House Republican Press Release

August 2, 2007

Press Office: 860-240-8700

Rep. Marilyn Giuliano Obtains Grant for Tracy Art Center

$8,700 in state funds from the administration of Gov. M. Jodi Rell will help expand summer arts programs for Shoreline and Lower River area children and adults

OLD SAYBROOK--A summer arts instruction program at the Tracy Art Center for children and adults from area towns will receive a boost from an $8,700 state grant secured by state Rep. Marilyn Giuliano, R-Old Saybrook, and the administration of Gov. M. Jodi Rell.

“It is a pleasure to announce an $8,700 state grant to help enhance this valuable summer arts experience and to expand the numbers of kids and adults who participate in it,” said Rep. Giuliano. “Thanks to Governor Jodi Rell and her administration for making this possible.”

The Tracy Art Center, a non profit center located in the heart of Old Saybrook conducts summer classes for children from the Old Saybrook, Westbrook, Clinton, Essex, Old Lyme, and Lyme areas. These new state grant funds will be instrumental in helping to expand and enhance the program.

The funds will increase awareness and participation in the programs by as much as 30 percent. They will also be used to enhance  the quality of the artistic learning experience by including bus trips to nearby museums in connection with several of the classes as well as adding visiting artists to supplement regular instructors in the art and dance, music, writing and acting programs.

According to executive director Nancy Tracy, the state grant for enhancement of the Tracy Art Center will assist in providing new digital courses for adults and children using state of the art computer equipment.

Ms. Tracy said, “We are pleased to be receiving the support from the state to help us expand our programs of arts enrichment for our community. These funds will have a significant impact on the learning experience of the classes as well as allowing us to expand our programs. We are very grateful to state Rep. Marilyn Giuliano for obtaining these funds. The arts are a vital component to a healthy community and these funds help maintain our mission of providing a support center for all artists of all abilities.”

Ms. Lee Howard, president of the board of directors, added, “We are delighted with the news of this grant of $8,700, as it not only enhances the Tracy Art Center's summer program, but it is also a wonderful step forward in reaching the Center's goal of achieving a public/private partnership for the support of arts and artists in our communities."

The Tracy Art Center was organized almost two decades ago to nurture and enrich the lives of local residents through the visual arts. The center provides educational and community outreach programs for children, young people, adults, working artists and the community at large. Its programs include drawing classes, painting classes, creative classes, workshops and arts-related computer classes for adults and teens.  It also runs a series of young artists’ workshops, visiting artist workshops, gallery showings and various outreach events in the community year round.

The center was founded in 1989 and officially became a non profit corporation in 2004. Nancy Tracy, the founder and executive director, is a notable local artist and art teacher. She holds a BFA in Education from Ohio University. Her watercolors, portraiture and pastel work is in many collections in New York and the Northeast.

Rep. Giuliani serves the 23rd Assembly District of Lyme, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook and Westbrook in the state House of Representatives. She is ranking member on the legislature’s Higher Education and Advancement Committee and a member of the Select Committee on Children and the Program Review and Investigations Committee.

For more information on the Tracy Art Center programs, volunteer opportunities and mission, please visit their web site at www.tracyartcenter.org or call them at (860) 388-1391.