Clarksville, TN – The Clarksville Arts & Heritage Development Council invites organizations seeking funding for artistic and cultural projects that benefit the community to apply for an Arts Build Communities (ABC) grant.
Arts Build Communities (ABC) is a program funded by the Tennessee General Assembly and administered by the Clarksville Arts & Heritage Development Council (AHDC) in cooperation with the Tennessee Arts Commission (TAC). ABC grants offer financial support for arts projects in all disciplines such as dance, music, opera/musical theater, theater, visual arts, design arts, crafts, photography, media arts, literature, interdisciplinary, and folk arts.
Funds awarded to a single organization in this grant category range from $500.00 to $2,000. Eligible organizations in the counties of Montgomery, Dickson, Houston, Humphreys and Stewart can apply for these grant funds. In order to be eligible, applicants must be state-recognized, non-profit (501c3) organizations or government entities (including public schools and libraries) and must be able to provide a dollar-for-dollar match toward the single proposed project.
In addition, the proposed project or program must occur between October 15th, 2011, and June 15th, 2012. Any organization currently receiving Major Cultural Institution, Cultural Education Partnership, or Partnership Support funding from the Tennessee Arts Commission in FY2011-2012 is not eligible to apply for an Arts Build Communities grant.
Interested applicants can download grant guidelines and an application form on TAC’s website at www.tn.gov/arts/community_arts_abc.htm.
Completed ABC applications can be either mailed or hand-delivered to the Clarksville Arts & Heritage Development Council; mailed applications must be postmarked by 4:30pm on Wednesday, August 31st, 2011. A representative from the applying organization should be present at an open panel review on Tuesday, October 4th, 2011, at the Customs House Museum in Clarksville to answer questions that may arise about the application or proposed project. Awards will then be announced in mid-October.
Last year, fourteen organizations in Montgomery, Dickson, Houston, Humphreys and Stewart counties received some $16,159 in funding through these grants (although the Clarksville Arts & Heritage Development Council received over $33,000 in requests, making it a very competitive year). Since ABC awards are not restricted to arts organizations, this grant program brings the arts to a larger segment of the community through arts projects at public schools, libraries, and other service organizations.
For more information, please contact Ellen Kanervo, Executive Director of the Clarksville Arts & Heritage Development Council, at 931.551.8870 or artsandheritage@cdelightband.net.
