BRATTLEBORO — Attendees at the second BEAN (Brattleboro Essential Arts Network) Micro-Grant Dinner at the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center on Jan. 23 awarded grants totaling $750 to three local art projects.
The winning proposals were submitted by Brattleboro's Neighborhood Schoolhouse, Vermont Theatre Company, and Erica Morse, a teacher at Marlboro Elementary School.
According to BMAC Director Danny Lichtenfeld, approximately 75 people paid $10 each to attend dinner at the museum. Over dinner, which was prepared and served by Brattleboro 's Elliot Street Café, guests read and discussed 14 proposals submitted in advance, and then voted for the ones most deserving of the dinner proceeds.
Guests also heard brief presentations by the winners of the Sept. 19 BEAN micro-grants on the impact the funds had on their programs.
“The atmosphere was great,” said Lichtenfeld. “Many people mentioned how much they appreciated the opportunity to get together and make a positive difference in our community.”
Brattleboro's Neighborhood Schoolhouse, represented by longtime teacher Dot MacDonald, received a microgrant of $255 to apply toward expenses associated with offering 17 children ages 6-12 the opportunity to take studio art classes at the River Gallery School.
Vermont Theatre Company was awarded $250 to help offset the cost of preparing and performing original music to accompany its summer 2011 Shakespeare in the Park production of Much Ado About Nothing.
Erica Morse, a third- and fourth-grade teacher at Marlboro Elementary, received $245 for her students to create collage books. According to her proposal, “Last year we found that these books of collage did not survive many readings because they many layers of paper glued on top of each other. We hope to get some financial support in order to print the books from digital images. These books will last longer and be more durable.”
All three winners will give brief presentations at the next BEAN Dinner on the impact of their microgrants.
“Our goal with this program is to galvanize support for projects that contribute to the vitality of art and/or artists in our community,” said Lichtenfeld. “It seems clear that this idea resonates with people, and we look forward to partnering with the Elliot Street Café to present more BEAN Dinners in the future.”
For more information about BEAN Micro-Grant Dinners, visit www.brattleboromuseum.org or the Elliot Street Café.