set to receive $18,077.71, but county staff noted that funds for the theater company are contingent on a management transition that’s currently underway.

“Avant Bard is in a transition period that has caused them to restructure their board and reconfigure their season,” staff wrote. “While staff and the Arts Commission firmly believe that WSC Avant Bard will be successful in this process, and are providing them with assistance through our non-profit resource center, our intention is to withhold their financial grant until progress is ensured and their first performance has been scheduled.”

The funds were appropriated in the County Board’s FY 2013 adopted operating budget for Arlington Economic Development. See the full list of monetary grants, after the jump.

  • American Century Theater — $7,728.66 (plus $7,500 for “managing director salary support”)
  • Arlington Artists’ Alliance — $250.00
  • Arlington Arts Center — $20,718.16
  • Arlington Children’s Chorus — $250.00
  • Arlington Philharmonic — $1,322.10
  • Arlington Players — $4,581.38
  • Ballet Nova Center for Dance — $7,313.11
  • Bowen McCauley Dance — $18,285.78
  • Dominion Stage — $1,354.84
  • Educational Theatre Company — $6,073.02
  • Encore Stage & Studio — $12,670.57
  • IBIS: A Chamber Music Society — $2,928.91
  • Jane Franklin Dance — $2,732.64
  • Metropolitan Chorus — $3,721.44
  • National Chamber Ensemble — $3,706.75
  • Prelude: The Arlington Youth Orchestral Program — $520.23
  • Signature Theatre — $45,000.00
  • Synetic Theatre, Inc. — $45,000.00
  • Teatro de la Luna — $17,667.96
  • UrbanArias — $7,504.48
  • Washington Balalaika Society — $4,192.26
  • WSC Avant Bard — $18,077.71
  • Gankhuyag Natsang (individual artist) — $5,000
  • David Carlson (individual artist) — $5,000