CLARKSVILLE – 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. A free grant workshop and information
session will be held in the auditorium of the Customs House Museum
(200 S Second Street, Clarksville TN) on Thursday, July 31, 2008, at
3:00pm for interested applicants. While this workshop is not
mandatory for applicants, first-time applicants are strongly
encouraged to attend.
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 to $3,000. 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 15, 2008, and June 15, 2009.
Interested applicants can download grant guidelines and an application
form on TAC's website at www.arts.state.tn.us/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 4:30 pm on Friday, August 29, 2008.
A representative from the applying organization should be present at
an open panel review on Thursday, October 2, 2008, 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, twelve groups in Montgomery, Dickson, Houston, Humphreys
and Stewart counties received some $16,159 in funding through these
grants (although the Arts & Heritage Development Council received
nearly $30,000 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 Diane Batson-Smith, Executive
Director of the Clarksville Arts Heritage Development Council, at
(931)551-8870 or artsandheritage@charter.net.