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NATCHEZ – A summer program designed to build community through the arts is one of 112 organizations nationwide to receive an ArtsHERE grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

The Gloster Arts Project is one of two Mississippi recipients of the prestigious grant. The $75,643 ArtsHERE grant will support the Gloster Arts Project’s Refresh & Rewind Initiative, a five-year strategic plan. The key components include establishing a new board of directors, developing a training program for staff and volunteers, and forming stronger partnerships with local organizations to ensure long-term impact and address evolving community needs.

For more than 10 years, the Gloster Arts Project has been dedicated to cultural enrichment and community development through the arts, providing accessible arts education and opportunities for youth to showcase their creativity.

The other Mississippi program to receive funding is Griot Arts, based in Clarksdale.

The ArtsHERE program is a new pilot program of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and is being offered in partnership with South Arts and in collaboration with the other five U.S. regional arts organizations, all designed to expand access to arts participation across the nation.

The program announced $12.356 million in non-matching grants on Tuesday.

“The National Endowment for the Arts is thrilled to provide resources to a group of exceptional organizations through ArtsHERE, a program to help deepen meaningful and lasting arts engagement in underserved communities,” said Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD., chair of the NEA.

The Gloster Arts Project serves children in Southwest Mississippi and has received national, state and local support. To learn more, click here.