The Alabama State Council on the Arts held its quarterly meeting in Troy Wednesday and Thursday and the Johnson Center for the Arts, as host, led the way in expressing appreciation to ASCA for its generosity in awarding grants to local arts organizations.

“For the first time ever, all of the arts organizations in Pike County came together to show their appreciation to the Alabama State Council on the Arts for its longtime support of the arts throughout the county,” said Vicki Pritchett, Johnson Center executive director. “ASCA has been very generous in awarding grants to the Johnson Center, the Troy Arts Council, the Brundidge Historical Society and the Pioneer Museum of Alabama.

“We were thrilled and honored that ASCA chose the Johnson Center for its quarterly meeting. We were appreciative of the opportunity to express, first-hand, our appreciation to the ASCA members and staff for their continuing support of our local arts organizations.

ASCA members and staff conducted council business at the Johnson Center, which included voting to approve recommended grants to arts organizations that were submitted under the June 1 deadline.

Pritchett said the quarterly meeting was extremely important to arts organizations all around the state that benefit from grants awarded by ASCA.

“Without the support of the Alabama State Council on the Arts, many – probably most – of the arts organizations would not, otherwise, be able to offer the arts programs that are enjoyed statewide,” she said.

On Wednesday, the Johnson Center hosted a community-wide reception for the state arts council members and staff in the afternoon and a dinner and concert that night.

“ASCA was welcomed warmly into Troy by our community,” Pritchett said. “The turnout for the reception and the dinner was outstanding. Everyone was enthusiastic in showing appreciation for the generous support the local arts organizations receive.

“The people of Pike County and the governmental entities realize and appreciate the fact that ASCA has poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into Troy and Pike County over the many years.”

Pritchett said it was encouraging to see that support of the arts comes from every facet of the Pike County community.

“Mayors Jason Reeves of Troy and Jimmy Ramage of Brundidge and members of their councils attended Wednesday’s functions,” Pritchett said and also cited Pike County Commission chairman Homer Reeves, State Rep. Alan Boothe and Sen. Jimmy Holley. Troy University Chancellor Jack Hawkins, Jr. as being among the business and community leaders and arts advocates from across the county and Troy University who were in attendance.