Donna Guzzo, president and CEO of the First Coast Cultural Center recently announced a grant award in the amount of $102,000 from the United Way of St. Johns County and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to support its adult and youth arts programs and Kick StART, the nonprofit’s afterschool art enrichment program for elementary grade students in the St. Johns County Public School District.
“ARPA funding will help us to make needed adjustments and implement strategies necessary to ensure our post-COVID-19 success and maintain the sustainability of the Cultural Center as a valuable arts education resource in St. Johns County,” said Guzzo.
Additionally, First Coast Cultural Center was awarded a Google grant for $100,000 in marketing dollars to support advertising going forward.
“The Google Ad Grant will help us share our programs and services, raise awareness, attract donors and recruit new volunteers when people are searching for nonprofits like ours,” said Guzzo.
The arts organization also received funding from Florida Department of State, Division of Cultural Arts, for general program support in 2022 through 2023 with $90,000 for the nonprofit.
“These funds are crucial to our ability to offer multi-disciplinary arts programming for adults and youth,” said Guzzo. “We will continue to offer local, national and international exhibitions, arts workshops, youth arts camps and other community-oriented events.
“As we wrap up the year, I am so grateful for the generosity of our grantors, donors and members, along with adult and young students who place great importance on a place to create, understand and experience the arts.”
First Coast Cultural Center is located at 3972 3rd St. South in Jacksonville Beach and in Nocatee at Care Connect+, located inside the Flagler Health+ Village at 351 Town Center Plaza, Suite 205 in Ponte Vedra.
Studio hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, with after-hour appointments available.
For further information, go to firstcoastculturalcenter.org.
