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Arts in Education Mini-Grant Program
The Arts in Education Mini-Grant Program of the West Point-Clay County Arts Council is designed to facilitate and advance the arts as an integral component of the education and experience of K-12 students and educators in West Point and Clay County.
Teachers in both public and private schools may apply for mini-grants to support art experiences in the visual arts, music, drama, dance, or creative writing. Grant money can be used for supplies, teaching materials or equipment exclusive to the arts, tickets or admission to arts performances, teacher training workshops in arts education, or other activity that will enhance the integration of the arts into the classroom.
The guidelines, eligibility requiremnts, and application form is available as a .pdf file below.
Arts in Education Mini-Grant.pdf
Arts Council Seeks Artists, Musicians, and Performers
The West Point—Clay County Arts Council is putting together an Artists Roster to include and Golden Triangle visual artists and fine art craftsmen/women, musicians of all kinds, including individuals and groups, singers and bands, theatre actors and directors, entertainers, storytellers, dancers and dance groups. Those submitting application to be included in the Artists Roster can be professional or amateur, but must maintain a high level of artistic quality and make a significant time investment in their artistic disciplines through practice, performance, and production.
This roster will be made available to the public for the purpose of expanding the visibility of our local talent and making the task of finding suitable entertainment for local programs and productions easier for those putting together such events. For example: The Arts Council might be interested in putting on a series of performances in the park. The Artists Roster would allow the board to have a broad selection of performers and would provide a contact person with which to discuss specifics to determine if the event is a good fit for both parties. Another example might be a bride looking for a violinist or harpist to play at her wedding. And class reunion groups are always searching for good bands.
The Artists Roster application is available as a .pdf file below.
Once you have completed and printed the form, please send your application to: West Point—Clay County Arts Council, P.O. Box 105, West Point, MS 39773. You will be notified of your acceptance.
The West Point/Clay County Arts Council
A History of Community-Based Arts Programming
In 1979 a group of 11 people who lived in West Point and loved the arts in all the many ways they are expressed, met in late October at the Bryan Public Library to form an Arts Council. By February, 1980, they were an incorporated organization with a slate of officers and a nine-member Board of Directors.
As stated in its by-laws, the Arts Council was formed “to promote the arts in the West Point community for the entertainment and education of our people and to enrich the cultural life of our community.”
The Arts Council has brought the National Shakespeare Company, the Mississippi Ballet, the Mississippi Symphony, nationally known actors, mimes, pottery, art exhibits, workshops, Madrigal singers and barbershop quartets to West Point. Exciting events and programs are already on the calendar for this year.
The Arts Council also works with other local arts groups and the schools to support and present a variety of educational programming in the arts for our youth. The Arts Council brochure is available as a .pdf file below.
Why Support the Arts Council?
Arts Programming adds vitality that enriches and expands our lives. It gets people out in the world, it takes us away from the television set, it brings families together, it provokes discussion, it makes us laugh, cry, feel good, and it makes us think about things outside ourselves.
The arts remind us of the limitlessness of our imaginations. It encourages creativity in our young people. It cuts across the generation gap, it addresses cultural change and explores the varied cultures of our world. It enhances the quality of life in our community and is vital to economic growth.
The Arts Council is dedicated to bringing a variety of arts programming from around the country to West Point. We want to stage productions and exhibits that showcase local talent, and we want to develop programs for our schools that bring music, dance, theatre and art to our young people. This takes dedicated volunteers, enthusiastic audiences, eager participants in programs, and money. You can decide to become a part of this exciting venture by choosing to support us in any of the above categories. Your tax deductible contribution, along with your attendance at events, will assure continued growth of this vision.
West Point-Clay County Arts Council
P.O. Box 105, West Point, MS 39773
(662) 494-5678
Enriching lives and expanding horizons!