Creative Community Grant Program

This program annually awards $10,000 to local artists, arts organizations and groups involved in art or cultural programs. The purpose of the grant is to stimulate creative and innovative arts programming. Proposed projects can be any artistic discipline or combination of artistic media. These include the performing arts—dance, theater, music; folk arts—wood, ceramics, textiles; the literary arts—writing and poetry; and all forms of visual arts—photography, video, film, architecture, paintings, and sculpture. Projects may include public exhibits, performances, publications, and educational activities. Applications are due mid-February or early March with awards announced April 1.

Applications for the grant are reviewed by a Peer Review Panel comprised of the local arts community. Proposals are evaluated on the degree of community involvement and community benefit, artistic merit, creativity and innovation, ability of the applicant to complete the project, potential for growth and development, and the ability to provide matching funds. Awards will be for no less than $500 and no more than $5,000.

Click here for a Creative Community Grant Application

2011 Recipients

River Valley High School for Enhanced Visual Media Capabilities: The purchase of a Green Screen, an iMac computer, and a 24-inch color printer to produce videos and promotional materials for the purpose of creating inter-disciplinary projects that use visual media to educate, inform and entertain. The productions serve to teach students the powerful role of the visual arts in a technologically driven culture.

River Valley Players for a Community Choir: Drawing from a 50-mile radius, the choir will be comprised of all ages from high school and up, no matter what skill level. Directed by Jan Swenson, the work for public performance will be The Messiah. Other pieces may be performed also in concert. All will be free and open to the public.

Wyoming Valley School for Visual and Performing Arts Classes: Taught by local artists and experts, the summer series includes Kids Art for children 7-13; Children's Chorus Summer Camp for elementary school children; Artsbridge, an arts program that brings children from the Bayview Community Center, a multicultural neighborhood in Madison, together with children from the Spring Green area; and Saving Memories, the art of preserving old papers and photographs.

River Valley High School for a Show Choir: The purchase of show music, to pay a choreographer to work with students in dancing and acting, and to create costumes and stage sets for performances. A pops concert for public performance is scheduled for January 2012. Other venues will be scheduled including those where the Show Choir will be judged on attitude, teamwork and performance.

Taliesin Preservation, Inc for a Senior Citizen Visitation Program: Tea in the gardens at Taliesin and presentations and art activities at senior centers, residences and libraries in the Spring Green area. The themes are Wright Designed Buildings in Wisconsin and Wright's Love of Nature—His Architectural Inspiration. The program further encourages seniors to share their personal stories about Wright and Taliesin which will be recorded and used for educational and archival purposes.