Indiana Arts Commission Invests in SCYC to Strengthen Starke County through Arts and Creativity

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The Indiana Arts Commission (IAC) recently announced it has awarded $3,800 to The Starke County Youth Club, Inc.  for Afterschool Art projects through the Arts Project Support grant program. 

During its June 9 Quarterly Business Meeting, the Commission approved funding recommendations for the Arts Project Support and Arts Organization Support grant programs. Over 480 applications were reviewed by 146 panelists from around the state and country with expertise in the arts, community development, and nonprofit management.

“The projects and organizations selected to receive funding are strengthening our state,” said Anne Penny Valentine, Chair of the Indiana Arts Commission. “The Commission is excited and honored to invest in Hoosier communities, supporting organizations that are doing exceptional creative work to make Indiana a great place to live, work, play, study, and stay.”

“We are grateful for this generous gift and to the Indiana Arts Commission, for their understanding of the power of this vital incubator for youth to engage their imagination and creativity,” said SCYC Executive Director, Irene Szakonyi. “These experiences build self confidence and a sense of community.”

“Art and creativity strengthen the fabric of Indiana’s communities.  They promote connection and cohesion, foster the entrepreneurial spirit communities need to thrive, and create the kinds of communities where people want to live,” said Miah Michaelsen, Executive Director of the Indiana Arts Commission. “In every corner of our state, public funding for arts and creativity continually proves to be a high-return investment that improves the quality of life of Hoosiers and drives economic development within our state.”

Funding for the Indiana Arts Commission and its programs is provided by the Indiana General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.