Creative Sonoma announces public art grants for 19 projects in west Sonoma County

Creative Sonoma today announced the recipients of its Community Public Art Project Grant program for Sonoma County’s Fifth Supervisorial District. Nineteen organizations will be awarded a total of $126,580 for community-based public art projects in unincorporated locations of west Sonoma County. The grant program is intended to enable creative projects in the Fifth District that demonstrate the power of the arts to contribute to the social cohesion of communities through beautification of downtown areas or neighborhoods. For this first-time grant program, the grants are funded by the County of Sonoma Fifth District Community Infrastructure Funding and Tourism Impact Funds. 

"These projects beautifully capture the unique creative energy that pulses through West County," said Supervisor Lynda Hopkins, chair of the Board of Supervisors. "Seeing such an enthusiastic response to this first-time grant program honestly makes my heart sing—this is exactly the kind of community-driven momentum we need right now." 

Eligible applicants for the grants included local nonprofit organizations, schools, chambers of commerce, neighborhood or business groups, and County departments or other governmental agencies. Twenty-five eligible organizations applied and 19 grant awards were made, ranging from $3,000 to $10,000 each.  

Grants include: 

• $10,000 to the Graton Fire Protection District for development of a mural depicting West County rails, trails and watersheds from Graton to Forestville. A creative interpretation will be painted, involving local youth, and children from Oak Grove Elementary school in Graton. 
• $10,000 to Occidental Community Farmers Market for "Common Threads,” a series of interactive art and music workshops at the Occidental Community Farmers Market that celebrate Sonoma County’s cultural diversity and foster connection through awe, joy, and creativity. 
• $6,000 to Sea Otter Savvy for “We Were Here” a sea otter mural in Jenner that aims to inspire local stewardship, raise awareness, and encourage engagement in discussions about sea otter recovery and conservation 

A full list of grantees with project descriptions is available here. 

This grant program is part of Creative Sonoma’s menu of programs to serve the county’s arts and cultural organizations, teaching artists, arts education providers, and education communities. Details about the program can be found at: www.CreativeSonoma.org/grants. For more information, please contact Creative Sonoma at CreativeSonoma@sonoma-county.org.  

Creative Sonoma is a division of the Sonoma County Economic Development Collaborative dedicated to supporting and advancing the creative community of Sonoma County. Please visit www.CreativeSonoma.org for more. 

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Media Contact:
Tara Thompson, Director
(707) 565-6120 
tara.thompson@sonoma-county.org