Stafford County will be giving money to local non-profits arts groups in the county, as part of a grant awarded by the Virginia Commission for the Arts.
“The Virginia Commission for the Arts offers local governments a challenge grant opportunity, to apply to non-profit arts groups,” said Henderson, the arts grant coordinator.
According to Henderson, any non-profit arts group that contributes to the quality of life in Stafford County can submit an application for some of the grant funds, to use for performances, shows, and other artistic activities.
The Virginia Commission for the Arts awarded Stafford $5,000. The county gave another $5,000, as it was a matching grant.
The Fredericksburg Arts Commission has done the challenge grant for several years, but this is the first time Stafford is taking part. They hope that by providing funds to arts groups in the area, that it will establish Stafford as an artistic hub.
“Fredericksburg, for a long time, has been as a place for the arts, and we know that Stafford has plenty of arts, and arts opportunities, we just want to make sure that those organizations get an opportunity to get some of this state grant,” Henderson stated.
The criteria for how the groups can spend some of the grant funding was intentionally open-ended, said Henderson.
“Maybe they want to do a public art display, or maybe they want to do a concert – or maybe they need some help developing a logo…Our only criteria is going to be that it contributes to the quality of life for Stafford County,” said Henderson.
The application deadline for the grant is March 6.
After the Virginia Commission of the Arts has distributed the grant, the county will dole out the funds to the selected applicants and hopes to get the funding to the groups by the end of this year.
