Sept. 9, 2008

Dr. William Anderson, director of the Michigan Department of History, Arts and Libraries (HAL), today announced the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA) has awarded $7,906,655 to a variety of arts and cultural projects around the state for fiscal year 2009. The 290 grant awards - for projects in 53 Michigan counties - were approved this afternoon by the council. Click here for a list of this year's grant recipients.

"Arts and cultural organizations, large and small, contribute a great deal to the prosperity of communities around the state, in terms of both their quality of life and their bottom line - enriching the lives of Michigan residents and at the same time creating jobs, revitalizing neighborhoods, and attracting tourists and new residents," said Dr. Anderson. "Support from MCACA grants, and the additional backing that it leverages, is critical to sustaining this key Michigan sector."

MCACA Executive Director John Bracey said that many of the organizations receiving grants use MCACA dollars to supplement art, music, theater and dance education offerings in areas where school programs have been greatly reduced or cut entirely. Bracey cited the Matrix Theatre Company as one such example, for a project providing 250 young people in Wayne County with the opportunity to learn performance, playwriting and puppetry skills from accomplished professionals.

The council also supported several capital improvement projects ranging from vital repairs to improving energy efficiency, such as insulating a portion of the Ironwood Theatre in the Upper Peninsula and weather-sealing the original windows of the Chelsea Center for the Arts.

Funding was also approved for the Regional Regranting Minigrant program, which distributes grant funds to 19 regions that are then adjudicated locally. The program ensures that funds are distributed statewide and reach underserved and rural areas that often have limited access to arts and culture.

The council received 310 applications, requesting over $13.5 million for fiscal year 2009. All grant applications were evaluated through a process of peer review. Panels, consisting of arts and cultural professionals from throughout the country, evaluated and judged each application based on published review criteria. This process resulted in recommendations for funding consideration to the council. Projects funded by MCACA must be completed within fiscal year 2009, which begins Oct. 1, 2008, and ends Sept. 30, 2009.

In determining grant awards, the 15 appointed members of the council consider panel recommendations, geographic distribution, diversity, balance among funding programs, under-served communities, access and delivery of quality programming and services to citizens and communities.

The Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs serves to encourage, develop and facilitate an enriched environment of artistic, creative, cultural activity in Michigan. It is an agency within the Michigan Department of History, Arts and Libraries. For more information, visit www.michigan.gov/arts.

Dedicated to enriching quality of life and strengthening the economy by providing access to information, preserving and promoting Michigan's heritage and fostering cultural creativity, the Department of History, Arts and Libraries also includes the Library of Michigan, the Mackinac Island State Park Commission and the Michigan Historical Center. Learn more at www.michigan.gov/hal.

Read more press releases from the Department of History, Arts and Libraries (HAL).