The Alaska State Council on the Arts (ASCA), which is funded by the Alaska State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts with support from the Rasmuson Foundation, awarded more than $44,900 in grants to Alaska artists and arts organizations in its third quarter, which ended last month.
Funding went into five different categories, including community arts development, career opportunity, master artist and apprentice in traditional Native arts, artist in schools and Walker Arts Grant.
- Community arts development recipients include Artchange Inc, in Sitka; Cyrano's Theater Company in Anchorage; Institute of the North in Anchorage; Katchemak Bay Writers Conference, UAA-KBC in Homer; Kodiak Arts Council in Kodiak; Performing Arts Society in Kenai and Valley Arts Alliance in Palmer.
- Career opportunity awards went to Christine Byl of Denali Park, Linda Ketchum of Anchorage, Enzina Marrari of Anchorage, Melissa Mencini of Anchorage and Rebecca Poulson of Sitka.
- Master artist and apprentice in traditional native arts recipients were Jennifer R Olney-Miller (apprentice) and Nicholas Lee Galanin (master) of Sitka and Vaughn Eide (apprentice) and Nathan Jackson (master) of Ward Cove / Saxman.
- Artist in schools grants were awarded to the Gustavus School, Anchorage's Kasuun Elementary PTA, Nikiski Middle and High School, Kalifornsky Beach's K-Beach Elementary School and St. Paul and St. George School District.
- The Alaska Theatre of Youth and Kenai Performers received Walker Arts Grants.
Last quarter, the council awarded more than $32,700 -- or $12,200 less than this quarter.
The council aims to foster the development of the arts for all Alaskans through education, partnership, grants and services. All grant funding is contingent on the State of Alaska's appropriation.