Summer’s end and the beginning of fall not only mark the start of the performance season, it’s also the time of year when many public funding agencies announce their grant awards to eager arts companies. Portland Center Stage is off to an encouraging start in reaching our 2009/10 fundraising goals, thanks to the following recently received grants:

• An operating grant of $87,366 from the The Regional Arts & Culture Council, which includes a $6,680 community outreach grant for our Visions & Voices student playwriting program and a $14,505 allocation from Work for Art.  RACC is funded in part by local, regional, state and federal governments to provide grants to artists and operating support to art organizations in the tri-county region.

• A $50,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts through funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Recognizing that the non-profit arts industry is an important sector of the economy, the Recovery Grant program focuses on preserving jobs in the arts.

• A $17,000 grant for operating support from the Oregon Arts Commission. Established in 1967, the Oregon Arts Commission, now a division of the Oregon Economic and Community Development Department, aims to foster the arts in Oregon and ensure their excellence.

We want to express our appreciation to each of these agencies, especially to the volunteers who participate in grants panels and represent the community in the decision-making process.