$4.1 million in L.A. County arts grants OK’d by supervisors
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Los Angeles County will issue $4,118,000 in arts grants for the 2011-12 fiscal year that began July 1, holding steady at the level reached after last year’s 6.8% reduction.
The grants -– which go to nonprofit arts organizations, rather than to individuals -- will be spread a tad thinner, however. The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved the 184 grants proposed by the Los Angeles County Arts Commission, an average of $22,380, down from $24,807 a year ago, when the $4.1 million went to 166 organizations.
The grants are paid out over two years -– so last year’s recipients weren’t eligible for this round, and the ones OK’d Tuesday won’t be eligible in 2012-13.
Juries of experts scored the grant applications, ranking proposals in four categories determined by the applicant’s annual budget size. The average grants were $10,540 for small organizations (budgets under $100,000), $16,022 for organizations with budgets under $500,000; $37,237 for those under $1.5 million, and $80,362 for larger organizations.
Los Angeles Opera ($208,600), KCET ($206,300) and Center Theatre Group ($197,100) were the three six-figure recipients.
KCET’s award will go toward production costs for a new weekly half-hour arts and culture series called “ARC” that station executive Juan Devis said is expected to debut this fall, both on television and on the station’s website. He said plans call for 24 episodes annually.
The opera’s grant is for education programs and audience-building; CTG’s grant covers services for disabled audience members and subsidizing special low-cost ticket programs aimed at those who otherwise couldn’t afford to attend.
The top three scores went to American Youth Symphony, which panelists awarded 97 points for its proposal to fund an education program for musicians and audiences; the Long Beach Arts Council, which scored a 96.3 for a proposal to fund public art projects, performances and the annual “GLOBAL” festival; and Grand Performances, the free downtown series, whose proposal to fund and promote shows earned a 95.
A full list of the grants can be found here on the Board of Supervisors’ website.
RELATED:
L.A. County cuts arts grants 6.8%, even with last-minute budget infusion
-- Mike Boehm
