VERMONT COUNCIL ON THE ARTS INC

COMMUNITY ARTS PROGRAMS PROVIDE GRANTS AND SERVICES TO STRENGTHEN VERMONT COMMUNITIES THROUGH ARTS AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES, AND TO INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE POSITIVE ROLE PLAYED BY ARTISTS AND ARTS ORGANIZATIONS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. GRANTS WERE AWARDED TO 131 INDIVIDUALS AND 235 ORGANIZATIONS IN EVERY COUNTY. PUBLIC ART PROGRAMS INCLUDED 11 ANIMATING INFRASTRUCTURE GRANTS THAT SUPPORTED PROJECTS INTEGRATING ART INTO COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE. CULTURAL FACILITIES GRANTS ENABLED 19 CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS TO MAKE CRITICAL UPGRADES TO EXISTING BUILDINGS OR TO MAKE PUBLIC ARTS FACILITIES SAFE, ACCESSIBLE, AND WELCOMING TO PATRONS WITH DISABILITIES. UNPRECEDENTED ONE-TIME FUNDING FROM THE STATE ENABLED THE ARTS COUNCIL TO OFFER THE CREATIVE FUTURES GRANT PROGRAM FOR CREATIVE SECTOR ENTITIES THAT SUSTAINED ECONOMIC HARM DUE TO THE PANDEMIC.THE VERMONT CREATIVE NETWORK (VCN), A COALITION OF INDIVIDUAL CREATIVES, LOCAL AND REGIONAL PLANNERS AND POLICYMAKERS, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONALS, AND CULTURAL AND NONPROFIT LEADERS FORMED IN 2016, CONVENED STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS TO ADVANCE VERMONT'S CREATIVE ECONOMY. THE COUNCIL ALSO CONTINUED TO SERVE AS A FOUNDING PARTNER IN VERMONT'S STATEWIDE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS NETWORK FOR THE ARTS AND CULTURAL SECTOR AND PROVIDED EXTENSIVE FLOOD RELIEF SUPPORT TO ORGANIZATIONS AND ARTISTS, INCLUDING AN ARTIST FLOOD RELIEF GRANT PROGRAM WITH PRIVATE FUNDING WHICH DISTRIBUTED $62,756 TO 39 ARTISTS IMPACTED BY THE FLOODS.

ARTS EDUCATION PROGRAMS PROVIDE GRANTS AND SERVICES TO PROMOTE HIGH QUALITY ARTS EDUCATION AND LIFELONG LEARNING IN AND THROUGH THE ARTS. 29 GRANTS WERE AWARDED TO SCHOOLS AND NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING 6 HEAD START PARTNERSHIP GRANTS TO BRING ARTS-INTEGRATED LEARNING TO VERMONT'S MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS. OPERATING GRANTS AWARDED IN THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (SEE 4A) ALSO SERVE STUDENTS BY SUPPORTING ARTS EDUCATION IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. THE COUNCIL AWARDED 17 GRANTS TO ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDING ARTS PROGRAMMING TO OLDER ADULTS THROUGH THE NEW CREATIVE AGING INITIATIVE. MORE THAN 2,900 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN A STATEWIDE POETRY RECITATION CONTEST FOR HIGH-SCHOOL STUDENTS. ARTS EDUCATION PROGRAMS INCLUDE OUTREACH TO RURAL, UNDERSERVED SCHOOLS, AND SUPPORT PROVIDED TO TEACHING ARTISTS, INCLUDING MAINTENANCE OF A STATEWIDE TEACHING ARTIST ROSTER AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS.