Over $125,000 in grants have been awarded to several projects in Sonoma County to create public art.
The money was awarded last week through the county’s arts funder, Creative Sonoma, a division of the Sonoma County Economic Development Collaborative, a business accelerator with members who are appointed by the county Board of Supervisors.
In total, $126,580 will be distributed to 19 organizations for public art projects in the fifth supervisorial district of the unincorporated county area that will be drawn from the Fifth District Community Infrastructure Funding and Tourism Impact Funds.
Eligible recipients were nonprofit organizations, schools, chambers of commerce, community or business groups, county departments and governmental agencies, according to a news release from the county.
Grants ranged from $3,000 to $10,000.
The Graton Fire Protection District received $10,000 for a mural that will display railroads, trails and watersheds from Graton to Forestville. The work will include contributions from local children and students at Oak Grove Elementary School.
The Occidental Community Farmers’ Market was also awarded $10,000, to hold a series of interactive art and music workshops at the market called “Common Threads” that will celebrate the county’s diversity and seek to “foster connection through awe, joy, and creativity,” according to the county’s release.
The nonprofit organization Sea Otter Savvy received $6,000 for a mural in Jenner titled “We Were Here,” that will be designed to influence responsible stewardship, raise awareness, and encourage discussion about sea otter recovery.
A full list of grant recipients and projects is can be found on the Creative Sonoma website.