Arts council awards four grants

The Mariposa County Arts Council recently announced four grants have been awarded toward project investments for local artists and grassroots organizations.

Piloted in spring 2024, the Art + Community grant program, funded by Mariposa County, invites working artists, groups and organizations to submit proposals for art projects and programming that support Mariposa County goals, and serve, uplift and represent the local community.

A select review panel of arts and community leaders from a wide set of disciplines evaluated applicants on their artistic merit, project design and implementation, community impact, professional capacity and commitment to accessibility. Projects will take place starting June 2026 through May 2027.

Grant recipients

• Jonah Dacanay — JNX Fest

JNX Fest is a free, all-ages, all-day music festival to be held at the Mariposa County Arts Park, featuring eight bands from California and out of state, alongside opportunities for local musicians and vendors. This project addresses the limited availability of large-scale, free live music events in Mariposa County and creates greater access to the arts for residents of all ages.

JNX Fest builds on the momentum of the recent Rotary Interact Club’s Spring Student Fest by providing a professionally organized, inclusive event that strengthens the local music scene and expands opportunities for participation.

FB and Instagram: @jnx_officialband

• Kass Bissmeyer — Mariposa Soccer World Cup-Inspired Mural

Mariposa Soccer, in partnership with a local artist, is creating a vibrant community mural inspired by the global spirit of soccer.

The mural will celebrate cultures from around the world through colorful flags, landmarks and soccer imagery, while highlighting the ways sports bring people together across borders and generations.

Community members of all ages will be invited to help paint the mural, creating a lasting piece of public art that reflects Mar iposa’s creativity and local love of the game of soccer.

The project is part of Mariposa Soccer’s strategy to celebrate the international world cup tournament being hosted in North America June 11-July 19.

Mariposa Soccer’s hope is to use the excitement of this tournament to connect youth and families through geography, art and shared experiences.

FB and Instagram: @mariposasoccerleague www.mariposasoccer.com

• Karen Mentzer — Bootjack Clay Shack

This grant will allow Bootjack Clay Shack to continue offering affordable community ceramics classes while helping stabilize the studio for the future.

By helping cover the rising costs of clay, glaze materials and kiln firings, this support makes it possible to keep class prices within reach for local families, teens, adults and retirees who may not otherwise have access to hands-on arts education.

The funding will also allow the studio to expand programming with lower-cost community classes focused on tile underglazing, sgraffito techniques and collaborative village sculpting projects inspired by local history and environment.

More than just supporting individual classes, this grant helps ensure that BJCS can remain an active, welcoming creative space where people gather, learn new skills, share ideas and continue building community through art.

FB and Instagram: Bootjack Clay Shack

• Gail Dreifus — Porchfest Mariposa

Porchfest is an annual art, music and spoken word event that is held across the United States and Canada on front porches of houses and businesses.

Performers volunteer their time and performances may include musicians, visual artists, poets, storytellers and comedians of all ages.

In some events, visual art and music are combined. The community can join the celebration by volunteering their home or business porch as a venue.

This event is proposed to take place in Mariposa on May 15, 2027 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and end with a jam of the musicians and celebration at The Grove House that could also be broadcast “live” on KRYZ. This could be a yearly event in Mariposa.

Facebook: Gail Lynn Dreifus yosemitesongwriting.com

More information about this grant program and the selection process can be found at www.mariposaartscouncil.org/grant

For program inquiries, contact Polina Pivak, Program Manager/Lead Teaching Artist, at pivak@mariposaartscouncil.org or (209) 966-3155.

Support the arts in Mariposa County by becoming a member today at mariposaartscouncil.org/join/