Lazy Daze Awards 33 Local Grants

January 31, 2011 | Story by: Lindsey Chester | Categories: Arts, Featured, News

Joy Pike (L), Lazy Daze 2011 chair and artist Grace Li Wang (R)

Story and photo by Lindsey Chester

Cary, NC- The Lazy Daze Festival Committee presented 33 area non-profit organizations with grant money on Thursday, Jan. 27 at the Page-Walker Arts and History Center. Councilman Erv Portman noted that this is “a milestone for Lazy Daze grants. With these awards tonight, over $500,000 have been given since its inception” in 1980.

Best One-Day Festival in the Nation?

In his opening remarks, Lyman Collins said that “Lazy Daze is a community driven event” and added  “that Cary is all about presenting great things for our citizens.”

He pointed out that Sunshine Artist magazine gives Lazy Daze the highest ranking for a one-day festival in the nation. Last year was one of the best attended events in festival history, and led to additional funds for the grant program totaling $35,000.

Exhibitors came from over 17 states and all remarked how welcoming and well organized our town was.

It Takes a Team

None of this would be possible without the help of teams of volunteers who partner with the town staff. Joy Ennis is Cary’s Festivals Director, and last year Brenda Larson was the Festivals  Committee Chairperson. As the outgoing chair, it was her duty to announce the winners. She did so with humor, at times adopting a Scottish accent and using a bit of her native French.

Next year’s chairperson, Joy Pike, is busy with plans for this Summer’s event (to take place Aug 27). She and Cary artist Grace Li Wang closed the ceremony with the unveiling of Grace’s painting which will to be the official art for Lazy Daze 2011.

2011 Lazy Daze Grantee List

All organizations filed for the grants before an October 2010 deadline, and had to be a registered 501c3 group. More than seventy groups applied for grants, and 34 received them. The best part for CaryCitizen was that we knew almost everyone who received an award! Check our archives, and read about events they have each sponsored.

Here is the official list of the award winners and what their plans are:

• The Cary Public Library- assist with their adult program offerings including their Aspiring Author series
• The American Turkish Association of NC- will support their community events like Nazim Hikmet Poetry Festival
• Asociacion Puertorriquenos Unidos de Carolina del Norte- the money will help with operating expenses to promote future events
• Cary-Apex Piano Teachers Association- will sponsor their annual guest recital free to the public, and their annual master class.
• The Cary Family YMCA- to support their work at Camp Y-rageous,to enhance their arts offerings for kids who can’t afford camp.
• Cary Ballet-will fund their annual “Celebration of Children in the Arts” festival in October
• Cary Photographic Artists-to support artists to create poster size works for the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation Gala.
• The Cary Players- will assist with costs for this year’s Love Bits and Bites production in February
• Cary Town Band- money will support their 2011 concert schedule.
• Cary Visual Art- will partially fund their Public Art Focus Lecture series at the Page- Walker.
• Center for Volunteer Caregiving- they will create a photgraphy exhibit depicting the mission of the center
• Concert Singers of Cary- the award will help with operating costs of this group and the Cary Childrens’ Choir and Youth Chorale.
• Diamante, Inc- will sponsor a Latin night during the Twilight Concert series during the Ritmo Festival in August
• Fine Arts League of Cary-funds will be used to offer a series on creativity
• The Friends of Page-Walker- money will help to preserve artifacts that are donated to the organization
• Brussels Chamber Orchestra- will be hosting their third annual Cross Currents Music Festival in Cary
• The Heart of Cary Association- is beginning their plans for a downtown Children’s Museum
• Hum Sub, Inc- will fund their Diwali and a spring festival called Basant Bahaar
• International Ballet Company- is providing lecture demonstrations to local schools
• Ivy Community Service Foundation of Cary- the grant will be used  for a mentoring program called Cultivating Adolescent Potential
• Kids Together- is moving forward with a water play feature in the Kids Together Playground
• Life Experiences- plans to use their money to expose their adults with developmental disabilities to the arts
• Martin Luther King Jr Taskforce- will support events throughout the year showcasing diverse people’s contributions to the world
• NC Eid Festival- will help the community to learn more about Muslim culture.
• NC Historical Enrichment Society-they will improve their Environmental Theater program
• Philharmonic Association- will offset costs of sheet music, and assist financial aid for needy students, and guest expenses
• The Scottish Cultural Organization of the Triangle- will sponsor a ceilidh concert with Scottish fiddle music, dance, poetry.
• The Carying Place-will expand the arts component of their children’s program
• The Mariposa School-money will help support their annual event Maripalooza
• Triangle British Brass Band- will host three free concerts at Sertoma Amphitheatre
• Triangle Jazz Society- is producing the Smooth and Sweet Jazz Festival with Marcus H Mitchell
• Western Wake Artists Studio Tour- produced 2 free public art exhibitions, and their grant will fund publicity
• Cary Teen Council-gives a scholarship each year to an outstanding graduating senior

The sheer breadth of these organizations and the impact they have on our town was overwhelming.

Cary continues to amaze me. Congratulations to all the grant winners!