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ArtsQuest receives grant to help make arts more accessible
Stacy Wescoe//December 5, 2023//
Listen to this articleArtsQuest has been awarded a $82,500 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development for the 2023-2024 Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP), specifically in the Special Program Priorities (SPP) component.
The arts organization said participation by Boyle Construction, Univest Bank and C.F. Martin & Co. played a pivotal role in making this funding possible.
Kassie Hilgert, President and CEO of ArtsQuest. It was those companies that made the actual financial contribution to ArtsQuest.
“In turn these companies receive a certain percentage tax credit from the state,” said Hilgert.
She noted that this is a highly competitive grant that depends on companies agreeing to provide the funds.
The goals of the NAP are to promote community participation and collaborations among residents, nonprofits and businesses while producing outcomes by assisting a distressed area or the low-income population in a neighborhood.
With the help of this grant, ArtsQuest will provide accommodations for 900 participants with physical, sensory, intellectual and/or mental impairments throughout the program year to increase participation in the arts for all.
By offering performance opportunities for historically disadvantaged artists and arts groups, ArtsQuest will engage 5,000 community members from diverse backgrounds in educational arts and cultural events throughout the year.
“The goal of the Neighborhood Assistance Program is to improve the quality of life for every Pennsylvanian by improving our communities, especially for those who face challenges in daily life,” said DCED Deputy Secretary Community Affairs and Development Rick Vilello. “We congratulate ArtsQuest on the award, and on its work to enrich the lives of our residents with challenges or impairments by opening the world of arts and culture to them.”
