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Peoria gives $75K to arts-based programs

Supports art-centric events, activities benefiting Peoria residents

Posted 9/8/21

Peoria has given a boost to arts organizations that help make the city a better place.

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arts

Peoria gives $75K to arts-based programs

Supports art-centric events, activities benefiting Peoria residents

Posted

Peoria has given a boost to arts organizations that help make the city a better place.

Peoria City Council approved fiscal year 2022 art grant requests in the amount of $75,000 for several nonprofit organizations and Peoria-based small businesses that deliver programs and services to Peoria residents in the areas of visual and performing arts.

This year’s requests, like previous years, are beneficial in several areas such as: providing organizations capacity to participate in city-sponsored events, enhancing arts programs at Peoria Unified School District schools, bringing the arts and arts activities to undeserved populations and assisting arts organizations with building a significant presence in Peoria.

Single grant awards ranged from $2,000 to $5,000.

For fiscal year 2022, 20 applications were recommended by the Peoria Arts Commission for funding out of 30 applications received.

Recipients ranged from Arizona Broadway Theatre and TheaterWorks to Free Arts For Abused Children of Arizona.

Since 1991, the city’s arts division has proposed and managed the Arts Grant Program. Similar to last year, the base budget of $25,200 was augmented by a one-time supplemental in fiscal year 2022, of $49,800 for a total of $75,000 available for arts grant awards.

The goal of the program is to assist nonprofit organizations, schools, and Peoria small businesses with financial support enhancing art-centric events and activities benefiting Peoria residents.

Several criteria had to be met as part of the minimum qualifications for each grant application.

The recipient must be a tax exempt 501(c) 3 not-for-profit individual or organization or a Peoria small business with a Peoria business license; applicant schools must be located within Peoria or have a portion of enrollment area within Peoria; grants for festivals must be held in the city of Peoria; the individual or organization must operate in Peoria or serve residents of Peoria; and each applicant awarded a grant must fulfill all contractual requirements, such as providing a final grant report.

A detailed process is used to review, rank, and recommend each application. All grant applications were reviewed by a mixed panel consisting of an arts commission member, Peoria citizens, and city staff outside of the arts division. The grants were assessed in five categories: 1) Applicant History, 2) the Grant Request, 3) Project/Organizational Quality, 4) Project/Organizational Capability, and 5) Project Budget.

Each application was scored individually by panel members and ranked based on total score. Staff compiles the funding requests in various amounts and presents to the full arts commission for advisory action.

On June 22, 2021, the Peoria Arts Commission held its public meeting conducting further evaluation of the applications, discussing the values of the proposals and unanimously approved their recommendations for mayor and council.

For a full list of recipents, click here.