Arts Council issues 2003 grants

The Nevada Council on the Arts has voted to approve 86 new grants to nonprofit groups around the state totaling $392,127.

The council also approved the second half of 25 two-year grants originally issued last year. Those grants total $389,930.

Executive Director Susan Boskoff said, however, the funding is contingent on approval by the governor's office, which could reduce the amount available because of the state's budget shortfall.

Organizations around the state requested a total of $693,156.

The applicants were evaluated by the council Monday and Tuesday. Then the full council met Wednesday to iron out how much to award each group.

The recipients range from performing arts such as theater, dance and musical groups to cultural and historical organizations.

Western Nevada organizations are well represented, including the Brewery Arts Center which will receive $3,576 in new grant money as well $15,881 as the second half of a two-year challenge grant.

Boskoff said all the grants are, in effect, challenge grants which require the arts group to at least match the state's funding. The largest grants approved were for $40,000 to the Churchill Arts Council in Fallon and the same to the Nevada Museum of Art in Reno. In addition, the theater Coalition developing the Lear Theater in Reno was approved for $25,246. Boskoff said those grants are for major building projects and must be matched by three donated dollars for each state dollar.

The Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival will get the second half of an $18,400 grant approved last year.

Other grants awarded in Western Nevada include:

-- Children's Museum in Carson City for $552

-- Nevada Hispanic Services in Carson City for $311

-- Bella Voce of Carson City for $2,956

-- Incline Village Chamber Music Society for $2,516

-- Jeanne Dini Yerington Cultural Center for $5,359

-- Lake Tahoe Arts Council in Stateline for $1,730

-- Miles High Jazz Band in Carson City for $2,516

-- Pinkerton Dance Company of Carson City for $2,516

-- Sierra Nevada Ballet of Genoa for $2,485

-- Sierra Nevada College Tahoe Gallery at Incline Village for $2,516

-- Carson City Symphony Association for $4,288

-- Comstock Arts Council of Virginia City for $4,999

-- Tahoe Arts Project at South Lake Tahoe for $4,444

-- Yerington Theater for the Arts for $4,999

-- Brewery Arts Center in Carson City for $3,576.