The Methow Valley Chamber Music Festival will receive a $20,700 grant from the state Department of Commerce to help with post-pandemic recovery.
The Methow Valley Chamber Music Festival, Okanogan County Fair and TwispWorks are all recipients of state Department of Commerce grants to organizations that host community events and festivals, and had to suspend or restart operations due to COVID.
The pandemic relief grants, awarded in association with Arts WA and the Washington Festivals and Events Association, totaled more than $3 million and went to 200 organizations in 36 counties.
The Chamber Music Festival and Okanogan County Fair each received $20,700 grants; TwispWorks’ grant was $11,745.
The qualifying grantees reported a total revenue loss of $73.2 million due to COVID-19, according to a Commerce Department press release.
“The grants provide much-needed support to “legacy-level” events, festivals, civic and holiday celebrations, cultural and heritage events, music festivals, and street and arts fairs — those that have taken place for five or more years — in communities with populations of 100,000 or less,” the press release said.
Grants could be used to restart local festivals and events suspended in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic or to stabilize depleted budgets. Eligible grant uses included deposits on infrastructure (security, temporary fencing, staging, lights, sound equipment, etc.) and staff and labor costs.
