Arts Groups to Receive Twenty-Five Percent Increase

Funding Partners Strengthen Arts Council’s Support

San Jose, CA, August 10, 2004 – Local arts groups received welcome funding news from Arts Council Silicon Valley who today announced a twenty-five percent increase in total grant awards to 106 small to mid-sized arts groups. A total of $388,768 was awarded to organizations presenting theatre, dance, music, and visual and literary art forms throughout Santa Clara County. This represents a twenty-five percent increase in the average grant award as well as the total amount awarded, boosted by a $750,000 three-year grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

“For the past 16 years, the County of Santa Clara Board of Supervisors has dedicated revenue from the Transit Occupancy Tax to support the arts in our community,” said Supervisor Blanca Alvarado. “We are pleased that Arts Council Silicon Valley has been able to leverage those funds to expand the number and size of community arts grants.”

Sixty-two arts groups were funded this year through the Community Arts Fund (CAF), for arts activities reflective of the multicultural region. The funding is for project support with an emphasis on community-based, volunteer-driven organizations, such as Firebird Youth Chinese Orchestra, Shri Krupa Dance Company and Mariachi San Jose. Groups with annual budgets from $6,000 to $100,000 can apply for project monies up to $3,000.

Forty-four organizations received grants through the Organizational Enhancement Fund (OEF). OEF gives general operating support for administrative and artistic development for professional and semi-professional groups, including San Jose Jazz Society, MACLA and Community School of Music & Arts. Grants range from $5,000 to $10,000 for annual budgets of $100,000 to $2,000,000.

 “We’re fortunate to have such committed funding partners, who trust the process and believe in preserving arts and culture throughout Santa Clara County,” said Bruce W. Davis, executive director of Arts Council Silicon Valley.

As a regional nonprofit arts agency, the Arts Council funds the largest number of arts organizations in the county through its grants programs. Applications are submitted for OEF in February and in March for CAF and are screened by ACSV staff for completeness and eligibility. A grants panel of community members representative of county demographics and professional expertise review the applicants and make a funding recommendation to the Arts Council Board of Trustees. Grants are distributed each year in July.

Ongoing support for the grants program is provided through the Arts Council’s PARTNERS Program, which includes funding from the County of Santa Clara, California Arts Council, the City of San Jose, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, The Peninsula Community Foundation, Lockheed-Martin Space Systems, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Arts Partners Endowment Fund and the Silicon Valley Arts Fund Endowment administered by Community Foundation Silicon Valley and, ArtsChoice, the Arts Council’s workplace giving program.

Incorporated in 1983, Arts Council Silicon Valley is a private, nonprofit arts organization that provides funding, advocacy, fundraising and marketing services to arts organizations and artists throughout Santa Clara County . As the official state/local partner with the California Arts Council and the County of Santa Clara, Arts Council Silicon Valley is now the largest nonprofit arts council in the state. Over the past 12 years, the Arts Council has distributed $7.0 million to local arts and cultural organizations, individual artists, schools and community groups