CREATIVE 360 RECEIVES MCACA GRANT

Creative 360 has been awarded a grant of $15,000 from the State of Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA) and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The grant was awarded through the MCACA peer review process and was one of hundreds of applications to compete for MCACA fiscal year 2017 funding.

“We are grateful that organizations like ours continue to receive support from our state and federal legislators,” said Carol Rumba, Creative 360’s executive director.

Organizations receiving a MCACA grant award are required to match those funds with other public and private dollars. Local support for Creative 360’s operations come from individual memberships, sponsorships and donations and from foundations like the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation, Midland Area Community Foundation, Dow Corning Foundation, Barstow Foundation, R. Gerstacker Foundation, and the Strosacker Foundation.

Local businesses also support the non-profit with donations and sponsorships. Major funding comes from Dow Corning Corp., Ieuter Insurance Group, and Wolverine Bank,

Creative 360 also receives significant volunteer support from the community. Some especially hard-working and generous volunteers include Ann Butzler, Laura Brigham, Dianna Cole, Bryan Dahl, Doug Dean, Heather-Dawn Deogracia, Cat Millard, Michael Morin, Sarah Shinkle, Mary Jo Wickline, and Anne McGeehan-Woodard.

For 22 years, Creative 360 has been a vital and unique destination within the Great Lakes Bay Region. Every class, event and outreach program has at its core a focus to provide wellness through experience, expression and expansion of the creative self. Assisted by the generous support of local foundations, corporations and individuals, Creative 360’s mission is to create environments that allow people of all ages and abilities to experience the creative process, and to enhance physical, mental and spiritual wellness through the arts and humanities. Creative 360’s core values are:

Inclusiveness – No matter your age, gender, race, beliefs, skills or life circumstances, you are welcome at Creative 360 and are free to be yourself.

Creativity – We believe that imagination and free expression are essential to any person’s life. We see creativity not as a finished product, but a journey of discovery, so we provide a non-judgmental atmosphere where all work is treasured.

Respect – We respect not only people, but also ideas. We are open to new and non-traditional programming. We believe in the power of saying “yes”.

Community – We believe that unity and compassion are components of a strong society. We work to bring people together.

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.