Senator Beavers Announces Grant Awards to DeKalb County Organizations

State Senator Mae Beavers (R – Mt. Juliet), representing the 17th Senatorial District, has released the list of grant award recipients in DeKalb County from the Tennessee Arts Commission for Fiscal Year 2009 (July 1, 2008 – June 30, 2009).
These include:
TTU/Appalachian Center for Craft – $4,470.00
Friends of the Appalachian Center for Craft of TN – $5,200.00
In announcing the awards, Senator Beavers said, “The Tennessee Arts Commission’s matching grants are made possible through an appropriation of state funds by the General Assembly, federal dollars from the National Endowment for the Arts, and by Tennesseans who purchase specialty and collegiate license plates.”
The incoming chair of the Tennessee Arts Commission, Donna Chase, commented, “This state is indeed fortunate to have elected leaders who support the work of the Tennessee Arts Commission in building better communities through the arts.”
According to Chase, the Commission will award over 850 grants during Fiscal Year 2009, totaling more than $7.2 million dollars. These funds have a direct impact on communities across Tennessee, in both urban and rural areas. Grant categories include: Arts Build Communities, Art Access, Arts Education, Arts Project Support, General Operating Support, Individual Artist Fellowships, Major Cultural Institution, Rural Arts Project Support, Student Ticket Subsidy, Technical Assistance, Touring, Special Opportunities, and Professional Development Support.
The Commission’s allocation process involves a review by citizen advisory panels made up of Tennesseans with expertise in appropriate arts disciplines and a review and final approval by the full 15-member Tennessee Arts Commission.
The Tennessee Arts Commission is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences that add value to the lives of every citizen, and enhances the quality of life in Tennessee communities.
Additional information on grant programs offered by the Tennessee Arts Commission is available on their website: www.arts.state.tn.us.