Iowa Cultural Organizations Receive Grants from DCA

For Immediate Release June 9, 2003

DES MOINES, Iowa—One of only two original town squares in Waterloo will get a gateway sculpture, and Dallas County residents will be treated to a Native American Celebration and Educational Program thanks to The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs.

These projects and 17 others were recently awarded funds through the DCA’s Iowa Community Cultural Grant program. A total of $225,000 was granted to arts, historical and cultural organizations across the state.

The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs is committed to encouraging cultural growth and development throughout the state of Iowa. ICCG provides matching grants to support projects that provide direct and sustainable employment for Iowans while enhancing Iowa's artistic, cultural and historical resources.

Awards range from a minimum of $1,000 to a maximum of $25,000. At least 25 percent of available funds are awarded to projects that were not in existence the previous year. Projects that represent a significant enhancement or expansion of a previously established project may also qualify as new projects.

ICCG projects can include performing arts events, museum exhibits, historic restoration and archeology projects, docent training, folklife and other festivals, public art projects, and ethnic heritage projects. The next ICCG grant deadline is March 1, 2004.

2003 ICCG Awards

Adams County

French Icarian Colony Foundation
Grant: $10,300
Project Title: French Icarian Colony Living History Museum
Description: The project is to fund a full-time Executive Director to oversee and accelerate the development of the museum and raise funds. The director will also interact with other communities and regional agencies to promote economic development and tourism.

Black Hawk County

Waterloo Center for the Arts
Grant: $23,000
Project Title: Gateway Sculpture for Lincoln Park
Description: WCA is applying for funding to employ an artist short-term on a contractual basis to design a gateway sculpture for Lincoln Park – one of two of Waterloo’s original town square parks. The two parks anchor the downtown from the East and West. Lincoln Park is a major gathering place where bi-weekly downtown celebrations are held in the spring, summer and fall and is the entrance to downtown from East Waterloo. In the long-term, public art projects will be implemented for both the Eastside and Westside parks.

Clay County

Spencer Area Arts Council
Grant: $13,200
Project Title: Community Arts: Another Way to Say Collaboration
Description: A collaborative programming venture with various community organizations to create new opportunities for residents, artists and visitors to experience a variety of art forms through the employment of two permanent part-time coordinators and classes, interest groups, special events and self-guided programs

Spencer Community Theatre
Grant: $10,000
Project Title: Children’s Theatre Programming Director
Description: SCT’s project would hire a full-time children’s theatre programming director who would be responsible for planning and implementing a continuous theatre program for young people through-out the year. The program would include play production, workshops, classes, field trips and collaborations with area organizations, businesses and schools.

Dallas County

Dallas County Conservation Board
Grant: $11,600
Project Title: Prairie Awakening and A Journey Into Indigenous Learning Educators’ Workshop
Description: The project is a multi-faceted, Native American Celebration and Education Program which fosters an understanding and connection with the landscape through Native American music, dance and storytelling. The project includes outreach education for the general public, professional educators and school children and a music and dance celebration.

Dubuque County

Northeast Iowa School of Music
Grant: $13,000
Project Title: NISOM: Executive Director and Operations Manager
Description: The administrative and staff needs have increased along with the enrollment. The position of Executive Director is currently unpaid. A full-time Operations Manager is needed to support the numerous recitals and performances of NISOM students and ensembles, to develop concert sponsorships, and to handle all public relations.

Hardin County

Ellsworth College Foundation
Grant: $7,800
Project Title: The Pat Clark Art Collection
Description: The goals of the Pat Clark Art Collection are to provide an art education component for Ellsworth Community College students, and to provide a cultural resource for the residents of Iowa Falls and all Iowans that will enrich and encourage intellectual and aesthetic exploration into the international world of art.

Iowa County

The Old Creamery Theatre Company
Grant: $13,100
Project Title: "With All My Love, Bill"
Description: "With All My Love, Bill" is a production to be featured on the Amana Depot state in the summer of 2003. Using interns as actors, designers and technicians, Producing Director Thomas P. Johnson will develop a contemporary performance using various lovers and love scenes from the works of William Shakespeare.

