Arts projects throughout California are getting a boost. The California Arts Council on Wednesday announced the largest investment in arts and culture in nearly two decades. Capital Public Radio’s Steve Milne has more.
One of the organizations awarded with a grant is the Ali Akbar College of Music in Marin County. The school will get nearly $12,000 to teach north Indian classical music on western instruments to kids in the Bay Area.
All totaled, the California Arts Council, or CAC, is awarding about $24.5 million to fund more than 1,300 projects.
"It's historic that we're back up to this level of funding because it's been a bit."
Anne Bown-Crawford is the CAC's executive director. The last time arts funding was this high was in 2001 when the amount was $29 million.
Bown-Crawford says projects that won awards addressed: equity, inclusion, community vibrancy, learning and engagement.
The money being awarded comes from the state Legislature.
"It's taxpayer money. And I have yet to hear a taxpayer have any disagreement with money being spent the way we do. So, it's just all around a day full of joy for us."