Eastern Shore Art Center receives grant from the
Alabama State Council on the Arts
Funding will support operational expenses for the Eastern Shore Art Center
Fairhope, Ala. – Eastern Shore Art Center (ESAC) has received a $23,000 grant from the Alabama State Council on the Arts to fund Exhibit, Outreach, and Academy programs.
With these funds, ESAC will be able to continue offering highly accessible content, from the Annual Outdoor Art Show to affordable art education for the Eastern Shore and Mobile/Baldwin counties. This grant signifies that through this project, ESAC is making Alabama’s communities stronger and our state’s arts and culture sector more vibrant.
"Operational grants are invaluable to organizations like ours. While project grants are instrumental in developing new content and exploring new avenues to the arts, Operational grants enable 501C3’s to keep the lights on! From payroll to paper towels, grants like these are vital in maintaining a community art center. This Operational grant through the Alabama State Council on the Arts provides the additional funds giving us the freedom to expend resources in innovative and creative ways," says Academy Director, Reanna Watson.
In 2025, ESAC will be expanding its outreach programming into the beautiful, rural areas of Baldwin County and beyond. “We are excited to reach into the cities of Elberta, Bay Minette, and Atmore to provide dynamic visual and performing arts education,” explains Watson. “From murals to public sculpture, it will be hard to miss ESAC's presence as we continue to create with our beloved community.”
This grant, awarded by the Alabama State Council on the Arts, is made possible through funding from an annual appropriation from the Alabama State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts. This public support enables ESAC to reach new audiences, foster community development, provide the highest quality programming, and demonstrate the importance of arts as a key component for quality of life in Alabama.
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About Eastern Shore Art Center
The Eastern Shore Art Center connects people of all ages and abilities with the arts through education, exhibitions, and outreach activities. ESAC, dba the Eastern Shore Art Association, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation funded solely through private memberships, donations and grants relying on the goodwill of the community for its continuation. Gallery and Gift Shop hours: Tuesday-Friday 10am-4pm, Saturday 10am-6pm. Free admission. 401 Oak Street, Fairhope AL 36532. Learn more at https://esartcenter.org
About Alabama State Council on the Arts
The Council on the Arts is the official state agency for the support and development of the arts in Alabama. The Council works to expand and preserve the state’s cultural resources by supporting nonprofit arts organizations, schools, colleges, units of local government, and individual artists. Arts programs, assisted by Council grants, have a track record of enhancing community development, education, cultural tourism, and overall quality of life in all regions of the state. Alabama State Council on the Arts grants are made possible by an annual appropriation from the Alabama Legislature and additional funds from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. Learn more at arts.alabama.gov.
