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Newport News Arts Commission awards over $150,000 in grant funding to support local arts

Virginia Symphony Orchestra

By: Brianna Lanham

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NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — The Newport News Arts Commission is investing over $150,000 in grant funding to community art organizations.

The grant funding, which totals $159,379, supports dance, media, music, theater, visual, literacy, and other related arts, according to a press release.

“Newport News is home to a thriving arts community, with talented creators and performers inspiring residents and visitors across various platforms,” Mayor Phillip Jones said. “The arts provide a wealth of benefits to communities, from fostering a welcoming sense of place and supporting physical, mental, and emotional health, to stimulating economic and business activity and offering forums for collective problem solving and collaboration."

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The grant money is divided into two categories: General Operating Support grants and Special Projects grants. The minimum grant award is $500 for both.

For Special Project grants, funding is provided for activities targeting students and special audiences.

"The 25 agencies Newport News is funding deliver innovative programs that engage varied audiences, celebrate our city’s diversity, and promote civic engagement," Jones said in the press release. "I look forward to the unique initiatives that will come to life over the next year.”

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The annual Arts Commission grant program is part of the city's Community Support Agency Grant initiative and is supplemented by a $4,500 State Creative Communities Partnership Grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts.

To be eligible for a grant, non-profit organizations must be housed within the city of be able to clearly demonstrate how they serve Newport News residents. They must also have been in existence at least a year, have a Board of Directors and visible support from the community, provide programs or activities that directly benefit Newport News residents, and agree to comply with funding guidelines.