RAAC awards 2018 Claudia Mitchell Grants approaching $50,000

Rappahannock Association for Arts and Community (RAAC) announced this year’s much-anticipated grants to numerous 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 diversity of educational and performance projects, a variety of media, emerging and established artists, arts programs within community-based organizations, and collaborative projects.

“It was a very competitive process again this year, with many excellent proposals,” says RAAC Board President Matthew Black.

Of the many worthy applications that were received, the following 16 were chosen to be recipients of this year’s Mitchell Fund grants, for a total of $49,190 in grants ranging from $775 to $7,500.

➤ Lillian Aylor for editing and preparation of her book “My Rappahannock Journey: The Life of Lillian Freeman Aylor.”

➤ Kevin Bosch for producing the Rappahannock Writers Retreat, a 3-day workshop for local writers at Bookworks Studio in Flint Hill in fall 2018.

➤ Child Care & Learning Center (CCLC) for multi-arts programming for preschool children during the school year and elementary kids in

the summer.

Joyce Harman for expanding her RLEP-collaborative “Dark Skies” photography project into Shenandoah National Park and surrounding counties.

Headwaters for their 2-week intensive summer chorus for Rappahannock middle and high school students.

Hearthstone School for productions of an original play “The Flood of Kindness,” including community dialogues on disaster preparedness.

Barbara Heile for teaching twice-monthly “spontaneous painting” classes to seniors at the Rappahannock Senior Center.

Janet Kerig’s Arts & Crafts Camp for scholarships and art supplies for kids at her multimedia camp at Hearthstone School this summer.

Living Sky for arts programming at seasonal community festivals hosted by Rappahannock Red Tent Sisterhood.

Mountainside Dance Center for scholarships for young and adult dance students, plus a June showcase with visiting children's dance company, Hope Garden Ballet Academy.

Virginia Pates for building materials for a new pottery studio and several community pottery workshops.

Piedmont Symphony Orchestra for a music mentoring program with the Rappahannock County High School Band during the 2018-19 school year.

James Reston for production of his new play “Luther’s Fortress” at Stone Hill this fall.

Shinola Creek for recording and production of a CD of original songs by local musicians from the Shinola Creek collective.

Stone Hill Theatrical Foundation for support of John Henry’s new play “Good Guys & Bad Guys” at Stone Hill this fall.

1000 Faces Mask Theater for performance and production of Peggy Schadler’s new piece “Lucid Dreaming” on September 22 at Castleton Farms.

2018 Mitchell Arts Fund grantees will receive their checks when they gather with RAAC Board, Mitchell Fund committee members and Mitchell Fund donors at a Grant Give-Away party in June.

Over the past 7 years, RAAC’s Mitchell Fund has given away $209,000 in Mitchell Fund grants to 56 different artists and organizations in the community.

“The Board and its Mitchell Arts Fund committee are thrilled at the diversity and quality of art-making in the county and are pleased to encourage even more,” said Black. “These artists and organizations align with RAAC’s mission of inspiring art and building community in Rappahannock County.”

Coming again in December, RAAC & the Mitchell Fund committee will offer another grant preparation workshop for potential 2019 applicants to better understand the Fund’s goals and requirements.

2019 Mitchell Fund grant applications and guidelines will be available on December 1 on RAAC’s website (raac. org), with an application deadline of March 15, 2019.

The Claudia Mitchell Arts Fund is RAAC’s primary channel for offering financial support to the arts in Rappahannock. It was established with a bequest from the estate of Claudia Mitchell, RAAC’s president for many years and a dedicated supporter of the arts and community. The Fund continues to grow through ongoing donations, fundraising events, and income generated by RAAC programs, principally the annual Art Tour.

To learn more or to make a direct contribution to the Fund, go to RAAC’s website www.raac.org and click on Mitchell Arts Fund.