The Los Angeles County Arts Commission announced $4.1 million in grants to 175 arts groups throughout the county last week.

Grants range in size from $3,500 to $223,700 and fund organizations in forty-one of Los Angeles County’s 88 municipalities.  Through this program, funding from the Arts Commission will serve an estimated ten million people through July 2013.

Eighty-four organizations received funding to directly support salaries or job creation in Los Angeles County’s arts and culture sector.  These investments have a direct impact on residents through new employment opportunities with arts organizations and more availability of services.

“The challenging economic climate continues to impact arts organizations,” said Laura Zucker, executive director of the Arts Commission.  “Helping to stabilize local cultural groups is an important aim of the grants program.

A panel of eighty stakeholders from the county reviewed and scored the grant applications.  This year, more than eighty residents, including artists, nonprofit arts administrators, and members of the academic community were involved in scoring the applications.  Funding is awarded on a priority basis to the highest-scoring applications to ensure grant funds will have the greatest impact on residents.

“These grants ensure all residents in LA County have access to arts and cultural activities and programs, said Los Angeles County Arts Commission president Mattie McFadden-Lawson.  “Supporting these projects helps remove economic and geographic barriers to participation.”

For a list of current grantees, visit http://lacountyarts.org/1213Grantees.html