Community Foundation gives grants to arts groups

The Sacramento Region Community Foundation has offered more than $72,000 in grants to support six community arts organizations, the first part of a $450,000 effort to create experiential arts in the community and to foster increased giving to the arts.

The grant recipients provide a range of arts experiences and services to the community, including arts rooted in music, history, and culture, and appealing to audiences spanning all generations. The grants are part of the Foundation’s Advancing Sacramento Arts initiative, which is funded by the James Irvine Foundation.

“In these challenging economic times community art needs support more than ever,” said Ruth Blank, chief executive officer of the Sacramento Region Community Foundation. “These grants will help the organizations continue to develop their exceptional work, already started in their communities, and further enrich the lives of people throughout the greater Sacramento area.”
The six grant recipients were chosen following a competitive process. They are:

−Asian Cultural Exchange, Meeting state school history curriculum standards for 4th, 5th, and 8th grades, the Noh Noh Educational Ensemble series will share the Asian American immigrant experience through traditional Asian arts in school settings: taiko drumming, odori dance, noh theater, and origami paper folding. (Grant amount: $7,820)

−− Camellia Symphony Association, Using the “Instrumental Petting Zoo” as a vehicle, the symphony will introduce classical music to children and families through a fun, hands-on experience. Children can visit sections of the “instrumental zoo” and touch and play woodwinds, percussion, or brass and talk with the musicians. A one-hour fast-paced and exciting concert follows which encourages children to get up and move to the music or express themselves. (Grant amount: $12,350)

−−La Raza Galeria Posada, through vibrant colors and use of natural and man-made materials, “The Hoover Collection of Mexican Masks” will feature the beauty and artistry of traditional masks from the diverse regions of Mexico. Sacramento’s own traditional art collector Larry Hoover with master mask maker Armando Cid will combine forces to share this rich experience of visual art and hands-on mask making workshops with Sacramento’s diverse communities and young people. (Grant amount: $15,000)

−−Sacramento Master Singers, Duke Ellington’s “Sacred Concerts” will be performed for the first time in Sacramento. Combining elements of jazz, classical, choral, spirituals, gospel, blues and dance, this concert will both advance the art and lift the soul. Working in partnership with Celebration Arts, this experience will include original choreography as well as dramatic readings. (Grant amount: $14,950)

−−40 Acres Art Gallery, Amazing Wonders: Quilts by African Americans of the Northern California Region, will bring the private collections of over 30 quilts by artists in the area. This experience will preserve the cultural craft of quiltmaking and bridge the generational divide with today’s youth by creating a digital photo self-portrait quilt. Capping the exhibit is an all-day community quilt-making session with community residents. (Grant amount: $15,000.)

−−Very Special Arts of California, I CAN DO THAT! Community Artshows & Performances unites children with disabilities with art to transform them as creators and consumers of art, develop a life-long appreciation of art, join the community of artists, and be recognized as quality artists. Artists are matched with 60 school sites to produce and to create art performances at schools and throughout the community. (Grant amount: $7,500)

The Sacramento Region Community Foundation was able to make the grants because of a special grant from the James Irvine Foundation, which provided the grant to encourage the growth of the art culture already thriving in the greater Sacramento area.
The Foundation expects to make a second round of grants in the fall. Its Web site is http://www.sacregcf.org