* Press Release *

SACRAMENTO - Sierra County Arts Council was featured as part of a larger announcement from the California Arts Council, with grant awards totaling more than $31 million across more than 1,100 grants supporting nonprofit organizations and units of government throughout the state. The dollar amount already marks the largest annual investment in the California Arts Council's 46-year history.

The Sierra County Arts Council was awarded funding from the State-Local Partnership program to support our mission of bringing together community and art by providing operating support for programs and events throughout Sierra County.

Sierra County Arts Council is also pleased to announce we were awarded funding to support Musica Sierra and the Musical Headwaters program next year from the Impact Projects program administered by the California Arts Council. We are also grateful for California Arts Council grant funding that has supported all of our arts education programs for over 10 years including Arts Education from Musica Sierra.

"We are elated today to be able to say that, with this first round of funds, we are placing a historic amount of money into the very worthy hands of California's arts and cultural workforce-and with more yet to come," said California Arts Council Chair Lilia Gonzáles-Chávez. "We have long since understood the value of our artists in this state, and we are incredibly grateful to our Governor and our Legislature for their support and sharing in a like-minded vision for a California where all people flourish with access to and participation in the arts."

Organizations were awarded grants across seven different program areas focused on the CAC's efforts to address geographic equity, enable autonomy and sustainability for smaller organizations, and grow the strength of local arts agencies and their partnerships. The California Arts Council is a state agency with a mission of strengthening arts, culture, and creative expression as the tools to cultivate a better California for all. It supports local arts infrastructure and programming statewide through grants, initiatives, and services. The California Arts Council envisions a California where all people flourish with universal access to and participation in the arts.

The Sierra County Arts Council has participated with other arts organizations and advocacy groups across the state to encourage our state legislators to increase funding for the arts. These efforts have been successful as State arts funding is now at an all time high. We encourage everyone to join us in supporting the arts by participating in a variety of advocacy campaigns by organizations like Californians for the Arts. Californians for the arts makes it easy for your voice to be heard at the Capitol. A thriving arts community contributes to economic prosperity for all.

For more information about Sierra County Arts Council visit www.sierracountyartscouncil.org. For more information on the California Arts Council visit www.art.ca.gov. For more information on advocacy through Californians for the Arts visit www.californiansforthearts.org/advocacy