MONTPELIER, VT Greer Kennedy, a student at St. Johnsbury Academy, took top honors at the 2023 Poetry Out Loud State Finals held at The Flynn Main Stage on March 16. Anne Hauze, a student at Woodstock Union High School, was the runner up, and third-place finalist was Grace Bruley, a student at Bellows Free Academy, St. Albans. Kennedy will head to Washington, DC, in May to represent Vermont in the Poetry Out Loud National Competition. Ten students recited their chosen poems in three rounds during the state final competition, which was emceed by Jolivette Anderson-Douoning. The top three finalists with the
MONTPELIER, VT The Vermont Arts Council announces $3,692,500 in awards to 49 creative sector organizations and businesses in its first round of funding through the Creative Futures program. Supported by $9 million from Vermont’s share of the American Rescue Plan Act, the program aims to provide relief to one of the state’s economic sectors hit hardest by the Covid-19 pandemic. Funding of up to $200,000 is available to Vermont-based creative economy nonprofits and for-profit entities, including sole proprietors, that can demonstrate economic harm caused by or exacerbated by the pandemic. This marks the first time that the Council has the
MONTPELIER, VT The Vermont Arts Council has awarded 14 grants to support arts education programming for Vermont’s youngest to oldest learners. Seven Creative Aging grants were awarded to Vermont organizations to support skill-based arts instruction and intentional social engagement programs for older adults. A new initiative of the Arts Council, the grants provide up to $4,000 of support. A total of 29 proposals were received, which were reviewed in two rounds by an external panel. The grant program grew out of the Council’s Creative Aging Initiative begun in 2021 to address challenges that many older Vermonters face, such as isolation and
MONTPELIER, VT The Vermont Arts Council (VAC) is seeking to fulfill the position of executive director of the organization, the state’s primary provider of funding, advocacy, and information for the arts in Vermont since 1965. The executive director will serve as a dynamic and collaborative leader for the VAC and for the state’s creative sector to ensure everyone has access to the arts and creativity in their lives and communities. This individual will develop an inclusive strategic vision to strengthen the resiliency and sustainability of arts, cultural, and creative sector organizations, and individuals across the state. The executive director will collaborate