News…

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Commission on the Arts and the West Virginia Division of Culture and History are awarding more than $1.26 million in competitive grants to 55 organizations and 25 individual artists across the state.

Individual artists, nonprofit arts and community organizations, public educational institutions, school boards, local or county government agencies and colleges and universities are eligible for these funds, which are provided by the West Virginia Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts.

A complete list of grant recipients is included below. For more information about the grant process, contact Arts Director Renée Margocee at (304) 558-0240, Renee.Margocee@wv.gov or visit the division’s website at www.wvculture.org.

The West Virginia Division of Culture and History is an agency within the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts with Kay Goodwin, Cabinet Secretary. The division, led by Commissioner Randall Reid-Smith, brings together the past, present and future through programs and services focusing on archives and history, arts, historic preservation and museums. For more information about the division’s programs, events and sites, visit www.wvculture.org. The Division of Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

ARTS IN EDUCATION

Provides funding for in-school and out-of-school curriculum-based arts projects that meet the state Content Standards and Objectives, and tours that expose students in pre-K through 12th grade to various performing, literary and visual artists.
Total:$104,655

Greenbrier County Schools, Lewisburg, Greenbrier County: $27,745 for artist/professional fees, lodging, study guides, and transportation for students for “Spotlight on Schools” and “Creative Classrooms.”

High Rocks Educational Corporation, Hillsboro, Pocahontas County: $9,560 for artist/professional fees, travel costs, supplies, and materials for “Camp Steele Arts Programming,” “New Beginnings Arts Programming” and “Song School.”

Kanawha County Schools, Charleston, Kanawha County: $5,000 for contracted artist/professional fees for “Earth’s Quilt: Common Threads” tour.

Marshall County Schools, Moundsville, Marshall County: $12,050 for contracted artist/professional fees and travel costs for “Exploring the Curriculum and Imagination through Dance and Poetry.”

Mid-Ohio Valley Symphony Society, dba WVSO-Parkersburg, Parkersburg, Wood County: $10,500 for contracted artist/professional fees and travel costs for Young People’s Concerts, including “Rumplestiltskin” and “Tubby the Tuba.”

The Old Brick Playhouse Company, Elkins, Randolph County: $15,000 for contracted artist/professional fees and project supplies/materials for “Textitude – An Adventure in Positive Thinking” school tour.

West Virginia Professional Dance Company, Beckley, Raleigh County: $15,000 for contracted artist/professional fees and travel costs for “Earth’s Quilt: Common Threads” tour.

West Virginia Symphony Orchestra Inc., Charleston, Kanawha County: $5,000 for contracted artist/professional fees and travel costs for “Life Is Better With Music: Montclair String Quartet Tour FY2015.”

West Virginia Youth Symphony, Charleston, Kanawha County: $4,800 for contracted artist/professional fees for instruction in sectional and chamber ensembles.

AMERICAN MASTERPIECES

Provides funding to support access to and deeper experiences of American masterpieces and works of American masters.
Total:$27,500

Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences, Charleston, Kanawha County: $10,000 forThe Great Gatsby Theatre Outreach Project.”
                        
Huntington Museum of Art, Huntington, Cabell County: $10,000 forAnsel Adams: Masterworks.”

Oglebay Institute, Wheeling, Ohio County: $7,500 for “The Lawrence Project.”

ARTS PARTNERS

Provides general operating support to long-standing, stable arts organizations.
Total: $724,426

ArtsBridge Inc., Parkersburg, Wood County: $27,755

Carnegie Hall, Lewisburg, Greenbrier County: $71,651

Charleston Ballet, Charleston, Kanawha County: $34,852

Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences, Charleston, Kanawha County:  $113,748

Greenbrier Valley Theatre, Lewisburg, Greenbrier County:  $63,022

Huntington Museum of Art, Huntington, Cabell County: $99,940

Morgan Arts Council, Berkeley Springs, Morgan County: $18,439

Oglebay Institute, Wheeling, Ohio County: $78,825

Parkersburg Art Center, Parkersburg, Wood County: $30,211

Randolph County Community Arts Council, Elkins, Randolph County: $31,279

West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Charleston, Kanawha County: $89,514

Wheeling Symphony Society, Wheeling, Ohio County: $65,190

CHALLENGE AMERICA

Provides funding for innovative projects that provide arts education to community members, expand or improve access to art experiences, use the arts as a catalyst for change, address cultural tourism and celebrate the unique characteristics of the arts in West Virginia, or create strong communities through the arts.
Total: $40,691

Carnegie Hall Inc., Lewisburg, Greenbrier County: $10,000 for the first Lewisburg Music Festival set for July 26, 2014.

