Darke County Endowment for the Arts announces grant awards

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DARKE COUNTY – Darke County Endowment for the Arts recently granted funds to eight applicants who submitted requests for financial assistance with their arts-related projects.

According to DCEA Chair Marilyn Delk, one of DCEA’s major purposes is to help organizations and individuals achieve artistic goals that benefit the citizens of Darke County.

The grants were awarded to: Ansonia High School Art Club, Darke County Association of Garden Clubs, Darke County Park District, Friends of Bear’s Mill, Greenville Art Guild, Greenville Instrumental Band Boosters, Greenville Municipal Concert Band, and Towne & Country Players.

“All of the applications were worthy of support and will provide opportunities for enjoyment of the arts by a broad range of people; this year’s grants will benefit musical performances and art exhibits, as well as music and art education,” Delk said. “We look forward to the community embracing the opportunities provided by the projects we’ve funded.”

Ansonia High School Art Club provides students with enriching after-school art activities; the DCEA grant will help fund these projects. Money awarded to the Darke County Association of Garden Clubs will contribute to the organization’s flower shows at the Darke County Fair this summer, which will be themed around art. In addition to its annual Prairie Days event at Shawnee Prairie, Darke County Park District will host an historical encampment during The Gathering at Garst this summer; Endowment funds will help cover artists’ fees for both of these events.

“Art At the Mill” in the Clark Gallery at historic Bear’s Mill received assistance from the Endowment; this series of art exhibits gives local residents the opportunity to view and possibly purchase the work of fine artists who are eager to display their talents to a broad audience. Greenville Art Guild will sponsor fine art workshops offering instruction in acrylic painting and color pencil drawing to beginning and advanced students; Endowment funds will help offset the cost of equipment and supplies.

Greenville Instrumental Music Boosters requested money to purchase instruments essential to musical performance by high school students; DCEA will help fund these purchases. The Endowment also granted funds to help cover operating costs for Greenville Municipal Band’s popular annual concert series in Greenville City Park that has provided free entertainment to generations of local residents. As part of Towne & Country Players’ mission to enrich their community, the organization presents a series of free performances in downtown Versailles each summer; a DCEA grant will help cover expenses for this year’s “Staycation” entertainment series.

DCEA is a non-profit organization that receives and manages charitable gifts that are invested to produce income benefitting the arts in Darke County. In addition to the general fund from which grant monies are allotted, the endowment maintains other funds, one specifically dedicated to assisting Darke County Center for the Arts in their mission to culturally enrich the community, and the Memorial Hall Fund to help preserve and maintain historic Henry St. Clair Memorial Hall.

For more information about how to become involved in keeping the arts alive in the community, visit www.SupportDCEA.org, or contact DCEA at P.O. Box 155, Greenville, OH 45331.

In addition to Delk, DCEA trustees are Gary Brown, Roberta Feltman, Barbara Greiner, Becky Hartnagle, and Andrea Jordan. Nicole Gillespie serves as DCEA treasurer.

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