St. Johns Cultural Council Receives $25,000 from Florida Humanities "American Rescue Plan"

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. - Nov. 18, 2021 - PRLog -- Florida Humanities, the statewide, nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), has awarded St. Johns Cultural Council with a $25,000 grant for general operating costs to help recover from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Christina Parrish Stone, St. Johns Cultural Council's Executive Director, funding will assist with general operating support which includes staffing, utilities, technology, and the facility's mortgage payments. "During the height of the COVID pandemic, our organization maintained its support and fundraising for local artists, arts organizations, and visitors in St. Johns County," said Parrish Stone. "However, we appreciate the help to recoup expenses paid for the office, staff expenses and salaries, and business operations during this difficult time," she said.

Parrish Stone also acknowledges several other non-profits in St. Johns County for the NEH grant awards including Fort Mose Historical Society,  Friends of Lincolnville, Inc., St. Augustine Film Society, St. Augustine Historical Society, and Ximenez-Fatio House Museum. The grant awards totaled more than $100,000 for all recipients in St. Johns County.

The NEH received $135 million from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021, which was approved by Congress this past spring. The state humanities councils, including Florida Humanities, each received a portion of the NEH award to support museums, archives, historic sites and other humanities-focused nonprofits.

Funding for the grant was provided by Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) as part of the American Rescue Plan (ARP) and NEH's Sustaining the Humanities through the American Rescue Plan (SHARP) initiative. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this announcement do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.

About St. Johns Cultural Council: The mission of the St. Johns Cultural Council is to support local artists and arts organizations and to promote St. Johns County as a premiere destination for cultural travelers, ensuring that the lives of residents and visitors are enriched through art, culture, history, and heritage. The nonprofit was established in 2000 and designated as the official local arts agency by the St. Johns County Board of Commissioners in 2007.

The St. Johns Cultural Council supports the development of arts institutions, community arts partners, cultural programs, and activities and audiences in St. Johns County. Professional development programs assist local artists and art organizations in obtaining grants and to grow their capabilities which help develop, market, and promote local programs and events. Visit the website at https://www.stjohnsculture.com.