Current Grants
Seven Stars has been awarded a Creative Futures Grant for $7,500 from the Vermont Arts Council (VAC). The Creative Futures program was created by the Vermont Legislature in 2022. The program aims "to provide aid to creative sector organizations, businesses, and sole proprietors that continue to struggle financially due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic." We thank the Legislature and the Arts Council for this support. The grant funds can only be used to cover operating expenses. Since this funding will cover many of our fixed expenses, we can devote more of our donations and regular income to new initiatives. One goal for the upcoming year is to build a capital improvement fund , which will be used as matching funds for grant applications planned for 2024. We are planning enhancements to both stage and performance hall lighting and improvements to the floor in the hall.
We also wish to thank the Vermont Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities for their earlier COVID grant support: We received a 2020 VAC COVID Cultural Relief Grant and a 2021 VAC COVID Cultural Recovery Grant. These grants literally helped to keep the doors open during the height of the pandemic and to gradually resume in-person classes and concerts.
We also wish to thank the Vermont Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities for their earlier COVID grant support: We received a 2020 VAC COVID Cultural Relief Grant and a 2021 VAC COVID Cultural Recovery Grant. These grants literally helped to keep the doors open during the height of the pandemic and to gradually resume in-person classes and concerts.
In June of 2022, Seven Stars Arts Center received a mini-grant of $1000 from BALE, also known as Building a Local Economy, to be dedicated to our scholarship fund to provide financial aid for students who would not otherwise be able to take lessons at Seven Stars. Watch for more information in coming months about Seven Star’s continuing initiatives to increase our financial aid resources to better fulfill our mission to make arts accessible to all. If you would like to make a donation to our scholarship fund, please note this on the online donation form.
Seven Stars is pleased to let folks know that we are again the recipient of a very helpful grant to help repair our building. On May 3, 2021 we learned that we are one of 12 organizations chosen for a grant from the 1772 Foundation in cooperation with the Preservation Trust of Vermont. This is a matching grant of $4765. We have been dealing with moisture issues along the foundation of our wonderful, old building. This amount will cover half the cost of Phase 1 of an initiative dealing with these issues.
We will be repointing the bricks in the foundation in preparation for 2023 when the grounds around the building will be regraded, and buried drains and impermeable membranes will be installed, to redirect water away from the building. In the future, Phase 2 will involve work in the crawl space.
You can read more about it here: https://ptvermont.org/seven-stars-art-center-sharon/
The PTV grant covers half the cost of Phase 1 work, but does not include the brick work preparation. We need help to raise funds for both these projects. Thanks so much for considering donating to make these vital structural repairs.
We will be repointing the bricks in the foundation in preparation for 2023 when the grounds around the building will be regraded, and buried drains and impermeable membranes will be installed, to redirect water away from the building. In the future, Phase 2 will involve work in the crawl space.
You can read more about it here: https://ptvermont.org/seven-stars-art-center-sharon/
The PTV grant covers half the cost of Phase 1 work, but does not include the brick work preparation. We need help to raise funds for both these projects. Thanks so much for considering donating to make these vital structural repairs.
Other Grants News
Curtains without Borders
Curtain and Stage Ear Renovation Project
During the week of October 4th, 2021 our historic curtains received their long awaited "face lift"!
Chris Hadsel and Mary Jo Davis of Curtains Without Borders, along with help from Carolyn Frisa arrived to accomplish that restoration. These curtains are an important part of the building's history. We know that they were created by E.O. Kent, sometime between 1913, when the Grange bought the building and made renovations, including adding the stage, and 1930 when they burned the mortgage! A chronicle of that event mentions all the improvements made to the old church building, including the curtains.
We are looking for information about the person who signed the main curtain, “E.O. Kent.” Could it be Elbert O. Kent of Royalton?
We are deeply grateful to the Vermont Arts Council for the Cultural Facilities grant for this project, and also to the generosity of folks who helped us match that grant. We had great help from a number of volunteers assisting during the renovation work.
We could not have done it without all of you! Thank you!
Chris Hadsel and Mary Jo Davis of Curtains Without Borders, along with help from Carolyn Frisa arrived to accomplish that restoration. These curtains are an important part of the building's history. We know that they were created by E.O. Kent, sometime between 1913, when the Grange bought the building and made renovations, including adding the stage, and 1930 when they burned the mortgage! A chronicle of that event mentions all the improvements made to the old church building, including the curtains.
We are looking for information about the person who signed the main curtain, “E.O. Kent.” Could it be Elbert O. Kent of Royalton?
We are deeply grateful to the Vermont Arts Council for the Cultural Facilities grant for this project, and also to the generosity of folks who helped us match that grant. We had great help from a number of volunteers assisting during the renovation work.
We could not have done it without all of you! Thank you!
OUR MISSION IS TO NURTURE A LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE ARTS THROUGH EDUCATIONAL AND CREATIVE OPPORTUNITIES AND PERFORMANCES.
Seven Stars Arts Center is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit serving East Central Vermont and beyond.
