Arts and culture grants available

The City of Fort Myers will once again this year grant opportunities to artists and arts and culture organizations within the city. The city recognizes the importance of arts in the community and encourages artistic quality and program innovation by providing grants up to $10,000 for organizations and up to $3,000 for individual artists. Last year the city awarded $51,900 to 16 different individuals and organizations. This year, Mayor Jim Humphrey and the city council increased the total grant amount to $119,900 to help even more organizations and artists.

The grants are intended to:

• Develop stable, well-managed arts and culture organizations and institutions through fair distribution of funds

• Encourage artistic quality and program innovation, including seed money for organizations and projects

• Develop new audiences and challenge

existing audiences

....• Promote lifelong arts and cultural education

• Promote multicultural inclusion in all aspects of the city's cultural life

• Stimulate increased private support for the arts and culture

• Promote economic development and tourism in the City of Fort Myers

• Promote and encourage art and culture in all areas of the City

• Create a nurturing environment in which artists can flourish

The City's Public Art Committee, composed of artists, arts and culture admin- istrators and members of the art community, will administer the grants. Grant applications can be obtained by downloading the application from the City of Fort Myers Web site at www.cityftmyers. com/artsandculturegrants or by calling the City Manager's office at 332-6309. City of Fort Myers Arts and Culture grant applications must be postmarked by June 2. Awards will be given by August 18.

Organizations awarded grants last year: