State awards grants to Carson City arts organizations

Carson City arts organizations will receive more than $50,000 in grant funding for fiscal year 2011 from the Nevada Arts Council. That's down about 30 percent from last fiscal year, but still a boost to more than a dozen non-profit organizations that enhance the quality of life in the city through music, theater and art.

"Our grant panelists continue to affirm that the Nevada creative sector is doing a stellar job in providing our communities and schools a broad range of cultural activities," NAC Board chairman Tim Jones said in a statement announcing the awards.

" Though the board is delighted to provide these grants throughout the state, we are saddened that the level of funding has been devastated because of budget cuts to the Arts Council"Ò

Despite reduced funding, all Carson City organizations that applied received something.

"What our board attempted to do was to try to accommodate as many grants as possible but with reduced amounts, so everyone qualified received grants," said Teresa Moiola, marketing director for the Department of Cultural Affairs.

To manage the budget reductions sustained during the 2009 Legislative session, the arts council board suspended two categories that typically award large grants and reduced funding for others categories.

Statewide, the panel approved 149 grants for a total of $560,837, about $100,000 less than the last fiscal year, Moiola said. Carson City grants dropped from just under $70,000 to a little more than $50,000 for fiscal year 2011.

Among the Carson City organizations awarded grants, several will receive grants in multiple categories.

Chorus of the Comstock was awarded a development grant for $1,925 and an arts education component grant for $730.

Rook Wetzel, a longtime member of the chorus who wrote the grant applications, said the grant amounts are a little less than last year, but still comparable.

"The arts education component, we wrote for the specific purpose of doing a vocal training workshop (with vocal coach Ron Black from Sacramento) that's open to the general public," Wetzel said.

The development grant will help the organization 's structure and overhead, including management training for officers and theater rental.