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Support for the arts: Marquette County organizations awarded over $154K 

Joey Tuccini, 12, of Marquette sits behind the Marquette Maritime Museum on July 13 during a special plein air painting session offered by the museum in conjunction with Liberty Children’s Art Project and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs. The Marquette Maritime Museum and Liberty Children’s Art Project are both recipients of grant funding recently awarded by the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs. (Journal file photo)
Renay Johnson, right, and Jaiden Voracy enjoy the display of nearly 130 umbrellas hanging above the Rosewood Walkway near the intersection of Front and Spring Streets in downtown Marquette in June 2017. The arrangement was set up and sponsored by VAST Insurance in honor of the annual City of Marquette Art Week. The City of Marquette Art Week has also been awarded funds from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs. (Journal file photo)
Avonlea Kuhlman from the Superior Arts Youth Theater performs a number from “Matilda” in February at the Marquette Area Theatre Awards at the Upper Peninsula Masonic Center. Kuhlman won the Young Actress award. SAYT was also a recipient of MCACA funding. (Journal file photo)
Davida Fortin, right, then age 6, plays along with her mother Sarah during a free community ukulele strum at the Ore Dock Brewing Co. in Marquette as part of the third annual Yooper Uke Week in February 2018. It was presented by Michigan’s “Ukulele Ambassador” Ben Hassenger and the Hiawatha Music Co-op. The Hiawatha Music Cooperative was one of 12 local organizations to receive grant funding from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs. (Journal file photo)

MARQUETTE — The Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs recently awarded over $9 million in grant funding for arts and cultural projects throughout the state, including a total of $154,440 awarded to organizations within Marquette County, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation announced on Friday.

Marquette County is one of 58 counties across the state with organizations receiving these funds.

Twelve organizations within the county will be awarded funds, including the City of Marquette Art Week, the Hiawatha Music Cooperative, Ishpeming Public Schools, Liberty Children’s Art Project, the Marquette-Alger Regional Educational Service Agency, the Marquette City Band, the Marquette Regional History Center, the Marquette Maritime Museum, the Marquette Symphony Orchestra, Superior Arts Youth Theater, Superior String Alliance and the Upper Peninsula Children’s Museum.

“It is really wonderful to see so many great grant applications,” MCACA director Alison Watson said in a press release. “During these tough times, it is a strong affirmation that the field is still vibrant, and the value of our programs is not only recognized, but can contribute to ongoing efforts support vibrancy in our communities throughout the state.”

MCACA received just shy of 600 grant applications arts and cultural programs for fiscal year 2021, with requests totaling over $19 million. The applications were evaluated over a course of 30 days of panel reviews using a peer review process, officials said.

Those panels made application recommendations to the Michigan Arts and Culture Governor’s Council. From that point, each application was evaluated by 153 peer reviewers during the open panel process, and nearly 500 members of the public attended the panels online.

MCACA also provided financial support to 176 nonprofit arts and cultural organizations across the state earlier this year, awarding $502,400 in Emergency Relief Fund grants to provide relief and offset the impacts of COVID-19 on the arts and culture industry. MCACA also leveraged over $80,000 in funding in conjunction with Arts Midwest, a nonprofit regional arts organization, to help award funding to 28 more organizations.

For a complete list of grant awards, visit https://www.michiganbusiness.org/4a91c3/globalassets/documents/mcaca/fy21-funding-plan—program.pdf.

Ryan Spitza can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 248. His email address is rspitza@miningjournal.net.

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