Image courtesy of the Arts Council for Long Beach.
The Arts Council for Long Beach announced Friday the 26 artists and arts organizations funded through its annual grant programs for 2015-2016. Supported through the City of Long Beach’s allocation for the arts, an independent review panel composed of community members and arts professionals selected each of the grantees for the following categories: Community Project Grants; Professional Artist Fellowships and Operating Grants.
“Our grants are one of the many ways the Arts Council supports Long Beach art and artists,” said Executive Director Victoria Bryan in a statement. “We are delighted that, again this year, our grants reach all nine council districts and showcase the diversity of the arts in our city.”
The following 13 organizations received the Community Project Grant, which funds innovative programming and cultural projects serving the city’s diverse communities: Cambodia Town Culture Festival, Carpenter Performing Arts Center, Children’s Theatre of Long Beach, Garage Theatre; Hmong Association of Long Beach, Homeland Cultural Center, Long Beach Camerata Singers, Long Beach Community Band, Pony Box Dance Theatre, The Rock Club, South Coast Chorale, South Coast Dance Arts Alliance and University Art Museum.
The Professional Artist Fellowships are selected based on artistic merit and professional achievement, according to the release. Artists who live, work or actively create in Long Beach as well as have an exhibition or production record of at least three years under their belt are considered. The 2015-16 fellows are: Gary Alvarez, Connie DK Lane, Christine Nguyen, Lara Odell and Ramon Rodriguez. From a feature documentary about VIP Records to Bolivian folk music workshops, Long Beach locals can look forward to enjoying the creative projects these artists will bring to the city this year.
Operating Grants provide “unrestricted support to arts and cultural organizations that collect, preserve, present or commission exemplary works of art,” including visual art exhibitions, theatre, dance or musical performances, according to the release. This year the following organizations were funded: Arts & Services for Disabled, Inc., International City Theatre, Long Beach Opera, Long Beach Playhouse, Long Beach Symphony Orchestra, Museum of Latin American Art, Musica Angelica and Musical Theatre West.
For more information about the Arts Council for Long Beach, click here.