Snohomish County, Wash., March 11, 2023—Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers announced that the County is accepting applications for its Arts and Culture Recovery Grants. Approximately $1.6 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds are available for arts and culture organizations financially impacted by the pandemic. Interested organizations can learn more and apply for the grant here.
“A thriving arts and culture sector is important for our economy, helps generate jobs, and is part of what makes Snohomish County an ideal place to live, work, and play,” said Executive Somers. “There’s no denying that artists, makers, and cultural organizations have been significantly impacted by COVID-19 and the resulting economic downturn. These grants are intended to help our creative economy recover and grow after the devastating impacts of the last three years. By supporting arts and culture, we can give our economy and workforce a boost and foster opportunities for us to come together as a community.”
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According to data from the Snohomish County Arts Commission’s Future of Arts and Culture Project: Phase One Industries Assessment, Snohomish County arts and culture industries lost approximately 30 percent of its workforce between 2019 and 2020. Despite initial progress, if the recovery rate continues without added support, the arts and culture sector will lag approximately 960 workers behind where it would have been had the pandemic never occurred.
“Artists and makers were some of the hardest hit by COVID-19 restrictions. Public gatherings, markets, and other events are the lifeblood of many of these community members. This grant program will help boost the creative sector of our economy and help them recover from the economic shutdowns of the past couple of years,” said Vice Chair Nate Nehring (District 1).
“After three long years of separation and isolation, our community is ready to renew connections with neighbors and support our local economy and culture,” said Councilmember Megan Dunn (District 2). “Supporting the arts and artists in our county through these grants is a fantastic way for the county to simultaneously bolster the recovery of the arts industry and bring back the festivities and cultural events.”
“Along with their profound economic impact, the arts can both showcase and build the diversity in our communities. We need to do what we can, together, to support the organizations that give us so much enrichment in our lives,” said Councilmember Strom Peterson (District 3).
“Arts and culture organizations play an important role in the health and vitality of our communities. We recognize the need of these industries and hope that these dollars will help with their recovery,” said Councilmember Sam Low (District 5).
“Industries of Arts and Culture build the economy from the bottom up, I’m proud the County is investing in the foundation of our future,” said Nicole Ng-A-Qui, Chair of the Snohomish County Arts Commission.
There are two focus areas within the County’s Arts and Culture Recovery Grants. Nonprofit Recovery Grants will award eligible organizations with a minimum pandemic revenue loss of $2,000 up to $30,000. A total of $1 million will be awarded for this grant. Festivals and Events Recovery Grants will award events characterized as having an operating budget over $100,000 and a pandemic revenue loss of at least $2,000 with up to $60,000. A total of $600,000 will be awarded for this grant.
Interested organizations can access the grant here, and the County will accept applications through 4:00 p.m. on April 14, 2023 via the electronic portal. The County will also host one remote technical assistance session for interested applicants; attendance at this session is strongly recommended. The session will take place on March 21, from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. over Zoom.
Interested applicants can access the upcoming session on this website. Organizations can reach out to SnohomishCounty.Recovers@snoco.org with any questions.
Executive Somers established the Office of Recovery and Resilience to guide the County’s recovery work by ensuring federal pandemic relief is administered quickly, effectively, and equitably. Information on the County’s recovery work can be found at www.snohomishcountywa.gov/recovery.
SOURCE: Snohomish County Communications Director, Office of Recovery & Resilience
Author: Lynnwood Times Staff
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