Berkshire Taconic Announces New Arts Fund
June 1 , 2007Great Barrington, MA — Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation today announced a new source of funding for artists and art groups in the tri-state region. Started by photographer Martha Porter of Salisbury, Connecticut, the Boschen Fund will support artists and organizations in the visual arts, dance, music, design and other creative fields. Applications for the first round of grantmaking must be submitted to Berkshire Taconic by July 1.
“There are so many artists and performers for whom a relatively modest amount of money can make a huge difference,” explained Ms. Porter. “We are particularly interested in helping them bring their work to a broader public, which multiplies the impact of the grants to enrich society as a whole.
“One of our earliest grants was given to a musician from China who had moved to the area,” she recalled. “The grant allowed him to purchase a tuxedo so that he could give public performances.”
Now age 92, Ms. Porter is an artist well-known in the area for her photography, especially her portraiture. Her photography career was launched in the early 1960s, when she went was hired by the Salisbury Journal.
To be eligible for Boschen Fund grants, artists must live in Berkshire County, MA; Columbia County, NY; northeast Dutchess County, NY; or northwest Litchfield County, CT.
“Over time, we hope that the Boschen Fund will create a more supportive and innovative climate for the arts in the Berkshire Taconic region,” said Jennifer Dowley, president of Berkshire Taconic. “We are proud to have the opportunity to support and expand Martha’s generous artistic vision, which has already helped so many creative people in their work.”
The Boschen Fund will accept applications from visual artists, writers, craftspeople, installation, new media and performance artists, as well as interpretive artists working in dance, music and other areas of performance. Applicants must have been full-time residents of the Berkshire Taconic region for two years prior to applying; artists with a significant connection to the area are also welcome to apply.
Grants will generally range between $1,000 and $5,000. The deadline for 2007 applications is July 1 at 5 p.m. Guidelines and application forms are available at www.berkshiretaconic.org/grants-scholarships.html or by calling Berkshire Taconic at 800-969-2823.
Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation is a nonprofit organization that cultivates philanthropy in ways that have a direct positive impact on the cities and towns of Berkshire County, MA; Columbia County and northeast Dutchess County, NY; and northwest Litchfield County, CT. For more information, please contact Berkshire Taconic at 271 Main Street, Suite 3, Great Barrington, MA, 800-969-2823.
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