Recently, the Wasatch County Arts council awarded eight arts grants totaling $6,500 to local art organizations to help them with their goals to have great art in Wasatch County.
This year’s grant recipients include, High Valley Arts, Heber Valley Choir and Orchestra, Midway Art Association, Heber Valley Cowboy Poetry, Wasatch Dance Center, Lee Music, and Applause. Projects funded for the 2016/2017 grant cycle include upgrading sound equipment, advertising costs, community concerts and facility improvements.
“We hope that by providing some funding for these types of projects will help already limited budgets to stretch further, and help these organizations to continue to succeed, and grow,” said Courtney Christensen, president of the WCAC.
Pam Weilenmann, with the Midway Art Association, said of the grant process, “It certainly is a pick me up incentive to do bigger efforts when we have such real, tangible support from your organization!”
Providing grants to local visual and performing arts groups is just one goal of arts council. In September 2014, the arts council was officially reorganized with a mission and vision to support and coordinate the efforts of all art organizations committed to Wasatch County as a premier destination for visual and performing arts.
From a series of community meetings with groups and individuals interested in the arts three goals were identified to help the arts council achieve their mission. First, establish scholarship and grant program to promote the education and training of upcoming and professional artist; second, sponsoring an annual Wasatch Arts Festival; finally, to open a Wasatch Community Arts Center for performing and visual arts by 2023.
“These goals will help us put the already great artistic talent in Wasatch County in the spotlight, and to create a place where people want to come to enjoy the arts,” said Christensen.
The WCAC receives major funding from the Wasatch County Council and is working on additional funding mechanisms through private donations and state and federal grant opportunities.
For more information on what’s happening in the arts in Wasatch County visit www.wasatchcountyarts.org and Facebook.com/WasatchCountyArts.