Arts Council Silicon Valley Increases Funding by Forty Percent
New Funding Partners, Programs Strengthen Local Support to Arts and Cultural Organizations

San Jose, CA, August 8, 2005 – Arts Council Silicon Valley, the largest private nonprofit arts council in the state, announced today that its total grant awards increased by 40% over the past fiscal year. The Arts Council awarded 165 total grant awards to 125 local arts and cultural organizations and individual artists. A total of $743,749 was distributed through seven different grants programs, nearly double the amount awarded just five years ago.

Sixty-five arts groups and community groups with arts activities were funded this year through the Community Arts Fund (CAF), for arts activities reflective of the multicultural region. Forty-three organizations received grants through the Organizational Enhancement Fund (OEF) which gives general operating support for administrative and artistic development for professional and semi-professional groups.

In addition, seven photographers and poets received fellowships through the Arts Council’s Artist Fellowship program and 33 different organizations received grants through the Applied Materials Excellence in the Arts Program for Leadership & Organizational Enhancement (LOE) and Artistic & Program Excellence (APE).

The Arts Council’s grants programs also received a large boost through its newly-established John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Stabilization Grants Program. This grant awarded seven mid-sized arts organizations in Santa Clara County multi-year support of either $60,000 or $30,000 for development, sustainability and growth. This year also marked the pilot year of the FIRST 5 Arts Grants Program, which is a re-granting program that provides arts education to preschoolers (ages 0-5) and their families.

"I am very excited that our new programs and committed funding partners believe in preserving arts and culture throughout Santa Clara County, despite the challenging economic climate," said Bruce W. Davis, executive director of Arts Council Silicon Valley. "A 40% increase in awards is a great boost to the local arts community."

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 different programs throughout the year and are first 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.

A complete list of grants recipients can be found at: http://www.artscouncil.org/grantees2005.asp.

About Arts Council Silicon Valley
Incorporated in 1983, Arts Council Silicon Valley is an independent, nonprofit arts agency dedicated to providing funding and advocacy support, and fundraising and marketing services to the region’s arts organizations and artists. 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 13 years, the Arts Council has distributed nearly $8 million to local arts and cultural organizations, individual artists, schools, and community groups