CEDAR CITY — Artists in Iron County can apply for mini grants from the Cedar City Arts Council for projects or needs that impact the community. The deadline for applications is Aug. 31.
Arts Council board member Mary Andersen told Cedar City News the mini grants are offered twice a year and can be used for any art.
“They are grants of up to $500 that are awarded to residents of Iron County who use them for quite a variety of artistic purposes,” Andersen said. “It can be anything that is considered the arts that will have some ultimate benefit or connection to the community.”
Funds for the grants come from Arts Council membership fees, grants the council receives from the state and RAP tax allocations. Some of the funding also comes from sponsorships or donations from local community members.
Andersen said the mini grants have been awarded to a variety of groups and individuals for things ranging from musical instruments to frames to hang artwork in local businesses. Some recipients have even used the grant award to attend workshops and bring information back to the community.
“We have helped schools with after-school projects that were outside of their budget,” Andersen cited as other examples. “We are helping with the art competition that is going to be in conjunction with the Livestock Festival in October.”
Most recently, one of the grants that was awarded in the spring went to Hanna Dawson for a cyanotype project, Andersen said.
“She’s making some handbound books of the flora around Iron County, and then she will donate one of the books to the (public) library and one to the university library,” she said.
Sara Penny, another Cedar City Arts Council board member, said Dawson used her grant to purchase equipment for producing photos at home.
“She spent her summer collecting specimens, and she bought a flower press with her grant money,” Penny said.
Aside from being able to purchase supplies for her project, Dawson told Cedar City News receiving the grant has helped to boost her confidence.
“It’s been really helpful for my confidence, which in itself helps me be out in the community,” Dawson said. “It made me feel like I could put my foot in the door and people would listen.”
The Full Tilt Boogie band was also awarded a grant in the spring to produce a CD, and the Un4gettable String Quartet used a grant for instrument repairs.
“Some people have gone to workshops, some people have brought in guest clinicians,” Penny said. “One of the grants was better lighting for the Frontier Homestead for their art exhibit – and of course that impacts people for years.”
Penny said the council’s mini grants are intended to support any form of art; however, the grants are not available for individuals or groups who have already received RAP tax funds.
“It supports all different kinds of things – dance, literature, music, visual arts,” Penny said. “It’s been a force for good for the community.”
For more examples of projects that have received funding or to apply for a mini grant, visit the Cedar City Arts Council website.
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