Vermont Council On The Arts Inc

Programs: Community development program provides grants and services to support efforts by communities to make the arts part of everyday life and to increase public awareness of the positive role played by artists and arts organizations in their communities. 60 grants were awarded to arts organizations, artists, and communities, including the third year of three-year unrestricted operating grant program for arts partners. Grant-seekers and cultural facilities workshops were held. An access consultant helped cultural facilities applicants with access issues in their applications. Public art programs included the funding of 5 community public art projects through animating infrastructure grants and two projects began design development through the vt art in state buildings program. The second year of "the agile nonprofit", a new program to provide professional development to arts organizations, was completed with a focus on accessibility and inclusion. Technical assistance grants were provided to 4 organizations.

arts creation and presentation program provides grants and services to support the development of vermont artists and arts organizations and to provide greater opportunities for the creation and presentation of excellent work. 42 grants were awarded to artists and arts organizations for professional development and creative projects. "breaking in to business" helped artists with a focus on winning public art commissions. Grant-seeker workshops, local arts administrator networking meetings and other workshops were held. Sculpture garden and office gallery exhibits showed the work of vermont artists, and were included in the local first friday art walks.

public awareness and advocacy program strives to increase public awareness and support for the essential role artists and arts organizations play in vermont's economic and community development and quality of life. The council advocates on the local, state and national level to increase public investment in the arts and arts education and to provide input on public policies affecting the cultural sector. Electronic promotional outreach includes an online arts calendar and arts directory, a bi-weekly e-newsletter artmail, arts alerts and constituent notices. The council also contributed its use of social media networking (facebook, twitter, youtube) for outreach and engagement with constituents. An annual meeting was held which was open to all. An annual awards ceremony was held which recognized 6 outstanding people for their service to the arts; a governor's award for excellence in the arts, the cerf medal for outstanding achievement, the mcculloch-lovell award in arts education, the kannenstine award for arts advocacy, and the arthur williams award for meritorious service were given. The annual report was published and made available in both print and online. The work of the vermont creative network was continued with the establishment of 6 creative zones.

arts education program provides grants and services to promote high quality arts education and lifelong learning in and through the arts. 71 grants were awarded to schools and non-profit organizations. Partnership and operating grants awarded in the community development program (see 4a) also serve arts education in their communities. Grant-seeker workshops were held. More than 5,000 students participated in a statewide poetry recitation contest for high-school students, with the state finals winner participating in the national competition. Outreach to rural, underserved schools continued, with head start grants and training provided to teaching artists. A collaboration with vsa arts resulted in training in arts education integration through universal design for teaching artists. The cultivation of working relationships with partner-schools and organizations continued.