FREEPORT - Freeport Arts Center received two grant awards from the Illinois Arts Council. For the fiscal year beginning September 1, 2008, the FAC received $12,000 in operating support from the Illinois Arts Council to provide art education classes and workshops, museum tours, and special art exhibitions at little or no cost to the community.

The Freeport Arts Center also received $5750 from the Illinois Arts Council as part of its Community Arts Access award program. The Freeport Arts Center matches these funds at 25 percent, creating a total pool of $7187 available for local artists and arts organizations to apply for grants to support community arts programs and events. Mighty Richland Players Dinner Theater from Orangeville received one of these grants.

The Community Arts Access program empowers the Freeport Arts Center to foster art programs in a five county area: Stephenson, Jo Daviess, Carroll, Ogle and Lee. Grant applications are available now. Applications can be downloaded at www.freeportartscenter.org, picked up from the FAC, or mailed/e-mailed by request by calling FAC at (815) 235-9755.

Grant workshops will be held at the Freeport Arts Center at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 4 and 5:30 p.m. Nov. 12 to help potential applicants learn more about this great opportunity.

Grants are reviewed by a peer panel with representatives from all counties and awards are given in January. Projects must take place during the 2009 calendar year and engage the community in the arts, preferably by employing Illinois artists.

For more information on qualifications or deadlines, contact the Freeport Arts Center at (815) 235-9755.