RAAC awards local artists $43,551 in Mitchell Arts Fund grants

Rappahannock Association for Arts and Community (RAAC) has announced this year’s grants to 14 Rappahannock artists and organizations. In keeping with the vision of the Claudia Mitchell Arts Fund, the grants reward and encourage individual artists of all ages and organizations who are working to foster the arts in Rappahannock.

This year’s grants include a diverse mix of educational and performance projects, media, emerging artists, established artists, arts programs and collaborative projects.

Congratulations to:

▶ Colby Allred

— Creation of largescale ceramic sculpture series, “Rural Monoliths,” inspired by rural agricultural communities

▶ 1000 Faces Mask Theater/Peg Schadler

— Production of a new original masked theater piece, “Axis Mundi

Travelling Medicine Show,” with video and fall performance at Pen Druid

▶ Kiaya Abernathy

— Rappahannock Radio production of 12 new interviews with local artists and personalities

▶ Child Care & Learning Center (CCLC)

— Visiting artists from summer 2021 through next school year bringing music, movement, drawing, puppeteering, storytelling and bubbles to CCLC children

▶ Maeve Ciuba

— Continued study of Celtic harp with Allison Hampton

▶ Lorraine Duisit

— CD production of original songs that includes local artists and musicians

▶ Jason Goldman

— Three pieces of equipment for his woodworking studio to facilitate his own work, plus teaching others

▶ Headwaters Foundation

— Twoweek Summer Chorus Program for

Rappahannock middle and high school adolescents

▶ Linda Heimstra

— Equipment for recording and producing an album of original and public domain jazz songs written and/or arranged by Linda and members of The Nethers Hot Club

▶ Elena Kazmier

— Creation of a series of “buon fresco” panels entitled “Rappahannock Renaissance” for her new Flint Hill studio and gallery

▶ Janet Kerig

— Summer arts and crafts camp at CCLC

▶ Lisa Leftwich

— Jazz piano lessons with Bill Harris

▶ Living Sky Foundation

— Development of a new website for Sperryville ARTists Cooperative

▶ Mountainside Dance Center

— Student scholarships for children and adults, as well as a dance studio expansion

Since 2012 RAAC has given away $300,000 in Mitchell Fund grants to 68 artists and organizations in the community — a 30-fold increase over the initial bequest from Claudia Mitchell, RAAC’s president for many years and a dedicated supporter of the arts and community.

Net proceeds from RAAC programs and especially the Fall Art Tour, combined with contributions from RAAC’s generous donors, have made this ongoing support possible. “The Board and its Mitchell Arts Fund committee are thrilled at the diversity and quality of art-making in the county,” said Matthew Black, RAAC Board president. “In these challenging times, we’re especially impressed by the creativity, tenacity and resilience of our local artists and organizations.”