Greenbrier Valley Theatre, Lewisburg, Greenbrier County: $3,091 for a school touring program, “Providing Access to Theatre Arts.”

Morgan Arts Council Inc., Berkeley Springs, Morgan County: $10,250 for Engage Berkeley Springs, a pilot project that will document the transformation of Berkeley Springs through murals, mosaics, and sculpture.

The Old Brick Playhouse Company, Elkins, Randolph County: $10,000 for development of original cultural history productions on board the Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad excursion trains.
                        
Wheeling Symphony Society, Wheeling, Ohio County: $7,350 for family oriented, pre-concert events and workshops focusing on the importance of classical music in animation.

COMMUNITY ARTS PROJECT SUPPORT

Provides support for projects that offer arts programming to the public and planning and organizational development projects that strengthen West Virginia arts organizations.
Total: $294,417

Arthurdale Heritage Inc., Arthurdale, Preston County: $850 to help pay musicians to play live music during the New Deal Festival in July.

Arts & Humanities Alliance of Jefferson County, Shepherdstown, Jefferson County: $6,000 for a re-granting program that funds innovative arts, music and humanities projects in Jefferson County’s public schools.

ArtsLink Inc., New Martinsville, Wetzel County: $18,470 to help support the 2015 Missoula Children’s Theater program.

Arts Monongahela, Morgantown, Monongalia County: $2,700 for a regranting program for arts organizations and artists.

Beckley Area Foundation, Beckley, Raleigh County: $4,000 to help pay musicians’ fees for a free Labor Day weekend concert featuring the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra.

Charles Mathena II Foundation, Princeton, Mercer County: $17,258 to help pay for its 2014 concert series.

Charleston Chamber Music Society, Charleston, Kanawha County: $6,931 to help pay artists fees to Carpe Diem String Quartet, Red Priest and Garth Newel Piano Quartet.

Clarksburg Harrison County Cultural Foundation, Clarksburg, Harrison County: $5,400 for a re-granting program that benefits the Chanticleer Children’s Chorus, Studio for the Performing Arts, West Virginia Black Heritage Festival, West Virginia Jazz Society, Fort New Salem, Shinnston Community Band and the Clarksburg Harrison Public Library.

Contemporary American Theater Festival, Shepherdstown, Jefferson County: $19,774 to help pay fees to stage directors, actors and designers involved in the theater’s upcoming season.

Davis & Elkins College, Elkins, Randolph County: $18,092 to help pay fees for master artists to conduct workshops at the Augusta Heritage Center.
Fairmont Chamber Music Society, Fairmont, Marion County: $4,100 to help pay artists’ fees to the West Virginia University Piano Quartet, Richter UIzer Duo, Zodiak Trio and Mana Saxophone Quartet.

Fairmont State University, Fairmont, Marion County: $7,200 to help pay musicians’ fees for a concert featuring the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra.

Friends of the Alban Arts and Conference Center, St. Albans, Kanawha County: $8,875 to help pay artists’ fees for its upcoming season that includes “Bell, Book and Candle,” “Catch and Release,” “Brilliant Traces,” “A Christmas Carol,” “Copenhagen,” and “Legend of Sleeping Beauty.”

Highland Arts Unlimited Inc., Keyser, Mineral County: $10,650 to help pay for concerts featuring the Potomac Concert Band, Brian Gurl’s “Manilow, Joel and the Beatles Rediscovered” and Latshaw Productions’ “Christmas Memories” as well as the American Family Theater’s production of “Cinderella.” 

