West Michigan Symphony receives Extended Grant status, highest possible designation from Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs

Muskegon, Michigan, November 9, 2020—West Michigan Symphony(WMS)has been awarded a grant of $22,500 from the State of Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA). The grant was awarded through the MCACA peer review process.  Among more than 500 applications, WMS’s proposal received a rating of 95 out of 100 during the review process, thus qualifying for the Extended Grant program.  In this category, WMS will remain at the highest percentile status for three years without having to submit proposals for peer review during that time frame.

Organizations receiving a MCACA grant award are required to match those funds with other public and private dollars. Local support of the project included the Community Foundation for Muskegon County, DTE Energy Foundation, Fifth Third Bank, Grand Haven Area Community Foundation, Harbor Steel & Supply Corporation, Hines Corporation, Mercy Health, Meijer, Nichols, Northern Trust, PNC Bank, Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge, and Warner Norcross+Judd LLP, among many others.

The largest performing arts group in Muskegon County, WMS is a major tenant at the Frauenthal Center, performing an eight-concert core season and education concerts and activities impacting thousands of area youth. WMS was the first Michigan orchestra to begin offering virtual concerts—newly performed concerts streamed from the orchestra’s website—after the Governor’s shelter-at-home was lifted last June. WMS continues to offer performances in its Virtual Concert Hall. 

The MCACA peer review process allows for each grant application to be competitively considered by a panel of in-state and out-of-state arts and culture professionals. This ensures the taxpayers, who support this project through legislative appropriations, and all other visitors or residents in Michigan will have access to the highest quality arts and cultural experiences.

A complete list of grant awards around the state is available by contacting MCACA at (517) 241-4011, or by visiting the MCACA website at www.michigan.gov/arts.