GCAC Awards First Round of 2008 Franklin County Neighborhood Arts Grants

Twenty-one community organizations, including Haven of Hope Cancer Foundation, the Westerville Symphony at Otterbein College, Swaranjali and more, received a total of $26,471 in April as part of the Greater Columbus Arts Council's 2008 Franklin County Neighborhood Arts program.

The Franklin County Neighborhood Arts program supports neighborhood and community groups including both avocational and professional arts organizations, civic and neighborhood associations, guilds, social service organizations, youth centered and cultural organizations with public arts projects in all disciplines. 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.

The Franklin County Neighborhood Arts program is funded by the Franklin County Board of Commissioners and is supported by a donation from Ashland Inc. Each year, GCAC awards three rounds of grants as part of the program. In 2007, GCAC awarded $71,910 to 48 organizations.

Examples of projects from the first round of grants this year include: arts workshops and classes for cancer survivors, presented by Haven of Hope Cancer Foundation; the Westerville Symphony’s Celebrate Westerville 150th anniversary concert; and a classical Indian dance concert, presented by Swaranjali.

The following is a full list of organizations that will receive grants and the amount they will receive:

Organization/Amount

• Bread and Circus Theatre Company / $1,161
• Columbus Women's Chorus / $600
• Community Development for All People Corporation / $2,000
• Friends of Town Hall / $1,000
• Greater Hilltop Community Theater / $1,000
• Grimaldi Circus Kids / $1,000
• Haven of Hope Cancer Foundation / $1,620
• La Charanga Tres / $2,000
• Music on the Hill / $2,000
• Native American Indian Center of Central Ohio / $2,000
• New Albany Symphony Orchestra / $1,000
• Ohio Alliance for Arts Education / $1,000
• Ohio Hispanic Fine Arts Association / $750
• The Singing Buckeyes / $1,000
• Swaranjali / $2,000
• Thiossane Institute, Inc. / $1,000
• TUPACO Dance / $2,000
• Upper Arlington Cultural Arts Commission / $1,000
• Westerville Community Bands / $1,000
• Westerville Symphony at Otterbein College / $1,000
• Worthington Chorus / $340

The deadline for the second round of 2008 Franklin County Neighborhood Arts grants is this Fri., May 30. To receive an application, contact GCAC by calling (614) 224-2606, by e-mailing info@gcac.org or by visiting www.gcac.org to download the guidelines and application form.