Darien Arts Center Gets $5,000 State Grant

State Sen. Bob Duff, a Norwalk Democrat who also represents part of Darien,  welcomed news Tuesday that the state Department of Economic and Community Development has awarded $76,050 in grants to four area arts organizations, including the Darien Arts Center.

The largest grant was to "Norwalk 2.0," a community and economic development organization that seeks to engage residents, businesses and community organizations to work together for an economically diverse and sustainable future.

"Arts and music are as much a part of our communities as schools and small businesses, and these grants will help preserve and grow these local institutions for us to enjoy year-round," Sen. Duff said.  

Specifically, the grants include:

• $65,000 to Norwalk 2.0 for Arts Leadership-Implementation
• $5,000 to the Darien Arts Center for Sustaining Relevance
• $5,000 to  the Norwalk Youth Symphony for Sustaining Relevance
• $1,050 to Shakespeare on the Sound for Artists in the Community

On Monday, the state Department of Economic & Community Development/CT Office of the Arts and the State Historic Preservation Office awarded grants from the Historic Preservation Survey & Planning and the Arts Catalyze Placemaking program. These programs are funded by the state appropriation to DECD and by funds received from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Community Investment Act.

The grant programs from which funds were awarded include:

• Survey and Planning Grants for Historic Preservation – these grant may be used by Connecticut non-profit organizations and municipalities for a wide range of historic preservation planning activities, including surveys, nominations to the National or State Registers of Historic Places, pre-development studies, heritage tourism and other planning documents.
• ACP 1 - Connecticut Artist in Every Community – these grants are to promote community development and teaching and learning through high quality arts engagement and arts integration. The program provides opportunities for residents of all ages, in every community, to interact with practicing artists in ways that will advance Connecticut cities, towns and villages as meaningful communities in which to live, work, learn and play.
• ACP 2 & ACP 3 - Arts Leadership - these grants provide funding for arts-based projects, activities and programs that engage partners and which will advance Connecticut cities, towns, and villages as meaningful communities in which to live, work, learn and play.
• ACP 4 - Sustaining Relevance - formula-based awards provide support to arts organizations whose on-going work is relevant to the community and supports COA’s creative placemaking goals.