James Maroney

Senator Maroney Welcomes Arts Grants to Woodbridge and Milford

Today, state Senator James Maroney (D-Milford) is welcoming state grants recently awarded to local arts organizations in Woodbridge, Milford, and West haven, all three towns in which Senator Maroney Represents, through the Department of Economic Community Development Office of the Arts. In Woodbridge, the Amity Teen Center and the Palestine Museum have been awarded funding, as well as the Milford Fine Arts Council and Pantochino Productions Inc. in Milford.

“The Amity Teen Center is such a deserving recipient of this award,” said Sen. Maroney. “It provides teens a safe, fun, and educational atmosphere where teens can be teens while expressing themselves. The Palestine Museum harbors a rich history and culture that will continue to teach generations for years to come. The Milford Fine Arts Council and Pantochino Productions both offer an outlet for creativity and theater that will forever enrich the lives of the community present and future. Both are so important as they continue to bring arts to the community bringing us together while serving as economic development draws for downtown Milford.”

I am thankful to the Department of Economic Community Development for their continued support with our local arts organizations that will benefit our community in the 14th district.”

The Amity Teen Center has been awarded $9,242 through the General Operating Support for Theaters and Performing Groups program. This program provides general operating support grants to Connecticut-based theaters and performing groups whose primary purpose is to present the performing arts to the general public. The Teen Center has also been awarded $1,255 through the CT Arts Endowment fund (CAEF). The CAEF was established by the Connecticut General Assembly to stimulate the development of private sector funding and to ensure the long-term stability of Connecticut’s arts industry by providing funding to organizations. In November, the Teen Center had been awarded $3,101 through the Supporting Arts Program which provides general operating support to help Connecticut’s arts organizations and municipal arts departments cover programmatic costs associated with their mission-related work. Also in Woodbridge, the Palestine Museum has been awarded $574 through the CT Arts Endowment fund.

In Milford, the Milford Fine Arts Council has been awarded $11,621 through the General Operating Support for Theaters and Performing Groups program and $646 through the CAEF program. In November, the Milford Fine Arts Council had previously been awarded $4,019 through the Supporting Arts Program. And Pantochino Productions Inc. in Milford has been awarded $5,601 through the General Operating Support for Theaters and Performing Groups program.

This type of funding through the Department of Economic Community Development Office of the Arts is flexible and gives the organization the ability to use the funds where the funds are most needed. An organization may use these funds for a specific project, however, from past final reports, most grantees use general operating support to cover staff salaries and/or fees paid to contractual workers, rent/mortgage, utilities, etc.