Historic Beverly Preservation Inc., Beverly, Randolph County: $1,845 to help provide traditional music and artisan demonstrations during Beverly Heritage Days in July and the Beverly Old-Fashioned Christmas in December, and music during Rhythm and Wine in August.

Kanawha Valley FOOTMAD, Charleston, Kanawha County: $10,000 to help pay the salary of a part-time arts administrator to manage activities, projects and initiatives, and artists’ fees for its 2015 concert series.

Mid-Ohio Valley Symphony Society, Parkersburg, Wood County: $12,000 to help pay musicians’ fees for a concert featuring the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra.

Morgan Arts Council, Berkeley Springs, Morgan County: $15,000 to help pay the salary and benefits for an events & facilities coordinator assigned to help expand art experiences at the newly renovated Ice House art and community center and optimize its revenue-generating capacity.

Northern West Virginia Dance Council, Morgantown, Monongalia County: $9,362 to help pay for dancers, costume directors and other costs associated with its productions of “Snow Queen” and “Snow White.”

Old Brick Playhouse, Elkins, Randolph County: $4,500 to help pay the salaries of a part-time education development associate and a part-time arts development associate who work primarily with its Polar Express excursion train.

Pocahontas County Opera House Foundation: $11,105 to pay artists’ fees for its 2014-15 performance series.

Randolph County Community Arts Council, $11,250 to help pay the salary of a program support specialist to assist in the art center’s daily operations.

River Cities Symphony Orchestra, Parkersburg, Wood County:  $8,559 to help pay musicians’ fees for two educational concerts, a fall concert, a joint concert of the River Cities Symphony Orchestra and Marietta College choruses, and its annual pops concert.

Trillium Performing Arts Collective, Lewisburg, Greenbrier County: $16,580 to help pay for choreographers, videographer, guest artists and other stage personnel for its concert series of dance and movement, Trillium Performing Youth program and two educational workshops.

Weirton Area Civic Foundation, Weirton, Hancock County: $3,600 to help pay musicians fees for Wheeling Symphony concert.

West Virginia Artists & Craftsmen’s Guild, Harrisville, Ritchie County: $3,207 to help pay costs associated with its 10th biennial guild juried competition.

West Virginia Jazz Society Inc., Weston, Lewis County: $2,385 to help pay artists’ fees to musicians who will be performing at the Bridgeport Jazz Festival.

West Virginia Professional Dance Company, Beckley, Raleigh County: $17,500 to help pay for composers, dancers and choreographers involved with its new educational touring show, “Earth’s Quilt – Common Threads.”

West Virginia University at Parkersburg, Parkersburg, Wood County: $6,369 to help pay artists’ fees for concerts and workshops featuring the men’s vocal ensemble Cantus and Sô Percussion.

Youth Museum of Southern West Virginia, Beckley, Raleigh County: $23,655 to help pay expenses for an exhibit titled “In Centuries of Childhood: An American Story” and another one titled “Science and Art.”

EZ ARTS ACCESS

Provides funding for arts projects to small and emerging organizations with budgets of less than $30,000.
Total: $16,780

Lunar Stratagem, Huntington, Cabell County: $3,000 for its “Page to Stage Literacy Project.”

Monroe Arts Alliance, Union, Monroe County: $1,500 for its student/mentor arts scholarship program.

Preston Community Arts Center, Kingwood, Preston County: $2,900 for its “Laurel Mountain Coffee House” series.

Theatre de Jeunesse, Parkersburg, Wood County: $1,230 for Youth Theatre Project’s production of “Camelot.”

Tri-State Arts Association, Huntington, Cabell County: $2,150 for its juried exhibition 2014.

West Virginia International Film Festival, Charleston, Kanawha County: $3,000 for its spring and fall festival series.

West Virginia Storytelling Guild, Morgantown, Monongalia County: $3,000 for “Speak: Shepherdstown Storytelling Series.”

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR ARTISTS & ARTS ORGANIZATIONS

Provides funding to artists to expand or improve their work.
Total: $54,914

Norma Jean Acord, Fairdale, Raleigh County: $2,466 to purchase an electric pottery kiln and a banding wheel.

