Darke County Endowment for the Arts recently granted funds to applicants who submitted requests for financial assistance for arts-related projects. According to DCEA Chair Marilyn Delk, one of DCEA’s major purposes is to help organizations and individuals achieve artistic goals that benefit the citizens of Darke County. “The Endowment exists to enrich our community by providing financial support to art projects; our trustees were thrilled to be able to fund all of the applicants to some degree even though the number of those applying was the highest in memory,” Ms. Delk stated. Funds were granted to Annie Oakley Committee, Ansonia Elementary Art Department, Ansonia High School Art Club and Art Department, Art House Gallery, Darke County Center for the Arts, Darke County Park District, Mona Gazala, The Gathering at Garst, Greenville Middle School Art Department, Greenville Public Library, Main Street Greenville, Mississinawa Valley School Art Department, Towne and Country Players, and Versailles Elementary K-4 Music and Versailles High School Band.
“All of the applications are incredibly worthy of support, and will provide enjoyment of and participation in the arts by a broad range of people; these grants reach across our community to enhance not only the present but also will bring future benefit,” Mrs. Delk stated. “We hope that the wide spectrum of arts’ opportunities offered will motivate donors to help keep the arts alive in our community through their donations and legacy gifts to Darke County Endowment for the Arts,” she concluded.
DCEA funding will help provide the Annie Oakley Festival Committee with artists’ fees for their highly popular summer event; Ansonia Elementary and High School Art Departments received funding for necessary art supplies while Ansonia Art Club funding will further enrich students’ lives by offering new interactive creative experiences through a variety of field trips. Money was also provided for seating and tables at the newly created Art House Gallery which plans to offer a wide range of classes to students of all ages. Additionally, matching funds were granted to Darke County Center for the Arts’ planned fundraising drive on Giving Tuesday, November 30.
When Darke County Park District presents performing artists at their popular upcoming festivals, The Gathering at Garst and Pioneer Days, funding from DCEA will help defray those artists’ compensation. Local artist Mona Gazala will soon open the first exhibition of work at her studio gallery in Gettysburg with financial assistance from the Endowment. Endowment funds will also pay for The Anna Bier Art Tent hosting local artists displaying their work at The Gathering at Garst the last full weekend in July. Supplies for fiber art projects at Greenville Middle School will be provided through Endowment funds; the refurbishment of Greenville Public Library’s stained glass portrait of Henry St. Clair also received DCEA assistance.
Prize money for artisans exhibiting their work at Main Street Greenville’s August Artisan Stroll will be provided through the Endowment; DCEA will provide financial assistance to Mississinawa Valley Art Department for equipment enabling their rapidly expanding photography program. Versailles’ Towne and Country Players’ received monies to assist with purchase of new microphones necessary for their productions, while Versailles K-4 music program will have new ukeleles for elementary students’ use and the Versailles High School Band received financial assistance for the purchase of new silver trombones.
DCEA is a non-profit organization that receives and manages charitable gifts that are invested to produce income benefitting the arts in Darke County. In addition to the General Fund from which grant monies are allotted, the Endowment maintains other funds, one specifically dedicated to assisting Darke County Center for the Arts in their mission to culturally enrich our community, and the Memorial Hall Fund to help preserve and maintain historic Henry St. Clair Memorial Hall. For more information about how you can become involved in keeping the arts alive in our community, visit www.SupportDCEA.org, or contact DCEA at P.O. Box 155, Greenville, OH 45331. In addition to Ms. Delk, DCEA trustees are Ted Abney, Antonia Baker, Ryan Dynes, Becky Hartnagle, Andrea Jordan, and Kent Zechar. Nicole Gillespie serves as DCEA treasurer.