Alabama Shakespeare Festival receives American Rescue Plan grant
The arts in our community took a huge hit because of the pandemic including the Alabama Shakespeare Festival who didn’t have any shows, but now ASF is receiving funding to get back to where they once were.
In attempt to help the community recover from the pandemic, The National Endowment for the Arts recently announced almost $58 million in grant funding from the American Rescue Plan to arts organizations. Seven in Alabama were selected to receive grants, including ASF who will get $150,000.
“They were looking for what you would use the money for, to help artists and help artisans who had been unemployed during the pandemic when there wasn’t any theatre to produce, and that you had community support, that people wanted to see you back open again,” Lindsey Jinright ASF Development Manager said. “So, we were very very fortunate. We’ve had some great support and The National Endowment for the Arts saw that.”
They will use this funding to save jobs and to fund operations and facilities, health and safety supplies, and marketing and promotional efforts to encourage attendance and participation.
“We have shops where they make the costumes, the set, the scenery. Everything is built here. So, that is expensive, and this grant will help a little more so that we can put on our productions.”
This comes just in time for the start of their 50th show season. They’re now optimistic the milestone will also mark them turning the corner to bringing entertainment to our community like before.
“This grant is so vital as all these businesses start coming back to life and as we start hiring all of our people back, so that we can produce the theatre that our audiences have come to love.”