Amana Colonies CVB
Grant: $4,000
Project Title: Amana Colonies Information Ambassador
Description: The purpose of the Amana Colonies Information Ambassador is to enhance visitor information within the village of Amana. This Ambassador will be an employee of the Amana Colonies Convention & Visitors Bureau in period costume stationed at a prominent location. Responsibilities include greeting and providing Amana Colonies information to visitors.

Johnson County

Arts Iowa City
Grant: $15,700
Project Title: The Galleries Downtown
Description: ICCG will provide support for director to implement AIC’s newest entrepreneurial venture: a highly visible, street-level gallery in the heart of our emerging downtown cultural district. "The Galleries Downtown" is two galleries within one storefront. AIC’s exhibition space is specific and dedicated to AIC’s mission.

Iowa City Jazz Festival
Grant: $10,090
Project Title: Iowa City Jazz Festival/Community Cultural Grant/Funding for Salaries
Description: This project is specifically designed to pay for Director salary and local people we hire to help us run the festival including sound crew, stage crews, electricians, security, etc. We would also like to hire a stage manager this coming year and in the future.

Englert Civic Theatre, Inc.
Grant: $9,500
Project Title: Englert Civic Theatre Code Compliance of stage area
Description: The Englert Civic Theatre renovation is divided into eight separate phases. The highest priority project is Code Compliance. Recreating and installing a version of the original 1926 fire curtain is vital to the completion of Code Compliance and is necessary to keep true to the historic accuracy of the renovation.

Muscatine County

Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre Company
Grant: $7,000
Project Title: Community-Wide Historical Pageant
Description: EPTC will collaborate with the West Liberty Chamber of Commerce, the Public Library, local Churches, and local artists and arts advocates to produce an outdoor pageant with giant puppets in May, 2004. Using local history as subject matter, this pageant will be part of a city-wide 10-year historical project.

Polk County

Des Moines Symphony
Grant: $24,000
Project Title: Pioneer String Quartet
Description: The proposed project requests salary support for the Pioneer String Quartet (PSQ) and their work in Iowa schools, workplaces and communities. Through this work, PSQ builds audiences for classical music and nurtures future generations of Iowa musicians.

The Des Moines Playhouse
Grant: $7,710
Project Title: Outreach Coordinator
Description: The new full-time position of Outreach Coordinator will be created to professionally administer these off-site programs: The Iowa Touring Theatre Company; a season production at the Temple for Performing Arts; youth summer theatre camps in Des Moines, Dexter, Altoona and West Des Moines.

Iowans for the Arts
Grant: $5,300
Project Title: Iowa Arts Jam
Description: The Iowa Arts Jam is held in conjunction with the Iowa State Fair. The Jam employs Iowa musicians and artists during the fair’s eleven-day run. Iowans are exposed to a diverse mix of music and culture through an artist tent, Americana Night, Fiesta Latina and Blues Night.

Scott County

Quad City Arts
Grant: $7,000
Project Title: Wednesday Artist Meetings – WAM Series
Description: The WAM Series provides professional development opportunities to local artists. The sessions are free to artists and topics have ranged from framing and slides to marketing yourself and your work. Panelists are professional artists. The goal is to help artists become entrepreneurs.

Woodbury County

Sioux City Symphony Orchestra
Grant: $19,900
Project Title: The Dvorák Festival
Description: The Dvorák Festival is a week-long celebration of composer Antonin Dvorák upon the 100th anniversary of his death, with a focus on the music written and inspired by his time in Iowa. The festival will raise awareness of Dvorák, his music and time in Iowa and the resultant music.

Sioux City Community Theatre
Grant: $12,800
Project Title: Improvisation Theatre – Siouxland Style
Description: The project will introduce improvisation theatre to the community, educate volunteers and produce theatre events utilizing this particular theatre style. The project will conduct workshops. It is the goal of this project, in one year’s time, to be self-sufficient and to tour area towns.

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