More than $3.6 million in Covid relief funding was awarded in December, which is making a difference across Vermont’s creative sector – in places like the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum where the grant will be used to build toward the future and what sustainability looks like after the pandemic, and in places like Raq-On Dance whose founder Amity Alize described the pandemic as decimating. “You can only Zoom and dance in your living room for so long…,” she said.

Find out what recipients are saying on our social media at #vtcreativefutures. This first round of Creative Futures awards brings the Council’s total Covid relief funding to more than $8.9 million. Applications for the next round of Creative Futures funding are underway; deadline Feb. 28.

Learn more about Creative Futures funding.

The Vermont Arts Council's long relationship with the Vermont Agency of Transportation is chronicled in a new strategy sampler from the National Association of Arts Agencies (NASAA), "Arts in Transportation: State Infrastructure Partnerships."

The story begins in 1999, when the Council partnered with VTrans on the Danville Transportation Enhancement Project, and follows agency collaborations through current efforts like Animating Infrastructure Grants and the Better Places program.

Read all about it on page eight of NASAA's Arts in Transportation report.

Each year we recognize individual and organizational contributions to the arts in Vermont with a variety of awards.

Nominations are due by May 1, 2023, and are reviewed by an outside panel with the winners announced in the fall.

Learn more and submit a nomination.

Vermont's reputation for innovation and creative culture is a vital part of the state's brand, attracting tourists and entrepreneurs, driving economic growth, and anchoring Vermont communities. We’ll be spreading the good news with Vermont legislators on Feb. 15 when we host Creative Sector Day at the Statehouse. Vermonters working in a variety of the state’s creative sector industries will provide testimony in several committees throughout the day, highlighting the intersection of the arts, culture, and Vermont's other creative industries.

The day also includes opera, ice-cream, and even a chance for lawmakers to explore the intersection of art and technology with a special laser cut creation from Generator Makerspace. Read our CreateVT Progress Report that we will be sharing with legislators.

The Clemmons Family Farm is holding a music video storyboard contest for Vermont K-5 classrooms this Black History Month, sponsored in part by the Vermont Arts Council. Learn more about the contest how to get your classroom involved.

The Poetry Out Loud recitation contest returns, with the statewide semifinals on March 9 at the Barre Opera House and the finals on March 16 at The Flynn. Learn more about Poetry Out Loud, organized this year by The Flynn.

Read more about the Clemmons Farm's VAAADAN programming.

Debra Fotheringham is a singer-songwriter, writer, and poet originally from Utah now living in Vermont. She has released three studio albums of original music including her 2007 self-titled album co-produced with Giles Reaves, as well as Time (2010) and The Darkness and the Sun (2017), both produced by Scott Wiley. Her voice and songs have been featured on television including PBS, AMC, and The CW. As a writer and poet, she’s had her fiction and poems published in various small publications. Visit Debra's full CreativeGround profile.

Do you have a CreativeGround profile? Use this robust directory to promote your work inside and beyond Vermont; your listing can include images, sound or video clips, links to other pages, and references. Create your free listing today, and check these tips and tricks for creating a strong profile.

Artists on our Teaching Artist Roster are eligible to lead residencies supported by Artist in Schools Grants. Each is vetted by the Council based on these criteria: artistic excellence, teaching ability, and collaborative planning skills.