Williamston Theatre Receives Grants from MCACA, Capital Region Community Foundation, & Arts Council of Greater Lansing

The Williamston Theatre has been awarded grants from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA), the Capital Region Community Foundation, and the Arts Council of Greater Lansing.

"This is very exciting news," said Williamston Theatre's Executive Director John Lepard. "This funding will provide support for our programming, as well as help us complete some capital improvements to our theatre space. We're also really pleased to be able to send two staff members to the Theatre Communication Group national conference with the professional development grant we received. Although these funds make up just a small percentage of our overall budget, every bit of support helps us to keep our doors open and work to preserve and present the unique voice of the Midwest in our work."

The first grant awarded to the Williamston Theatre by the MCACA will support the general operations of the Williamston Theatre for the remainder of the 2013-2014 Season. The Theatre will mount a total of six productions in the Season and expects to draw over 10,000 patrons to the downtown Williamston area.

The second grant awarded will help the Theatre to complete its 2014 Capital Improvement projects. With matching funds from the Capital Region Community Foundation, the Theatre will work with local contractors to enhance production capabilities, address heating and cooling issues in the building, and improve the patron experience in the Theatre. Private donations from individuals are also helping the Theatre to meet their Capital Improvement needs for 2014.

Organizations receiving a MCACA grant award are required to match those funds with other public and private dollars. Local business support of the Williamston Theatre 2013-2014 Season and capital improvement projects include Cardinal Fabricating, ASAP Printing, Plante Moran, The Delta Collaborative, and Crunchy's. The Williamston Theatre also receives significant private donations and volunteer support from the community.

These grants were awarded to the Williamston Theatre through the MCACA peer review process and were among 475 applications to compete for MCACA fiscal year 2014 funding. The MCACA approved $7.6M in the form of 384 grants to nonprofit arts organizations, educational institutions and municipalities in 52 counties to support their efforts to produce high quality arts programming. The MCACA peer review process allows for each grant application to be competitively considered by a panel of in-state and out-of-state arts and culture professionals. This ensures the taxpayers, who support this project through legislative appropriations, and all other visitors or residents in Michigan will have access to the highest quality arts and cultural experiences. A complete list of grant awards around the state is available by contacting MCACA at (517) 241-4011, or by visiting the MCACA website at www.michiganadvantage.org/arts.

The mission of the Capital Region Community Foundation is to serve the charitable needs and enhance the quality of life in Ingham, Eaton and Clinton counties. The Foundation serves and seeks out a wide range of donors to build permanent endowments that are used to meet the changing needs and interests of the community. More information about the Foundation, their grant programs or how to support their initiatives is available on their website at crcfoundation.org or by calling (517) 272-2870.

The Williamston Theatre's next production is James Goldman's The Lion in Winter, in performance January 23 - February 23, 2014. This production is a collaboration with the MSU Department of Theatre. Additional information is available on the Theatre's website at www.williamstontheatre.org or by calling (517) 655-7469.

To post a comment, you must register and login.