Staff Writer

The Troy Council on the Arts and Humanities has recently received money to further appreciation of the arts.

When the Alabama State Council on the Arts met last week, it awarded $211,070 in grants to different areas of the state and Troy received $4,000 of that money.

The $4,000 grant awarded to Troy will be used to help with expenses of the Jean Lake Festival 2000.

"We’re happy to get it," Don Crapps, president of the Troy Council on the Arts and Humanities, said of getting the grant.

He is expecting this year’s festival to be just as great as, if not better than, past years.

"It’s going to be a lot of fun," Crapps said of the Jean Lake Festival scheduled for May 6-7.

Crapps said the money will be used to help with expenses incurred by the festial in addition to purchasing art for the organization’s permanent collection.

Purchasing art from the vendors "builds our own collection and encourages the vendors," Crapps said.

He said the grant will allow the art council to spend its other money on things like the $2,000 scholarship awarded each year.

Only 11 grants were awarded although over 60 applications, requesting more than $500,000 were submitted and the Council approved funding for educational programs, presenters, folk art, literature, performing arts, visual arts and community arts.

"With the involvement of so many organizations, associations and local councils in the arts, we can truly say the arts are alive in Alabama," said Bernice Price, chairman of the Grants Review Committee.

The Council, which will award another round of grants in June, has been in existence for over 30 years. It is made up of 15 governor-appointed members who serve six years.

In addition to the grant, the Troy Council on the Arts and Humanities received a $3,850 check from State Sen. Wendell Mitchell, D-Luverne, earlier this week.

That money will go toward projects in local schools, Crapps said.