Lee Badger, Hedgesville, Berkeley County: $1,280 to purchase a reversible ingot mold and metal rolling mill to create nonstandard working stock in his art metal studio.

Roger Banks, Morgantown, Monongalia County: $1,641 to attend the 2014 American Alliance for Theatre and Education conference and pay annual memberships to three professional organizations.

James Biggs, Princeton, Mercer County: $1,317 to purchase an entry-level 3-D printer and 3-D print filament to create silicone molds for lost-wax aluminum castings for use in his mixed-media sculptures.

Cristofer Botkin, Nitro, Kanawha County: $2,416 to purchase a Hobart Ironman 230 MIG Welder and spool gun that will enable him to create larger sculptures as well as a planer, jointer and mortising machine to make finely crafted furniture and other wood projects.

Sarah C. Brown, Buckhannon, Upshur County: $1,875 to take a class at Penland School of Crafts and purchase rubber-based ink and paper.

Amber Carman, Huttonsville, Randolph County: $2,500 to purchase a torch with hanger and Fenton Glass frit and cullet, and batch.

Christopher L. Clark, Princeton, Mercer County: $2,500 to buy a MacBook Pro and Apple Thunderbolt display to create larger illustrations and stage sets.

Jeff Fetty, Spencer, Roane County: $2,405 to travel with an apprentice to Faizabad in northern India to work with local smiths in creating a sculpture and to research and photograph traditional blacksmiths in that region for later publication.

Charlene Cooper Fulton, Charleston, Kanawha County: $1,574 to attend a 5-day quilting workshop, “Abstracting from Nature,” being taught by Jane Sassaman at Hudson River Valley Art Workshops.

Rebecca Hill, Elkins, Randolph County: $2,448 to attend the DC Tap Festival and take private tap-dancing lessons at the Steps on Broadway and Broadway Dance Center in New York City.

Mary Hott, Berkeley Springs, Morgan County: $2,500 to attend Circlesongs, a seven-day workshop on improvisational singing techniques conducted by musician Bobby McFerrin.

Christine P. Keller, Buckhannon, Upshur County: $1,193 to purchase an electric pottery kiln, cutters, and other accessories.

John Kelly, Berkeley Springs, Morgan County: $2,500 to purchase a Canon XF305 professional camcorder for an online art series that profiles West Virginia artists.

Simon Oliver Lollis, Hillsboro, Pocahontas County: $2,500 to purchase a 25-ton hydraulic forging metal press and heat-treating furnace to produce Damascus billets for knives.

Catherine V. Moore, Fayetteville, Fayette County: $2,155 to purchase a MacBook Pro, computer software and online training to advance her use of audio in documentaries.

Linda S. Rhodes, Culloden, Putnam County: $571 to purchase glass-fusing equipment.

Diane Sanders, Parkersburg, Wood County: $2,500 to buy a Nikon digital camera and battery grip for improved focus, depth of field, color and clarity of her photographs. 

Stuart P. Strong, Elkins, Randolph County: $2,500 to purchase a dust-collection system for his woodshop.

Benjamin Townsend, Romney, Hampshire County: $2,126 to take fiddle lessons from Nora Friedman in New York.

The Tamarack Foundation, Charleston, Kanawha County: $4,528 to host a workshop to help West Virginia artists hone their marketing skills, product-development strategies and more with an emphasis on the Southern Highlands Craft Guild, which is known for its successful retail market expansion.

Cara Wallace, Morgantown, Monongalia County: $2,500 to attend the American Ballet Theatre’s National Training Curriculum teacher certification seminar in New York City.

Sarah L. Walters, Davis, Tucker County: $2,282 to purchase soldering and metal-forming equipment, and an air-filtration system for her metal-smithing studio.

Lucas Warner, Hendricks, Tucker County: $700 to travel as an apprentice under Jeff Fetty to Faizabad in northern India to work with local smiths in creating a sculpture.

Jennifer Wilson, Morgantown, Monongalia County: $1,575 for members of the Jenny Wilson Trio to study under jazz master Hal Galper in New York.

Henry H. Ullman, Buckhannon, Upshur County: $2,362 to purchase a bowl-coring system, larger chunks and tooling.

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