Jan. 12, 2022: State Senator Christine Cohen (D-Guilford) today welcomed state arts grants totaling about a quarter-million dollars for two dozen shoreline arts organizations to help them financially survive during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Sen. Cohen – who voted for the state aid to arts groups as part of the 2021-23 biennial state budget – said 23 arts groups in three shoreline towns will receive a total of $251,100 from CT Humanities through its CT Cultural Fund. The grants will assist organizations recovering from the pandemic and aid them in serving their communities.

"Thousands of people in shoreline towns enjoy these organizations year-round, but the pandemic has had a tremendous impact on our arts, culture and tourism sector. I fought for relief and assistance for them, because like so many of our cherished businesses, they have been at financial risk. These funds will help to keep their doors open and allow the continuation of their wonderful services to the community," Sen. Cohen said.

The 23 local grants are part of 624 statewide grants to different non-profit museums and cultural, humanities, and arts organizations totaling $16 million, and they are part of the $30.7 million in grants allocated by the state legislature to CT Humanities over the next two years. Grants range from $5,000 to $500,000 to any organization offering cultural, humanities and arts-based projects and activities for the public.

Arts organization grants in Sen. Cohen's Senate district include:

Branford

Arts Council of Greater New Haven/Branford Messiah, $5,200

Branford Arts & Cultural Alliance, $6,100

Branford Historical Society, $6,200

Chestnut Hill Concerts, $8,700

Legacy Theatre, $20,500

Stony Creek Museum, $6,100

Guilford

Guilford Art Center, $54,300

Guilford Keeping Society, $8,800

Guilford Performing Arts Festival Company, $7,400

Guilford Preservation Alliance, $7,100

Henry Whitfield State Museum, $5,000

Project: Music Heals Us, $16,200

Starship Dance Theater and Company, $5,800

The Dudley Foundation, $9,300

The Hyland House Museum, $6,600

Witness Stones Project, $7,800

Madison

Arts Council of Greater New Haven/Ubuntu Storytellers $8,100

Deacon John Grave Foundation, $6,800

FUSE Theatre of CT, $5,400

Madison Historical Society, $12,100

Madison Lyric Stage, $10,400

New Haven Chorale, $15,600

The Madison Arts Barn, $11,600