Photo by Caleb Kenna, courtesy of Town Hall Theater
Town Hall Theater in Middlebury
It's been a while since Gov. Phil Scott trotted out his time-tested
"spigot" metaphor to describe the reopening of Vermont's economy after the pandemic. But given the steady stream of federal money that's begun flowing to Vermont's museums, theaters, libraries and performing arts spaces, it might be time to resurrect the garden-variety analogy.
On March 14, the Scott administration announced the first round of grant recipients of the state's
Community Recovery and Revitalization Program, which was set up to spur post-COVID-19 economic growth and revitalization. As part of the $1.05 billion that Vermont received through the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, nearly $1.8 million was awarded to eight arts, recreation and entertainment projects throughout the state.
Some of the projects that were funded are relatively mundane, albeit important to the recipients. For example, the
Bennington Museum was awarded almost $37,000 to repair its roof and upgrade its HVAC system. Similarly, the
American Legion Brighton Post #80 in Island Pond nabbed nearly $10,000 to replace its roof and install new signage. And, the
American Precision Museum in Windsor, which houses the largest collection of historically significant machine tools in the country, drilled into $500,000 toward its $3.1 million renovation plan that will add new offices, insulate windows and doors, and install a smart classroom and conference space.
Other projects have the potential to significantly expand the missions of the receiving organization.
Town Hall Theater in Middlebury received $500,000 toward its $6.5 million capital campaign to build a new, three-story, 7,000- to 8,000-square-foot wing. The new facility, which will be be attached to the existing theater, will feature an all-ages education space; an additional 75- to 100-seat performance room that will double as rental and rehearsal space; a large public plaza with a small outdoor performance stage for free shows; and balconies that overlook Otter Creek.
“This grant is tremendous for us,” said Lisa Mitchell, executive director of Town Hall Theater. “It’s the first grant we’ve received toward our capital campaign to build this new wing, which will transform our community theater into a regional arts and culture center.”
Similar improvements are on tap for the
Paramount Theatre in Rutland, which got money for energy efficiency and ADA-accessibility upgrades and improvements, as well as the construction of two new, 4,000-square-foot multiuse venues. The downtown Rutland playhouse was awarded $154,462 toward its $5.5 million project.
Other grants will help fund the preservation and upkeep of Vermont's historic and culturally significant resources. They include an $18,000 grant to the
Old Stone House Museum & Historic Village in Brownington. The grant will help fund a $90,000 project to restore and stabilize the Cyrus Eaton House, one of eight historic buildings on the 60-acre property that includes the 19th-century stone house built by Alexander Twilight, the nation's first African American college graduate.
As part of its ongoing mission to educate and inform the public about all things on the water and below the surface, the
Lake Champlain Maritime Museum in Vergennes reeled in $66,000 to renovate an existing building for new work spaces, storage and exhibition areas.
Finally,
Friends of the Jeudevine Library in Hardwick was awarded $500,000 toward a $3 million project to build a two-story, 5,000-square-foot addition to the historic library building. The project, whose budget spiked in past years due to inflation in the construction sector — bids received in 2022 were 50 percent higher than those of the previous year — will add new reading rooms for children and teens, a dedicated circulation desk, a kitchen and public event space, a staff room, and a small meeting room for committees and book clubs.