The City of Issaquah has again demonstrated its remarkable support of local art and culture groups.
The city’s Arts Commission last week recommended 21 organizations and programs which promote art, culture and recreation opportunities receive $130,000 in funding.
Among the programs which the commission recommended be supported were the Issaquah Chamber Orchestra, volunteer art docent programs at several local schools, ArtEast, and the DownTown Issaquah Association.
With grant requests this year totaling about $180,000, the Arts Commission was still able to support almost all the applicants by awarding slightly reduced dollar amounts.
Arts Commission Chair Barbara deMichele told the Reporter on Friday that supporting the arts was vital to ensuring Issaquah remained culturally vibrant, and a place that continued to support creativity in the community.
“There are some really interesting things going on in Issaquah, some great programs that we were able to support,” deMichele said.
Among these was a proposal from equal opportunity employment provider AtWork!, to build a feature gate at the Issaquah Flatlands Community Garden which was launched last year by
Sustainable Issaquah on the AtWork! property on Juniper Street.
Local artists will be invited to submit proposals for the gate, which will serve to enhance the community focus of the garden, welcoming all visitors to this common space of interaction.
Also recommended for funding was the Art Connections program, the brain-child of Issaquah’s Vicki Hoffman. For the past ten years Hoffman has been encouraging young students to develop their interest in art as a volunteer art docent with the Issaquah School District.
In 2007, Hoffman approached the arts commission with her concerns that the Issaquah School District did not have an arts program, and that opportunities for students to study and practice art were threatened by a lack of funding.
She subsequently developed Art Connections, which runs a series of workshops each year to help docents and teachers find new and creative ways to continue the instruction of art in schools.
“It is a fantastic program, and Vicki puts a lot of energy into it,” deMichele said. “Over the last few years it has really grown, and become more diverse.”
Other organizations to be recommended for funding were:
• Village Theatre – $47,000
• Downtown Issaquah Association – $15,787
• Issaquah Parks and Rec Concerts on the Green – $12,161
• Salmon Days Festival – $13,449
• Issaquah Youth Theatre Foundation – $4,615
The grant recommendations of the Issaquah Arts Commission will now go to the Issaquah City Council for approval.
deMichele warned arts organizations to be ready with their applications a little earlier next year. For the 2011 round of funding, the commission will begin taking applications in late December, 2010, or early January, 2011.
