Three Henry County organizations will receive a share of 7 million dollars thanks to funding allocated by the Governor from the CARES Act. Tuesday the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs announced that a total of 267 cultural organizations and 152 artists will receive grants. Midwest Old Threshers will receive $76,800. The Swedish American Museum in Swedesburg is set to get 85 hundred dollars and the Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra, headquartered in Mount Pleasant will receive $5,000.
Old Threshers CEO Terry McWilliams said his organization will use the funds to support the financial operations of the association, which has taken a direct hit as a result of the loss of revenue from canceling events in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds made this funding possible by allocating $7 million of federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding to the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs for the purpose of providing economic relief to Iowa’s arts and culture industry. McWilliams noted that “it is essential in recognizing the vital importance of what non-profit organizations provide in our communities. This grant to Old Threshers solidifies a commitment to ensuring the organization has the resources to continue to support Mount Pleasant and Southeast Iowa with fun, cultural events in 2021 and beyond. On behalf of the Board of Directors and staff, I wish to thank Governor Kim Reynolds, Director Kramer and her team at the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs for this exciting opportunity.”
The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs and its three divisions – the Iowa Arts Council, Produce Iowa-State Office of Media Production and the State Historical Society of Iowa – empower Iowa to build and sustain culturally vibrant communities by connecting Iowans to the people, places and points of pride that define our state. The department’s work enables Iowa to be recognized as a state that fosters creativity and serves as a catalyst for innovation where the stories of Iowa are preserved and communicated to connect past, present and future generations. www.iowaculture.gov.