DES MOINES – A total of 267 cultural organizations and 152 artists serving 118 Iowa communities will receive a share of $7 million in grants announced Tuesday (today) by the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs. Among them, is Griswold, Corning, Carroll and Greenfield. Officials say: the East of Omaha live music venue in Griswold will receive $14,600; The Warren Cultural Center in Greenfield will receive $27,000, and The Corning Center for Fine Arts & Corning Opera House will receive a total of $9,500.

The Iowa Arts and Cultural Recovery Program grants were administered by the Iowa Arts Council, a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, and will bolster arts venues, cultural nonprofits and creative workers whose activities are essential to education, economic development and quality of life throughout Iowa.

The one-time grants range from $1,500 to $175,000 and provide relief to individuals, businesses and nonprofit organizations that can demonstrate lost income and extra expenses incurred due to the pandemic. The grants may be used to offset operating expenses, as well as costs associated with reopening in person or adapting programs to virtual formats.

While the relief program was highly competitive, the department funded 75 percent of requests, demonstrating support for arts and culture statewide.

Gov. Kim Reynolds allocated the funding, made possible by the Coronavirus, Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, on Dec. 2nd. The department launched the Iowa Arts & Culture Recovery Program the same day and received more than 550 requests totaling more than $36 million by the Dec. 11 deadline.