The Lynda Fairly Carpinteria Arts Center will receive a $50,000 American Rescue Plan grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to help it recover from the pandemic.
The funds will be used to support two staff positions that are critical to their programming: operations specialist and outreach director.
“We are deeply honored to be one of the 56 recipients of the NEA Grants awarded in California and the only organization between Los Angeles and the Bay Area to receive this generous funding,” said Linda Rosso, the center’s executive director.
“Just 11 months after opening our newly renovated Charles Lo Bue Gallery and Arts Center, we faced significant challenges due to the pandemic, forcing us to close our doors in March 2020. In efforts to continue to engage with our growing audience, we immediately transitioned our offerings to a virtual platform with a record number of participants.
“Our adult and youth classes were offered online via Zoom with no cost to participants. As a result, the Arts Center did not earn any income from class fees and operated at a loss although we continued to pay our teaching artists their full fees.
“In April 2021, we successfully transitioned all our programs back to in-person activities, and the NEA funds will greatly benefit us as we continue to offer highly acclaimed programming such as exhibitions, arts education, workshops, concerts, community receptions, Teen Mural Project, Artists Studio Tours and the Arts by the Sea Summer Youth Camp.”
During the pandemic, the Arts Center also offered creative projects to engage the entire community such as Signs of Hope, Postcards from the Pandemic, Mask up Carp, Bookmarks for Seniors and the RockStar Garden.
The American Rescue Plan was signed into law in March 2021 when the NEA was provided $135 million for the arts sector. This funding for organizations is the third installment providing more than $57.7 million for arts organizations.
“The success of the Carpinteria Arts Center lies with its public engagement and giving our community what it needs,” Mayor Wade Nomura said. “When we were dealing with the pandemic, the Arts Center supported the Chalk Art project that uplifted our city with beautiful and creative art. They continue to come up with creative ideas and events we all enjoy. With the daily reminders of the pandemic, we need an outlet to get us back on track and feeling good, and the Arts Center is doing just that.”
email: mmcmahon@newspress.com
FYI
For more information on the NEA’s American Rescue Plan grants, visit www.arts.gov/covid-19/the-american-rescue-plan.
