Arts Council Napa Valley Releases Summer 2023
Community Fund Grant Recipients
Arts Council Napa Valley awards $50,000 for local arts and culture programs
Thanks to support provided by the William & Flora Hewlett Foundation and North Bay Arts Fund, Arts Council Napa Valley (ACNV) announces its summer 2023 Community Fund grant recipients. Eleven local projects and programs will receive funds upward of $1,500 each toward their work in the community.
We dedicate ourselves to the continued growth of the Community Fund so we can support even more artist-led projects and programs throughout Napa Valley. If you are interested in more information on how you can help, please contact ACNV via email at info@artscouncilnv.org or call (707) 257-2117.
The summer 2023 Community Fund grant awards reflect diverse artistic genres, disciplines, and audiences with a range of funded programs, including youth arts programming, cultural celebrations, public art projects, and more. These programs support ACNV’s vision of enriching our community through arts and culture by creating greater access, engagement, and culturally relevant opportunities for locals. Since the inception of the Community Fund, ACNV has provided more than $300,000 to artists and small non-profit organizations so that local work may grow and deepen the impact of arts and culture for all in the Napa County community.
“ACNV is proud to support such a vast range of artists and community projects this grant season,” said Chris DeNatale, ACNV Executive Director. “This summer’s grantees are producing programs and projects which serve all ages and celebrate the deep roots and culture of the Napa Valley. We cannot wait to see what these artists put into the County!”
ACNV Community Fund Grant Recipients | Summer 2023
BALLET FOLKLORICO “EL VALLE” DE ST. HELENA, CA
Ballet Folklorico “El Valle” de St. Helena
A community group made up of children, youth, and adults showing their culture through ballet folklorico, the regional dance of Mexico. The group is characterized by its versatility and support of one another and the community at large. Their 2023-2024 season will consist of performances in and out of Napa County and celebratory community-building events for the group’s members & their families. For more information, visit @balletfolkloricovallesthelena on Instagram.
OUR RAD WALL
Kara Harrington
Our RAD Wall is a public art project developed by artist Kara Harrington and the Rail Arts District (RAD) to connect youth with the community through murals. The project site, located 2 blocks from the RAD, is a place where student participants paint (and paint over) their ideas. For more information, visit: www.radnapa.org/news-programs
ART EXTRAVAGANZA: CELEBRATING CULTURAL DIVERSITY THROUGH ART, FOOD, & DANCE
American Canyon Arts Foundation
ACAF is bringing back its Art Extravaganza after four years with a theme of cultural diversity. The event will be augmented with a program of diverse cultural foods and dance performances. For more information, visit: www.amcanart.org
100 PLAQUES PROJECT – HIDDEN HISTORIES OF CALIFORNIA
Hannah Henry
Henry began the 100 Plaques as a quest to learn about and help reveal hidden histories across California. Each of the plaques of the 100 is a unique project with a common purpose. Henry will be installing four plaques covering the Indigenous history of the Wappo and Patwin peoples in Napa Vally to be placed in downtown Napa.
WILLOW ELEMENTARY AFTER-SCHOOL PERFORMING ARTS
Lu Kenmoth
The Willow Elementary after-school performing arts program performs musical show kits and original plays. The school offers a 7-month, two times per-week, hour-long class to students who want to learn all about the theater and performance world. Students can choose to act, dance, sing, or be a part of the backstage crew. The musical for this program will be Disney’s Finding Nemo.
OPUSED CONNECT & CREATE
Jennifer Hunt
As founder and lead artist for OpusEd, Hunt will continue to create and curate experiences connecting students to innovative and diverse guest artists around the world in preparation for public community performances throughout the school year that showcase cross-disciplinary learning.
UNIDOS MURALS
Unidos Parent Club
Unidos School wants its walls to speak for the students, educators, and community by visually communicating the school’s values and inclusive atmosphere through vibrant murals that showcase the multifaceted cultural influences throughout the school. The collaborative mural projects will serve as a visual representation of the Unidos journey in which the students and community will be fully immersed.
VOICES OF THE NAPA VALLEY
Napa Valley Shakespeare Festival
Hear fabulous storytellers illuminate the early days of our history through a free location-activated audio tour with sites throughout Napa. Voices of the Napa Valley brings to life original pieces commissioned from writers inspired by many of the fascinating stories that create a tapestry of the early Napa Valley. For more information, visit: app.otocast.com/guide/Napa_Voices
NVCO CONCERTS WITH YOUNG MUSICIANS
Napa Valley Chamber Orchestra
This project will incorporate young musicians, from local high schools and the Napa Youth Symphony, into the orchestra for two concerts In February, 2024. They will be mentored, rehearse, and perform with the Napa Valley Chamber Orchestra adult musicians. For more information, visit: napavalleychamberorchestra.com
DIVINITY CIRCLE
Andrea Cazares
The Divinity Circle: A women’s circle embracing the belief that art is a powerful tool for self-expression, personal growth, and connection. The primary goal of the Divinity Circle is to create a supportive community where women can feel seen, heard, and understood. By sharing their artwork and personal reflections, participants gain a sense of validation and empowerment.
EMPTY BOWLS NAPA
Sam Tubiolo
Empty Bowls educates people about hunger, how it can be eradicated, and how to make simple bowls. By bringing together potters, chefs, and community members, everyone learns that no bowl should go empty. This event culminates in a publicized community meal with admission donations earmarked for a local food bank. ACNV is supporting the research and development of a plan to put this project into motion.
About the Community Fund
Made possible through the support of The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation grant awarded to ACNV in 2022. Grants are made to small nonprofits, individual artists, and groups/troupes to support creative works and programs that are publicly accessible within Napa County to grow and deepen the general community’s relationship with arts and culture through greater access, engagement, and culturally relevant opportunities.
About the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation is a private charitable foundation that advances ideas and supports institutions to promote a better world. Today, it is the largest private funder of the performing arts in the San Francisco Bay Area, making roughly $20 million in grants to more than 220 nonprofit arts organizations in 11 Bay Area counties each year. To learn more, visit hewlett.org.
About the North Bay Arts Fund
The mission of the North Bay Arts Fund, a project housed at the New Venture Fund, is to support the arts in historically underfunded communities in Marin, Sonoma, Napa, and Solano counties. It does this by providing local agencies with support to learn about and execute participatory grantmaking processes.
About Arts Council Napa Valley
As the official local arts agency in Napa County, Arts Council Napa Valley connects, advocates and leads the arts community countywide. Since 1981, the Arts Council has served to benefit all residents with a more sustainable, accessible and quality local arts scene.