Arts & Culture: Local Projects Receive Mini-Grants

The Oakland County Office of Arts & Culture has recently awarded local cultural institutions $30,100. Funding was made possible by the State of Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA) Regional Regranting program.

"As one of only 19 regranting agencies in the state, Oakland County recognizes exemplary programs that encourage locally developed, high quality arts projects," says Kristie Everett Zamora, coordinator of Oakland County Arts, Culture & Film. "These programs address local arts needs and increase public access to the arts."

A wide variety of projects ranging from school residencies to festivals and workshops were awarded grant funding. Notable projects include:

• Three Pontiac elementary schools - Crofoot, Whitman, and Rogers - will host residencies of musicians from Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings. The professional musicians will work with students on instrumental exercises, as well as hold a performance.

• Southfield's Motor City Brass Band will present day-long residencies for the students of Lamphere High School and Page Middle School in Madison Heights. Principal Trombonist of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Kenneth Thompkins will conduct coaching sessions for brass students and perform with several selected students in an evening concert.

• Three established visual artists will be selected for a fifteen day summer Artist in Residency program at the historic William E. Scripps Estate in Lake Orion. Upon completion, the artists will give a public presentation and exhibit their work at the Orion Township Library.

• The Village Fine Arts Association in Milford is organizing "Poetry Art Night." This unique annual event includes a juried poetry and visual arts competition. An exhibition and awards ceremony will be hosted by the Milford Township Library.

• The Water Works Theatre Company in Royal Oak is presenting a professional outdoor production of William Shakespeare's Macbeth. It will be performed by 15 Michigan actors in Royal Oak's Starr Jaycee Park for three consecutive weekends in July and August.

Oakland County Arts, Culture & Film has partnered with the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs on this program since 1986. To learn more about the program, please visit www.artsoakland.com.