State Senators Bill Ketron (R-Murfreesboro) and Jim Tracy (R-Shelbyville) announced today that 13 organizations throughout Rutherford County will receive $78,320 in grants from the Tennessee Arts Commission. These grants were allocated after being reviewed by citizen advisory panels made up of Tennesseans with expertise in appropriate disciplines and a final review by the full Arts Commission.

The organizations benefiting from the grants are spread through Christiana and Murfreesboro and include Generation for Creation, Center for the Arts, Inc., Children's Museum Corporation of Rutherford County, Ethos Youth Ensembles/Murfreesboro Youth Orchestra, International Folkloric Society Planning Council, Kids for the Creative Arts, Inc., Main Street: Murfreesboro/Rutherford County, Inc., Middle Tennessee Choral Society, Sisavanh Houghton, Tennessee Association of Dance and The Tennessee Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra benefiting the Murfreesboro Symphony Orchestra.

"Congratulations to all of the organizations receiving these grants," said Senator Ketron. "By giving our children a chance to experience art and culture, these grants are an investment in the future of our community and state."

"I hope these funds will help these organizations promote the arts during the coming year," said Senator Tracy. "These investments in arts and culture offer all of us an enhanced quality of life, provide our children with a more complete education, stimulate economic development and help attract tourists to our state."

The Arts Commission will award approximately 1,000 grants during fiscal year 2018, totaling more than $5.5 million.