ArtsLink, the arts council for Wetzel and Tyler counties, supports the arts locally through mini-grants available to artists and arts groups.

Recently, ArtsLink provided mini grants in the amount of $500 each to the Thespian Troupes at Magnolia and Paden City High Schools. Awards have also been given to the Wetzel County Museum, Sean Maxwell, the Lincoln Theater, West Virginia Northern Community College, and the New Martinsville Parks and Recreation Commission.

Prospective applicants are sent a mini-grant application, usually following a discussion of the program with the administrative coordinator. They are invited to ask further questions as necessary. The applicant sends the original application and five copies back to ArtsLink. The application will be considered at the next meeting of ArtsLink’s board of directors.The maximum amount that ArtsLink will award for a mini-grant is $500 and a 25% cash match is required. Funds are limited and grants are awarded on a first come, first serve basis.

Individual artists and organizations are eligible to apply. The applicant should be able to show that the project will promote the arts in the Wetzel and Tyler area. Projects that invite and promote cultural diversity are encouraged.

“We are pleased to be able to support artists and arts activities locally,” said Scarlet Hood, ArtsLink president. “Our ability to do this is a result of the donations we receive from local individuals and businesses. The more donations we receive, the better we are able to serve the community.”

Grant opportunities are available to theatrical and arts-related community programming, which can include school-sponsored activities that promote the arts.

      Funding for ArtsLink programming is made possible with assistance from West Virginia Northern Community College, WETZ/WYMJ Radio, EQT Foundation, Dominion Foundation, and Ohio Valley Online. This mini-grant program is presented with financial assistance from the WV Department of Arts, Culture and History, and the National Endowment for the Arts, with approval from the WV Commission on the Arts. ArtsLink is committed to providing universal accessibility wherever possible. For more information on this or any of ArtsLink’s activities, please call 304-455-2278.