Technical Assistance Workshops Oct. 4 & 9

The Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission (SCC&HC) has announced the availability of guidelines and application forms for its 2013 New Jersey State Council on the Arts State/County Partnership Local Arts Program Grant.

Local non-profit arts and other non-profit (non-arts) organizations planning an arts program (theater, dance, music/concerts, visual arts, literary or film arts) may apply directly to the SCC&HC.  Grant funding through this program will be available to support cultural programs and events from January through December 2013. 

Eligible organizations must be designated non-profit, based in Somerset County and planning an arts/cultural program, project or service within Somerset County that is accessible to the general public.  Funding is competitive and organizations must demonstrate managerial competency, fiscal stability, artistic excellence and the capacity to execute the proposed program or project. 

Applicants are required to provide a match for funding requested, and may request funding for General Operating (GOS) support if their organization’s mission is solely arts-dedicated; or Special Project (SP) support or Arts in Non-Traditional Venues (ANTV) support, both of which are available to arts and non-arts organizations alike for the purpose of offering an arts program/event/series in Somerset County in partnership with other organizations or artists.

Two free Technical-Assistance Grant-Writing Workshops, geared specifically to this Local Arts Program Grant only to familiarize and assist potential applicants with the application process, will be offered on Thursday, Oct. 4, from 2 to 4:30 p.m., and Tuesday, Oct. 9, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., for those who cannot attend a daytime session.  Pre-registration is required at least two days prior to the scheduled session. 

To register, call SCC&HC Administrative Assistant Cynthia Mellusi at (908) 231-7110. All applicants are strongly advised to attend one session.  Both workshops will be held in the second-floor Engineering Conference room in the Somerset County Administration Building, 20 Grove St., Somerville.  Free parking is available in the attached parking deck off East High Street.

A letter of intent is due by Oct. 11 to the SCC&HC as a preliminary requirement of the grants process, in which the potential applicant states, in a paragraph or two, the purpose for which the organization intends to apply for funding, and approximately how much money will be requested.

The application deadline is 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012.  Guidelines and application forms are available online at http://bit.ly/LAPGrants2013

This grant opportunity is made possible through the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, through the State/County Partnership Local Arts Program administered by the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission.

For more information, contact Pat McGarry or Cindy Mellusi in the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission office at (908) 231-7110 or CulturalHeritage@co.somerset.nj.us