ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – The Michigan Arts and Culture Council (MACC) has awarded $666,567 in grants to U.P. arts and cultural organizations and individuals for the fiscal year.
The Upper Peninsula Arts and Culture Alliance promotes MACC grants to organizations and individuals throughout the U.P. The grants are to be used for operating expenses, capital improvements, mini-grants, arts in education, costs to bus students to and from arts and cultural venues, art supplies for schools, and arts project support.
The following grants were awarded to recipients listed below by county:
· Alger: $52,580 (Munising Public Schools, Superior Central School District, U.P. Arts and Culture Alliance)
· Chippewa: $113,677 (Eastern U.P. Planning Commission, Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society, Le Sault de Ste. Marie Historical Sites, Sault Area Arts Council, Soo Locks Children’s Museum and Soo Theatre Project)
· Delta: $17,550 (The Bonifas Arts Center and Players de Noc)
· Gogebic: $51,400 (Ironwood Downtown Art Place and Ironwood Theatre)
· Houghton: $107,500 (Calumet Theatre Company, Copper Country Community Arts Council, Copper Country Suzuki Association, Michigan Technological University’s Rosza Center, and Pine Mountain Music Festival)
· Iron: $15,500 (Crystal Theatre and Northwoods Music Collaborative)
· Mackinac: $51,000 (Mackinac Arts Council, Michilimackinac Historical Society, and Top of the Lake Snowmobile Museum)
· Marquette: $209,712 (City of Marquette, Hiawatha Music Non-Profit, Lake Superior Theater, Liberty Children’s Art Project, Marquette City Band, Marquette County Historical Society, Marquette Maritime Museum, Marquette Symphony Orchestra, Marquette-Alger Regional Educational Service Agency, Northern Michigan University-DeVos Art Museum, Superior Arts Youth Theater, Superior String Alliance, Upper Peninsula Children’s Museum, and U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame and Museum)
· Ontonagon: $18,000 (Friends of the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park)
· Schoolcraft: $29,378 (Lake Effect Community Arts Center)
“I want folks to know that U.P. residents value arts and culture,” Grant Coordinator Sue Roland told WZMQ 19 in a written statement. “For the U.P. to thrive, arts and culture needs to thrive as well. It can seem like a chicken and egg process (it pretty much is) but the economic growth of an area goes hand in hand with the increasing presence of arts and culture opportunities for area residents and visitors.”
The MACC will award $9,847,525 in arts and culture grants in the 2024 fiscal year, beginning October 1, 2023, and ending September 30, 2024. The $666,567 that Upper Peninsula organizations and individuals have been awarded so far is approximately 6.7% of the funds. The U.P. has about 3% of the state’s population.
“Even small organizations doing small arts and culture projects are eligible for funding,” said Roll. “Over time, these organizations can apply for larger and larger grants as they gain grant writing experience. I want those small and medium size organizations who may have never applied for a grant to know that it isn’t an overwhelming process. It can be learned step by step and I’m here to help.”
A total of $23,466 of the grant award funds has been held back for a second ground of grants. All Upper Peninsula regions will take part in round two for project and professional/organizational mini-grants. The application deadline is Monday, January 15, 2024.
Grants must be submitted at macc.smartsimple.com. For grant guidelines, contact Roll at (906) 280-2746 or sue@upacalliance.com.
