Ceci Maher

Sen. Maher Welcomes Over $630,000 in State Funding for Arts Grants in Ridgefield, Wilton, Westport

HARTFORD, CT – Today, state Senator Ceci Maher (D-Wilton) celebrated recently awarded state grants to local arts organizations in Ridgefield, Wilton and Westport. The total amount of $631,869 is from General Operation Support grants (GOS), the Connecticut Arts Endowment and the Supporting Arts grants.

“This funding will assist our local arts organizations in managing the day-to-day costs associated with creating enriching entertainment, while also providing opportunities for people to engage with the arts,” said Sen. Maher. “I’m grateful for this funding and for the important art and culture all of these organizations offer.”

Per the state’s website, GOS grants provide general operating support grants to Connecticut-based theaters and performing groups whose primary purpose is to present the performing arts to the public. The grant funding is intended to support these local organizations in their pursuit to promote the arts in their communities, The state’s arts endowment, created by the General Assembly, aims to stimulate development of private sector funding, and ensure the long-term stability of the state’s arts industry through funding to organizations, according to the state’s website. Similar to GOS grants, the state’s Supporting Arts grants provide general operating support for arts organizations and municipal arts departments through coverage of programmatic costs associated with their mission-related work, per the state’s website. For GOS recipients click here, Endowment Fund recipients click here and Supporting Arts, click here. The following organizations received grant funding to continue their pursuit to enrich their communities through the arts.

Ridgefield ($420,649): ACT of Connecticut – $84,457, Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum – $17,531, Artful Visual Arts Initiative, LLC – $1,000, Camerata d’Amici – $2,170, Ridgefield Chorale, The Ridgefield – $13,868, Ridgefield Guild of Artists – $9,488, Ridgefield Playhouse for Movies and the Performing Arts, Inc. – $225,214, Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra, Inc – 26,644, Ridgefield Workshop for the Performing Arts (Ridgefield Theater Barn) – $15,047, Thrown Stone Theatre Company – $13,349, Western Connecticut Youth Orchestra – $11,881; Wilton ($27,573): Music on the Hill – $12,043, Weir Farm Arts Center – $500, Wilton Playshop – $11,345, Wilton Singers – $3,685; Westport (183,647): American Chamber Orchestra – $5,764, Beechwood Arts, Inc. – $10,000, Fairfield County Chorale – $12,987, JIB Productions (Play With Your Food) – $2,371, Levitt Pavilion, Friends of Westport – $54,909: MoCA Westport, Inc. – $60,782, Music for Youth Westport – $5,954, Suzuki Music School of Westport & Orange – $3,128, Westport Community Theatre – $9,417, Westport Country Playhouse – $12,959, Westport School of Music – $5,376.