By news@madrapp.org | on June 08, 2024
15 individuals and groups awarded nearly $40,000 to continue promoting the arts in Rappahannock County
Awardees of the 2024 Claudia Mitchell Arts Fund grants on Sunday in Washington. MadRapp photo courtesy Ray Boc.
Rappahannock Association for Arts and Community (RAAC) announced the 2024 Claudia Mitchell Arts Fund grant awards on Sunday afternoon to 15 Rappahannock County artists and organizations.
In keeping with the vision of the fund, the grants reward and encourage individual artists of all ages and organizations who are working to foster the arts in Rappahannock County.
This year’s grants include a diversity of educational and performance projects, a variety of media, emerging and established artists, arts programs within community-based organizations, and collaborative projects.
2024 grantees received their grant checks and were celebrated by members of the RAAC Board and Mitchell Arts Fund committee at a Grant Give-Away party at the Little Washington Theatre.
Since 2012 RAAC has given away more than $400,000 in Mitchell Arts Fund grants to more than 72 artists and organizations in the community — a 40-plus-fold increase over the initial bequest from Claudia Mitchell. Net proceeds from RAAC programs and especially the Fall Art Tour, combined with contributions from donors, have made this ongoing support possible.
“I’m so impressed with the artistry of the Rappahannock artist community,” RAAC Board president Matthew Black said. “The board and its Mitchell Arts Fund committee are thrilled at the diversity of these artists and organizations who align with RAAC’s mission of inspiring art and building community.”
The following artists, musicians and organizations were chosen to be recipients of this year’s Mitchell Fund grants, for a total of $39,990 in grants ranging from $600 to $5600.
Tamara Mae Dovell — Recording her original music; taking an online class to learn about working with children & music;
John Hallberg — Cranky performances at his Apple Acha cider, including visiting & local artists;
Linda Heimstra — Planning for a new mural at Rappahannock County Park;
Kitty Keyser — Scholarships for children at her Waldorf-inspired summer camps at Trinity Church & Hearthstone School;
Kid Pan Alley — 25th anniversary concert at Little Washington Theatre;
Cecilia Lopiano — Home studio for natural dyeing of fabrics;
Jonny Lovins —Three-day workshop in woodworking with hand tools;
Mountainside Dance Center — Scholarships for children;
Kerrie Gabbay Mullany — Participation in two book arts classes;
Joneve Murphy — Workshops in making natural inks;
Nicholas Plaksin — Film documenting the summer at Waterpenny Farm;
Rapp at Home/Rapp Writers Group — Series of 5 workshops with visiting writers;
Rappahannock County Library — Nine free painting classes for seniors;
Living Sky/Cherl Crews — Organization & production of Red Tent Sisterhood’s annual public spring gathering in 2025;
Scrabble School Preservation Foundation — MLK Performance at the Little Washington Theatre in January 2025.