Spring 2025 Advancing the Arts Grants Awarded

HARRISONBURG, VA – Arts Council of Valley (ACV) announces the allocation of $8,100 in Spring 2025 Advancing the Arts grant funding to support seven Harrisonburg-Rockingham area arts projects. Since launching the grants program in 2001, ACV has awarded more than $518,300 to area artists and art educators. Riner Rentals is Advancing the Arts Grants 2025 Sponsor.

“Awarding these grants reflects ACV's continuing dedication to promoting innovation, fostering community involvement, and stimulating economic development,” noted ACV Executive Director Jenny Burden. “All Advancing the Arts grants invest in the vital arts infrastructure of our community,” she added. “These awards are a concrete expression of ACV’s commitment to creative projects designed to cultivate the arts, create experiences, and connect communities.”
Advancing the Arts grants were awarded in two categories: Arts for Education, provided to educators and educational organizations, and Creative Inspiration, allocated to individual artists. Both types of grants support community-based projects to be completed by October 31, 2025.
Arts for Education grants were awarded to:

• Gregory Conway of Plains Elementary School for Local Musicians of the Month Assembly;
• Nathanael Eby of The Arc of Harrisonburg and Rockingham for The ARCessible Art Program;
• Harriet Flynn of Harrisonburg Parks & Recreation for Art in the Park;
• Sarah Orem of Any Given Child Shenandoah Valley for Live Arts Experience with Barefoot Puppets Theater; and
• Sarah Sutt of Explore More Discovery Museum for Kinetic Balance Sculptures.

Creative Inspiration recipients are:

• Aili Huber of Silk Moth Stage for The Wanting Forest at Silk Moth Stage; and
• Lara Ressler for Les objects oniriques.

Advancing the Arts grant awardees may receive one grant - ranging from $500 to $1,500 - per calendar year. Matching funds are not required for grant submissions.

Fall 2025 grant cycle information, guidelines, and application materials will be available online by early July at valleyarts.org/grants-arts-for-education (Arts for Education grants); and valleyarts.org/grants-creative-inspiration (Creative Inspiration Grants).

The application deadline for the Fall cycle is 5 pm October 11, 2025, for projects taking place between November 1, 2025 and May 31, 2026.

Arts Council of the Valley is located at 311 South Main Street in Downtown Harrisonburg, Virginia. Programs are supported in part by ACV 25th Anniversary Presenting Sponsor Kathy Moran Wealth Group, and 25th Anniversary Visionary Sponsor Riner Rentals.

A 501(c)3 nonprofit, ACV is dedicated to cultivating the arts, creating experiences, and connecting communities throughout the City of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. Since it was established in 2000, ACV has grown into a multi-faceted community organization that fosters innovative partnerships among area businesses, civic organizations, schools, and artists. Today, ACV manages Court Square Theater and Smith House Galleries, funds local art projects through its Advancing the Arts grant program (awarding more than $518,300 since 2001), supports public art initiatives, and coordinates monthly First Fridays of the Valley community gatherings.

ACV is supported in part by the City of Harrisonburg, the Harrisonburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority, and the Virginia Commission for the Arts, which receives support from the Virginia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. To learn more, visit valleyarts.org.

This press release was provided by Ann Leatherwood at Arts Council of the Valley.