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Eastern Shore Art Center receives $14,600 in grant funding from the Alabama State Council on the Arts

Eastern Shore Art Center (ESAC) has received two grants from the Alabama State Council on the Arts to help fund artist awards for the annual Outdoor Art Show held every March and to aid in administrative salary support.

With growing programs and events, ESAC has been hopeful to increase additional hourly staff support to keep pace with the increased level of activity. Executive Director Bryant Whelan said, “Last year Alabama State Council on the Arts provided grant funding which enabled us to increase our bookkeeping and administrative staff, which helped us tremendously in our ability to create new programming and offer more community activities.” Whelan said the grant funding has had a direct impact on logistics as well. “Membership has increased, we’ve streamlined our processes, and we are working on enhanced technology. We could not have done that without increased administrative staff assistance. We are so grateful to receive an additional grant this year,” said Whelan.

Secondly, $7,600 was granted in support of the Outdoor Art Show. Each year, ESAC awards $10,000 in monetary prizes for artists chosen by a distinguished panel of jurors for excellence in multiple artistic mediums. Adrienne Clow, Exhibits and Marketing Director, at ESAC explained that the awards are important to acknowledge the winning artists. “This coming year follows our 50th commemorative festival and these awards ensure that the caliber of applicants remains high,” Clow said. This year’s show takes place March 17-19, 2023.

Colette Waite, Outdoor Art Show

To learn more about the arts instruction programming at ESAC and enroll in classes, go to https://esartcenter.org.

This grant, awarded by the Alabama State Council on the Arts, is made possible through funding from an annual appropriation from the Alabama State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts. This public support enables the Eastern Shore Art Center to reach new audiences, foster community development, provide the highest quality programming, and demonstrate the importance of arts as a key component for quality of life in Alabama.

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About Eastern Shore Art Center
The Eastern Shore Art Center connects people of all ages and abilities with the arts through education, exhibitions, and outreach activities. ESAC, dba the Eastern Shore Art Association, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation funded solely through private memberships, donations and grants relying on the goodwill of the community for its continuation. Current exhibits include ESAC’s Members’ Open Show, 4th Annual Plein Air Fairhope, Nall Collection of Alabama Art. Learn more at https://esartcenter.org.

About Alabama State Council on the Arts
The Council on the Arts is the official state agency for the support and development of the arts in Alabama. The Council works to expand and preserve the state’s cultural resources by supporting nonprofit arts organizations, schools, colleges, units of local government, and individual artists. Arts programs, assisted by Council grants, have a track record of enhancing community development, education, cultural tourism, and overall quality of life in all regions of the state. Alabama State Council on the Arts grants are made possible by an annual appropriation from the Alabama Legislature and additional funds from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. Learn more at arts.alabama.gov.