GRAYLING – A generous gift to Grayling’s AuSable Artisan Village by Sarah Lindauer provided the matching funds needed for the AAV to receive a $12,500 operational grant from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA) for the 2021 fiscal year.
Lindauer, who lives in San Antonio, Texas, gave the gift in memory of her sister, Tina Foster, who lived in Grayling and was a dedicated Artisan Village volunteer. In their roles as co-directors of the Creativity Center, Foster and Kathy Ellison helped develop and organize art classes for students of all ages for several years until her death in late December 2019.
“When Terry told me he found someone to help with the Creativity Center, I had no idea he’d found such an awesome organizer and tireless worker,” said Ellison. “Planning and organizing with Tina was just wonderful. We successfully divided the tasks and endeavored to expand our programs.”
Lindauer understood how important her sister’s volunteer work at the AAV was to her: “I got involved in supporting Artisan Village because I know Tina really enjoyed volunteering there. The AAV made a big difference in her life in Grayling. When she died so suddenly, I wanted to express her appreciation for the organization and make sure it continues so that other people like Tina can benefit from it.”
“There is no way to adequately thank Sarah for her generosity as well as her faith in our organization,” said Terry Dickinson, AAV’s current volunteer executive director.
Lindauer’s donation and the grant funds will be used to hire a new full-time executive director.
The grant was awarded through MCACA’s peer review process that had all applications competitively considered by a panel of in-state and out-of-state arts and culture professionals, helping to ensure that residents of and visitors to Michigan have access to the highest quality arts and cultural experiences.
The MCACA, with support from the National Endowment for the Arts, funded 508 out of 600 applications and granted over $10 million to support art and cultural activities in 78 of the 83 counties in the state.
Artisan Village hosts a wide range of classes for students of all ages and skill levels. New offerings, which are added regularly, can be seen on the website at artisanvillage.org/classes.
