Alaska State Council on the Arts - Helen Walker Performing Arts Grant

The Helen Walker Performing Arts Fund Grant is named in honor of Helen A. Walker, a distinguished arts advocate in Alaska who significantly influenced the cultural landscape of the state until her passing in 1996. Helen Walker played a pivotal role in founding various arts organizations, including the Fairbanks Arts Association and the Sitka Summer Music Festival, and was a key figure in Arts Alaska. She received the Governor’s Award for the Arts in 1984 and contributed extensively as a board member to several cultural and civic groups such as the Alaska Repertory Theater and the Fairbanks Library Foundation. Arts Alaska, the original administrator of the grant program, managed performing arts tours and other cultural programs in Alaska between 1975 and 1988. Following its dissolution in 2006, the organization transferred its endowment to the Alaska Arts and Culture Foundation. The interest generated from this endowment now funds annual grants through the Helen Walker Performing Arts Fund to support performing arts initiatives, specifically those involving presenting and touring efforts throughout Alaska. The primary objective of the grant is to foster performing arts accessibility and cultural enrichment within small communities across Alaska. The grant aims to support presenters and sponsors of performing arts projects, helping them bring professional performances to areas that might otherwise lack access to such cultural programming. Since its inception, the fund has disbursed over $100,000 in grants. The grant is administered by the Alaska State Council on the Arts in collaboration with the Alaska Arts and Culture Foundation. Interested applicants are encouraged to visit the Council's Grants to Organizations web page for detailed application instructions and contact information. While specific application questions and tips are not detailed in the source, applicants are advised to prepare materials that clearly demonstrate how their proposed projects align with the goal of expanding performing arts access in Alaskan communities. Grants are awarded quarterly with deadlines falling on March 1, June 1, September 1, and December 1. The application process does not follow a rolling basis but offers multiple opportunities each year, allowing for recurring cycles of funding. All applications must be submitted by the listed deadlines to be considered for that cycle. Applicants seeking further assistance or information may contact the Alaska Arts and Culture Foundation located at 645 G Street, Suite 100, PMB 1064, Anchorage, Alaska 99501. Additional inquiries can be directed via the "Send Us a Message" feature on their website.