May 21, 2001                    

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF STATE, DIVISION OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS AWARDS OVER $74,000 IN MONROE COUNTY GRANTS

Monica Haskell, president of the Monroe Council of the Arts, announces the award of seven cultural grants totaling $74,464 to organizations throughout Monroe County in the first major funding round of fiscal year 2001-02 by the Florida Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, the state arts agency.

These grants support a wide range of cultural activities, from providing general operating support or funding for specific projects to funding arts education programs in county schools.  They support cultural endeavors ranging from museum exhibitions to theatrical and musical performances, artist residencies, and much more.  This funding has a dramatic, positive impact on Monroe County residents: it will help preserve and develop a rich cultural environment and ensure that the arts continue to enhance the economic and social development of our community.

These grants have been awarded after deliberations in over fifteen different, competitive application review meetings.

Monroe County grantees in this round are as follows:

Key West Symphony Orchestra, Inc., $5,196; Keys Communication Group, Inc., 10^th Annual Key West Theatre Festival, $5,307; Monroe Council of the Arts Corp., Art Behind Bars 2002, $11,909; Monroe Council of the Arts Corp., Arts Access 2002, $6,992; Monroe Council of the Arts Corp., general program support, $16,231; Red Barn Actors’ Studio, Inc., $17,354; and Tennessee Williams Fine Arts Center Founders’ Society, general program support, $11,475.

Grant announcements for the following programs will be announced later this year:  Cultural Facilities, Challenge Grant, Cultural Endowment, International Cultural Exchange, Individual Artist Fellowships, Quarterly Grant Assistance, and Underserved Arts Communities Assistance.

To be eligible to receive a Division grant (with some specific exceptions) an applicant organization must be a nonprofit, tax-exempt Florida corporation according to chapter 617, Florida Statutes, and be designated by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4); or be a public entity governed by a county, municipality, school district, community college, college, university, or agency of state government.

Photo caption L to R: Art Behind Bars executive director Lynne Vantriglia, Art Behind Bars board of directors president Hon. Ruth Becker, and Monroe County Sheriff Richard Roth cut the cake at the Art Behind Bars 6^th Birthday Party (a Monroe Council of the Arts ArtReach project), September 10, 2000, Pier House Resort, Key West.

For more information, call Hal Howland at 852-1469 ext. 4369, 743-0079 ext. 4369, or 295-4369; or visit the MCAC web site, www.keysarts.com.