Cultural Council announces art grant recipients

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The St. Johns Cultural Council has awarded this year’s recipients of the Fall 2022 State of the Arts (SOTA) Grants. The grants, presented annually, are available through funds raised by the sale of “State of the Arts” specialty license plates, which have provided more than $140,000 of support to arts organizations and individual artists in St. Johns County.

Awardees include Compassionate St. Augustine with SOTA funds to provide a stipend for instructors providing “Drumming Away Sound and Sensory Sensitivity” for exceptional students at four Title 1 elementary schools in St. Johns County.

The Lincolnville Historical Preservation and Restoration Society grant will fund performance artists fees and other costs for the Lincolnville Festival.

Funding was also presented to RubiMusic which will present a Christmas concert with musical arrangements by composers Handel, Bach, Rutter and other traditional holiday carols performed by young soloists.

Sebastian Middle School received SOTA grant funds to purchase materials for a roving wool soft sculpture project to be produced by art students.

Additionally, The Dance Company funding will provide instructor fees for dance and movement therapy classes at assisted living facilities and centers for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

And Timberlin Creek Elementary School received a grant to cover material costs including clay, tool kits for students, and glaze materials to reintroduce ceramics into art classrooms.

“St. Johns Cultural Council congratulates all of the fall 2022 grantees,” said Christina Parrish Stone, the Cultural Council’s executive director. “We are thankful for the hard-working SOTA grant panel, and for every individual who purchases a State of the Arts license plate to support this important initiative. The grant process is competitive and not every application received funding. Recipients are truly deserving of the funds to enhance and continue programs and services offered by local nonprofit organizations.”

Grantees will be recognized at a public holiday open house from 5 to 7 p.m. Dec. 15 at The Waterworks, 184 San Marco Ave. in St. Augustine.