27 organizations receive grants for 2022-23 arts, culture projects

The AES Ohio Summer in the City signature event, Art in the City, returns to downtown Dayton on Saturday, August 6, 2022. Over 300 artists will be stationed around downtown’s core to celebrate the visual and performing arts through performances, demonstrations, hands-on projects, a Juried Art Show, Artisan Market and more.

Credit: CONTRIBUTED

Credit: CONTRIBUTED

The AES Ohio Summer in the City signature event, Art in the City, returns to downtown Dayton on Saturday, August 6, 2022. Over 300 artists will be stationed around downtown’s core to celebrate the visual and performing arts through performances, demonstrations, hands-on projects, a Juried Art Show, Artisan Market and more.

Culture Works and the Montgomery County Arts & Cultural District’s 2022-2023 Special Project Grants program has awarded $256,000 to 27 organizations to complete arts and cultural projects through the coming year.

Since 2020, the Special Projects Grant program has provided grants of up to $10,000 each year to nonprofit organizations, schools, municipalities, and government agencies to create arts and cultural projects that enrich the Montgomery County community. Among this year’s funded projects are an experiential sculpture garden incorporating local art, history, and nature, a documentary celebrating the legacy of Dayton’s Living Arts Center, which pioneered arts education for local students in the ‘60s and ‘70s, and new music programming in Oak & Ivy Park in Dayton’s historic Wright-Dunbar neighborhood.

In addition to public-facing projects, some of this year’s grantees will also complete activities focused on becoming stronger, more sustainable organizations. These “capacity building” projects include strategic plans, marketing initiatives and financial coaching.

“In addition to supporting opportunities for residents to experience arts and culture, it is a priority for us to help build the capacity of the arts and cultural sector,” said Matt Dunn, Executive Director of the MCACD, which funds the program. “The County is proud to have approved Capacity Building as a category as well as funding projects at 100 percent of their request in order to mitigate challenges caused by partial funding.”

“Montgomery County is home to a wealth of organizations that are doing amazing work in arts and culture,” added Lisa Hanson, President & CEO of Culture Works, which administers the program. “We’re proud to support these 27 organizations, and we thank the MCACD and the Board of County Commissioners for making it possible.”

2022–2023 Special Projects Grantees:

Bach Society of Dayton opens its 2022-2023 season Oct. 30 with “Israel in Egypt.” CONTRIBUTED

Credit: CONTRIBUTED

icon to expand image

Credit: CONTRIBUTED

Bach Society of Dayton - Shaping Our Future

City of Huber Heights - Brixilated Summer Camp

Co-op Dayton - Making Space: Sharing Skills and Building Community Through Public Space to Design and Build

Ben Douglas (left as Albin) and Joshua Stucky (Georges) star in TheatreLab Dayton's production of "La Cage aux Folles," slated Sept. 8-10 at Top of the Market.

Credit: MACKENSIE KING

icon to expand image

Credit: MACKENSIE KING

TheatreLab Dayton - Operations Capacity Building

Dayton Dance Conservatory Company - Art and Movement for All

Dayton Dance Initiative performs "Making Moves" June 24 and 25 at the PNC Arts Annex. CONTRIBUTED

Credit: CONTRIBUTED

icon to expand image

Credit: CONTRIBUTED

Dayton Dance Initiative - “Making Moves: The CoLAB”

Dayton International Peace Musuem - Building Community & Sustainability Through Online Marketing

The 39th Annual Germanfest Picnic was held at the Dayton Liederkranz-Turner German Club grounds in Dayton's St. Anne's Hill Historic District from Friday, Aug. 12 through Sunday, Aug. 14, 2022. Did we spot you there on Saturday? TOM GILLIAM / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Credit: Tom Gilliam

icon to expand image

Credit: Tom Gilliam

Dayton Liederkranz-Turners, Inc. - Germanfest Picnic

Dayton Literary Peace Prize Foundation - Dayton Literary Peace Prize Student Author Series

Dayton Metro Library Foundation - Check Out the Arts: DML’s Arts Sampler Weekend

Dayton Society of Natural History - Quilted Wildflower Garden: Stitching Together Art, Science and History

Art in the City, the AES Ohio Summer in the City signature event was held in downtown Dayton on Saturday, Aug. 6, 2022. Hosted by the Downtown Dayton Partnership, the event featured over 300 artists. Did we spot you there? TOM GILLIAM / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Credit: Tom Gilliam

icon to expand image

Credit: Tom Gilliam

Downtown Dayton Partnership - Art in the City

Friends of the Living Center - The Living Arts Center Documentary

"Cinema Sabaya" is the story of nine women, Arab and Jewish. The women take part in a video workshop hosted by Rona, a young film director, who teaches them how to document their lives. CONTRIBUTED

Credit: CONTRIBUTED

icon to expand image

Credit: CONTRIBUTED

Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton - Dayton Jewish Film Festival

Magnolia Theatre Company - Magnolia Theatre Company 501c3 Status

MUSICA - “Sacred Space”

Puerto Rican American and Caribbean Organization - 2022 Dayton Hispanic Heritage Festival

Signature Levitt Music & Arts Camp is offering young people a chance to learn and grow creatively in the heart of downtown Dayton this summer. CONTRIBUTED

Credit: CONTRIBUTED

icon to expand image

Credit: CONTRIBUTED

Signature Educational Solutions - Home of Urban Creative Arts: Building Community and Capacity

South Dayton Dance Theatre - “Nutcracker Ballet”

The Journalism Lab, an initiative of Re-Imagining America: Dayton, Ohio, is “currently seeking Dayton area residents – ‘citizen correspondents’ – who are passionate about learning core journalism skills in any/all four fields: written, audio/podcast, video and photography,” according to a Journalism Lab release.

Credit: CONTRIBUTED

icon to expand image

Credit: CONTRIBUTED

The Journalism Lab - The Bureau Journalism Fall Training Series

University of Dayton - University of Dayton Galleries Visiting Artist Program

Participants in the Vandalia Youth Theatre rehearse for their annual winter musical production. This year’s program is “Holiday Heist.” CONTRIBUTED

icon to expand image

Vandalia Youth Theatre Company - Vandalia Youth Theatre - Capacity Building

Washington-Centerville Public Library - Artist in Residence at WCPL

We Care Arts in Kettering creates a caring and secure environment for artists. CONTRIBUTED

icon to expand image

We Care Arts - Community Installation and Outreach

Wright-Dunbar Village Neighborhood Association - Wright-Dunbar Village Music Series

YMCA Of Greater Dayton - Neighborhood School Center at Edison Elementary

YWCA Dayton - Art Projects for YWCA Dayton’s Victim Services

For more information about the Special Projects Grant program and this year’s projects, visit cultureworks.org.

About the Author