Grants making at the local arts level is a rare, but essential component in fostering community development through the use of artistic and cultural resources. The Horizons Grants Program is a quieter force, standing behind and lifting up local arts organizations, artists and community service agencies. Funding for Horizons Grants comes from city, state and federal sources, earned income and private and corporate contributions. These funds are used for a variety of purposes which include:

• Services and funding for cultural and community organizations, individual artists and educators who provide arts and cultural opportunities for young people;
  
  
• Programs and activities that benefit the citizens of Saline County by making the arts a part of their everyday lives;
  
  
• Efforts that promote, develop and preserve the artistic, cultural, historic and aesthetic resources of the community and the region.

How does this happen in our community? Here are examples of projects, equipment and initiatives supported by Horizons Grant dollars in 2007/08:

• Salina Symphony - Creativity in Music: Salina Symphony Composer-in-Residence; a residency for Fall 2008 with composer Dr. Timothy Mahr, including a composition by Dr. Mahr commissioned for the Salina Symphony and a series of five free composition classes which will culminate in a spring 2009 juried student composition contest and subsequent performance. The project works within Kansas Model Curricular Standards for Music.



• Kansas Wesleyan University - Opera in Salina; this is a project of the Kansas Wesleyan University (KWU) Fine Arts division, to produce, stage and market Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance at the Stiefel Theatre. This popular comic opera requires a large cast, a full orchestra and multiple sets, and will result in a community-based collaborative effort.



• Salina Community Theatre - Exploring the MOSAIC Market; in its three-year marketing plan, Salina Community Theatre will apply the MOSAIC population demographic concept as delineated in its individual marketing reports as part of The Big Ideas cultural assessment and strategic plan. The initiative is to systematically enhance SCT’s subscription and single ticket sales efforts.



• Salina Art Center – New Media Project; development of exhibitions and education programs in new media; a multimedia exhibition on the topic of Salina’s future created from written descriptions, drawings, computer renderings, and photographs; acquisition of video projection and sound equipment and creation of a dedicated space for its use.



• Brock Chart – to attend The Jazz Combo Workshop at the University of North Texas



• John Davis – to attend the International Society of Bassists convention in Oklahoma City.



• Tammy Jarvis – mentorship with Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre Company, West Liberty, IA.



• Peggy Medina – Photoshop workshop



• Lori Wright – digital camera

2008 Horizons Grants - $51,000 was awarded in these categories, to date: 1 pending artist award; 4 pending Developing Artist grants; 3 Sudden Opportunity grants; 4 Organization/Project grants (2007); 2 Organization/Advancement grants (2007). Since 1986, an impressive $1,006,466 has been granted to Salina Artists and organizations.

Four Organizational Project Grants, four Lana Jordan Developing Artist Grants (pending,) and two Organizational Advancement Grants will involve and serve over 25,000 Salina and area citizens this year.

Download Horizons Grants Guidelines and Applications

• Lana Jordan Developing Artist Grants (September 1, 2009 deadline)
• Artist Awards (March 2, 2009 deadline)
  
• Organizational Project Grants (December 1, 2008 deadline)
• Organizational Advancement Grants (December 1, 2008 deadline)

   

For further information, contact:
Salina Arts and Humanities Commission
P.O. Box 2181 • Salina, KS 67402-2181
phone (785) 309-5770 • fax (785) 826-7444
e-mail: sahc@salina.org