Hernando County Fine Arts Council began 2018 by announcing 10 local groups who received grants to support county art.

Beth Putnam, Community Arts Grant Program Coordinator said, “This year, we were so pleased that we not only had more applicants, but we also saw such a variety of projects! These grant recipients will support art education for a variety of audiences, art shows for adults and students, and a wide range of musical performances and acting opportunities. We are proud to support groups who help make Hernando County a more vibrant art community.”

Recipients and their projects for this year are as follows:

• Chocachatti Elementary School Musical Theater, “Aladdin Kids”
• Hernando County eSchool, “Hernando eSchool Art Show”
• Hernando County Public Library System, “Art Attack”
• Hernando Harmonizers, “2018 Harmony Explosion Student Scholarships”
• Hernando Youth Orchestra, “Growing the Hernando Youth Orchestra”
• Live Oak Theater, “9th Annual Performing Arts Summer Camp”
• National Alliance on Mental Illness, “Express Yourself”
• Stir Up The Gift, “Scholarship and Performance Delivery”
• Suncoast Harmony Chorus of Sweet Adelines, “Thank You for the Music”
• Temple Beth David Jewish Center, “The 3rd Annual Nature Coast Art Show”

Grantees were selected at the Council’s December 14, 2017 meeting after Council members reviewed and scored applications. The Community Arts Grant program provides grants up to

$500 for local non-profit and educational groups to promote all the arts and art appreciation in Hernando County. Grant projects will run through the end of 2018. The 2017 grants involved more than 8,200 people in art activities. More information about the grant program can be found on the Council’s new and improved website @ HernandoArts.org.

The Hernando County Fine Arts Council was created in 1987 by the Board of County Commissioners to encourage, promote, and support all the creative arts in Hernando County and provide a means to showcase the arts. Its signature event is Art in the Park, an annual art festival which will be held March 10-11, 2018, at Tom Varn Park . This 501c3 group is run completely by volunteers.

You can help support Arts Council activities by becoming a Very Important Partner at hernandoarts.org/join.

For more information, contact Beth Putnam, Community Arts Grant Program Coordinator, at bethputnam61@gmail.com , or call 352-573-8208.