Arts Council hosts meetings in Springfield, Joplin

The council is hosting a series of town hall meetings for its 2007–2010 strategic plan, including one at 7 p.m. tonight at the Springfield Regional Arts Council, 411 N. Sherman Parkway. A meeting also is scheduled for 7 p.m. tomorrow at the Spiva Center for the Arts, 222 W. Third in Joplin.

Beverly Strohmeyer, interim executive director for the council, said she encourages anyone who feels his or her community is underserved in arts funding to step forward at the meetings.

“Given the political climate and the economy and our funding situation, what can we provide to the communities that we serve?” she said. “We want to try to identify and target communities and find ways to get some of our services and program funding into those communities.”

The council also is hosting several grant information workshops to help arts organizations apply for program funding. A Springfield workshop will be held at 3 p.m. today at the Springfield Regional Arts Council, and a Joplin workshop will be held at 3 p.m. tomorrow at the Spiva Center for the Arts.

Available grants include the Mini Grant Program, which provides funding for not-for-profit organizations; the Lewis & Clark Grant Program, for arts events around the commemoration of the Corps of Discovery bicentennial; the Minority Arts Mini Grant Program, for new minority not-for-profit organizations to hold arts activities; and the Arts Education Program, providing funding for artists in residence, arts in the curriculum, out-of-school study and professional development.

Reservations for the workshops are required. Call (417) 862-2787 to register for the Springfield meeting, and call (417) 623-0183 to register for the Joplin meeting.