5 Artists & Organizations Awarded Arts Council Grant
May 24, 2024 - The Mariposa Arts Council is proud to announce five grants totaling $10,000 have been awarded toward project investments for local artists and grassroots organizations.
Piloting in spring 2024, the Art + Community grant program, funded by the County of Mariposa, invites working artists, groups, and organizations to submit proposals for projects and programming that support community goals, or serve, uplift, and represent underserved populations in Mariposa County.
A select review panel of arts and community leaders evaluated applicants on their artistic merit, project design and implementation, community impact, professional capacity, and commitment to accessibility. Projects will take place starting June 2024 through May 2025.
“Each grant awardee met our evaluation criteria to the highest degree.” says Programs and Projects Co-Director, Ava Burns. “Their projects 
address active needs in Mariposa County through several different forms of creative arts. We know they’ll serve Mariposa County well and we are honored to support them on their journey.”
Grant recipients include:
Megan Levad Beisner - Writer in Residence Program with Deborah A. Miranda (pictured left)
In 2025 Dr. Deborah A. Miranda, an American writer, poet best known for her memoir, Bad Indians.
She will visit Mariposa County for a week-long residency including a public reading and interview, a memoir workshop designed for indigenous writers, a high school classroom visit, and other opportunities to interact with our community.
Sandra Chapman - Cultural Medicine Walks (pictured right):
The preservation and revitalization of Native American traditional medicine practices are essential for maintaining cultural heritage, promoting tribal health, and fostering a deeper connection to the land.
This project seeks to empower the tribal members by showcasing the wisdom of traditional medicine through guided walks led by Sandra, Chairperson of the Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation.
Gail Driefus - The Ukulele Ensemble (pictured below): Mariposa Ukulele Ensemble meets once a week to practice songs and partake in a close musical community, with performances throughout the year.
This free program is primarily composed of seniors and older adults, many of whom had no prior music experience. The Ensemble provides significant benefits to participants, with professional instruction, access to instruments, and social opportunities through music, movement. and creativity. 
Anna Friedland - Foothill Art + Lecture program (pictured left):
This arts lecture series was developed to connect members of the community through the celebration of elder artists and regional arts legacy. Grant funding will contribute to the continuation of this existing program, and its expansion to wider audiences, contributing to communal mental health and creative connection. This project is in collaboration with Mariposa County Library and will culminate in a Mariposa Artist Archive.
Upper Merced River Watershed Council - Student Film Festival (pictured below):
Working in collaboration with two Mariposa filmmakers and County education partners, the Upper Merced River Watershed Council (UMRWC) will host an art and nature film festival for local youth. The year-long effort will include two components: a series of filmmaking workshops and a youth film festival in alignment with the organization’s Merced River Fest event held each spring.
More information about this grant program and the selection process can be found at www.mariposaartscouncil.org/grant
The Arts Council, is an incorporated not-for-profit organization, created to promote and support all forms of the cultural arts, for all ages, throughout Mariposa County and is supported in part by the County of Mariposa, the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency, and the California Arts Council, a state agency.
Source & photos: Mariposa Arts Council
