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SEATTLE — Two Pend Oreille County nonprofits were awarded funding by ArtsFund, a Seattle-based nonprofit, through its newly expanded Youth Arts Opportunity Fund.
The Camas Foundation in Usk received $8,000, for supporting Native youth through language, culture, early learning, wellness and community education initiatives. The Pend Oreille Players Association in Newport received $6,500, for engaging local youth in community theatre through classes, camps, productions and backstage experience.
YAOF awards are unrestricted general operating support, according to an ArtsFund news release. They can be used for the awardees’ most pressing needs, from teaching artists and programming to staffing and operating expenses.
The program is designed to increase access to and participation in meaningful, robust and sustained arts experiences for historically underserved youth in Washington, according to the news release. This year, ArtsFund has doubled its investment in the program, awarding $442,000 in grants across 16 counties.
The program’s expansion comes as Washington school districts and arts and culture nonprofits face continued budget pressures to maintain youth arts opportunities. As access to arts education varies significantly by school district, community-based arts and cultural organizations are important in bridging those gaps, according to the news release.
