The arts are alive and well in Richmond, California. In fact, the Richmond Arts & Culture Commission has recently awarded 10 community members with Neighborhood Public Art Mini-Grants totaling $65,000, all directly from the city’s general fund, to contribute artistic works to the Richmond community, be it creating a mural, a stage play, a photography exhibit—any and all artistic ventures are supported. “The main key factor to this program is that it involves non-artists—members of the community who have never worked with an artist or have never done art—and it gives them the opportunity to do that,” said Michele Seville, Arts & Culture Manager for the City of Richmond. “The whole point is to expose people to the arts and give them the experience of what it’s like to help make something happen.” 64 MARKETPLACEcontrac osta .com april 2015 Once a project is accepted, a commission liaison— who sits on the Arts & Culture Commission—is assigned to each grant recipient/project manager and will work with them every step of the way until the August deadline. With only 16 applicants this year, and 19 applicants last year, you’d think there would be more for such an incredible program like this, but it isn’t easy to apply. “It’s a whole process of presenting to the art commission and learning how to represent yourself and place value in what you’re presenting,” said Seville. “If you’re selected then you have the opportunity to follow through on that and it’s a great learning process.” But it is a process that takes many months of planning, organizing, and even fundraising if you didn’t get awarded your fully requested amount. It takes a lot of work, Bike Rack Thriving Artforms For the people, from the city By matt larson
Contra Costa Marketplace - April 2015
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