Grants to Organizations - Midsized Arts Organizations

The Washington Arts Grants for Midsized Art Organizations provide operational funding to established arts organizations that provide artistic events, programs or services to Washington residents, communities, artists or arts organizations; and can demonstrate a record of programmatic and administrative stability.

The Arts Commission supports Tears of Joy Theatre in Vancouver, which provides puppet theater performances in classrooms and with young audiences throughout the Pacific Northwest. Tears of Joy recently celebrated its 35th anniversary in the Pacific Northwest. The theatre produces plays such as “The Shoemaker and the Elves” and ”Boo” - the latter in collaboration with the theatre department at Willamette University. Tears of Joy reaches schools in Washington, Oregon and Idaho; in 2007, they conducted classroom workshops that accompanied performances in 35 Washington schools.

Funding from the Washington State Arts Commission supports the Washington Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Olympia, which annually presents a diverse selection of performances. Filling an important role in Olympia’s arts environment for over 20 years, the center presents performances consisting of some of the world’s finest artists, while continuing to be a resource for dozens of local organizations and a focal point during community events such as the twice yearly downtown Art Walks.

This highly competitive program has a two-year funding cycle, and applications are reviewed by a multi-disciplinary panel of arts professionals who make funding recommendations to WSAC.