Gallman
LAURINBURG — The Arts Council of Scotland County has been doing more than just providing art events in the county after receiving CARES Act money at the end of 2020.
In December $61,000 was granted to the local Arts Council from the state, according to Vice-Chair Terry Gallman. From that money, around $40,000 was given to seven local art-based entities in the community that have been affected by COVID-19.
“The federal government gave the funds to the North Carolina Arts Council and they told us we had an opportunity to apply for the money,” Gallman said. “The question was were we willing to apply not only for ourselves as an Arts Council but to subgrant it to art-related entities — non-profits or businesses in our county — so there was an allotment for our county.”
Gallman added she was glad the Arts Council was able to help some of the local artists in the community.
“This money was only available to entities whose incomes were affected by COVID and the money would only reimburse rent, utilities and some payroll,” Gallman said. “So they had to have receipts for those things to turn into the state and it had to be a physical building, not something that’s done from their homes.”
The remainder of the money went to the Arts Council to pay rent and operational costs.
“The Arts Council is a working organization in the community that does serve the community,” Gallman said. “Besides providing opportunities for people to enjoy the art we also support the artists in the community.”
The Arts Council is working on some upcoming events including the bidding of the birdhouses for the Birdhouse Challenge. The challenge was to make either a birdhouse or bird-themed art with bidding for them going until May 15.
“We’ve been doing as much as we can with our limitations,” said Treasurer Crawford Fitch. “The birdhouses are in the window of the Storytelling Arts Center == you can look at them and it’s like a silent auction to bid on them.”
Other upcoming events include a Native American Culture Appreciation event on May 15th, on May 22 ENCORE! will be hosting a live performance of its Backroom Radio Hour show in the Art Garden in downtown starting at 6:30 p.m. and on May 23 the Arts Council and Scotland County Parks and Recreation will be hosting an outdoor jazz concert at Hammond Park at 5 p.m.
There will also be art camps for youth coming up in the near future.
Reach Katelin Gandee at [email protected]. To support The Laurinburg Exchange, subscribe here: https://laurinburgexch.wpenginepowered.com/subscribe.