Regional Arts Commission awards $1.15 million to artists and organizations

The Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis will soon distribute $1.15 million in grants to artists and arts groups, the organization announced Wednesday.

Grants will go to 94 organizations and 85 individual artists.

While RAC released grant funding in quarterly installments in the past, it will fully fund its latest awards this month.

“We know how important it is for these arts organizations to get their resources to be able to produce these programs. So we don't want to have to wait,” said Vanessa Cooksey, president and CEO of the commission. ”We'll still hold organizations accountable through the reporting process, but we want to get the cash in hand to artists and organizations as soon as possible.”

Grants include $13,500 to the Deaf Empowerment Awareness Foundation for the Deaf Visual Arts Festival, $12,000 to the African Heritage Association of St. Louis for the St. Louis African Arts Festival and $10,500 to the Gateway Men’s Chorus for its next season. Novelist Denise M. Jones, photographer Jess T. Dugan and dancer Prince J. Lyons are among those who received individual grants of $5,000.