GLOUCESTER — Gloucester County was recently the recipient of a Virginia Commission for the Arts Creative Communities Partnership Grant to support arts in the community.
Gloucester County received $4,500 and used matching funds to assist Gloucester Arts on Main, chosen because of its proven model for how the arts contribute to the community’s overall well-being and enhancement and its role as the only resource in the community that presents arts in all formats for residents and visitors to enjoy, the county said.
According to the county, Arts on Main measures academic improvement in students and positively impacts workforce skills development, such as confidence, innovation, strategic thinking, and problem-solving. The organization reports significant financial returns to benefit the county as a whole.
Several of the organization’s major accomplishments noted in the grant application include offering free school programs, classes and workshops for all ages, youth art camps, mentoring programs, special events such as “First Fridays” that are open to the entire community, and more.
“We are truly grateful for this grant,” said Dr. Kathryn Swanson, Arts on Main’s Executive Director, “It will allow us to better serve the community and fulfill our mission of enriching people’s lives by providing a creative environment for the arts to flourish.”
The grant funds will be used to support Arts on Main’s variety of art classes, programs, exhibits, and events for people of all ages, backgrounds, and skill levels.
“We are thrilled we were able to match this grant to help foster such an important asset to our community,” said Katey Legg, Gloucester’s Parks, Recreation & Tourism Director, who presented the funds to Arts on Main. “We are thankful for all the programs this organization offers to all in our community, and hope these funds will help to even further expand the great work that’s already been done.”
