Allan Appel Photo
Permanent chess tables in Fair Haven public parks? How about classical music concerts in the city’s shelters to help residents allay the extreme anxieties of homelessness?
Those are two of the proposals in the process of being submitted for the upcoming Mayor’s Community Arts Grant Program.
Their originators — George Morrison of the Chatham Square Neighborhood Association, for the chess tables; cellist Ravenna Michalsen, who wants to offer music’s magic for the homeless — participated in an information session for the grants program Tuesday afternoon at the Fair Haven branch library.
Kim Futrell, the Arts, Culture, and Tourism Department’s outreach coordinator, said the deadline for a letter of intent to be submitted is May 29. The application is due on June 15. (Click here on the city department’s site for full information about eligible projects and letters of intent and application downloads.)
Applicants can be individuals or organizations. All are vying for approximately $25,000 in grant money in this, the 12th year of the program, Futrell said.
If past patterns hold, the funds will be divided among 24 to 28 winning grantees from a pool of 50 to 60 submitters, Futrell said. The grants are between $500 and $1500 and the winners typically are about 70 percent organizations and 30 percent individual artists.
The individual art grants are not for artist support to work in their studios, but for artists doing a mural or a play in connection with working with people in a community, Futrell said. The word community is key.
Morrison said that while his idea is still inchoate, he and his fellow tutors in a tutoring program at the Q‑Terrace apartments think they can involve more kids if they can offer a non-academic option, like chess, in park settings throughout the area.
When Michalsen, who teaches at Neighborhood Music School, asked Futtrel for advice about how to prepare the project budget, Futrell strongly urged that each proposal have at least another source of revenue in addition to the grant.
When Michalsen said most of her colleagues, musicians, struggle to make a living themselves and might not be able to offer that other source of income, Futrell suggested that in-kind donations would also be interpreted as a source of support. “That’s definitely something the panel might be interested in,” she said.
Both Michalsen and Morrison plan to proceed with applications.
Thomas Kwan, from Fair Haven Family Stroll, said his group’s idea is a large art activity to involve kids in as a focal point of the stroll. It’s on the drawing board for specifics, but he, like the others around Futrell’s table, is definitely going to pursue a full application.
There are three more information sessions about the grants program before the full applications are due: May 21 at 5:30 p.m. at the Ives (Main) Library; June 2 at 5:30 p.m. at the Wilson Library, on Washington Avenue in the Hill; and June 3 at 5 p.m. at the Stetson Library on Dixwell Avenue.
I think this is a great program.
I also think it is horrible headline.
Grants tend to max out around 1 grand.
I would rather you have pronounced the opportunity for 25 artists/organizations, rather than making it sound like it was all one clump.
Bad on you again.
Paul, you really have no clue about art, do you......