Cathy Hernandez serves as the President of ARTSNET, the Arts Council of North Tarrant County, and also is Adjunct Professor of Arts Administration at TCU.

When thinking of the struggle artists have, I find it amazing that in the North Texas area there are so few opportunities for them to receive support. Indeed, all of us working in non-profit arts management have the opportunity to supplement income with grants and corporate support. However, individual artists are often not granted the same opportunity to supplement their own income through grants. The individual artist is the most vital, intrinsic aspect of our entire industry.  Without them, the arts just don’t survive…period.

As the arts are decreasing from the classroom and even our homes (with the decrease in media coverage of all genres), it is our hope that by funding the individual artist, we are placing the arts back into your day to day activity.  Who doesn’t have a friend, colleague, neighbor, or acquaintance that creates through dance, music, or poetry?  This is a wonderful opportunity to discover who this person is, simply by learning about their creative spirit.  It bridges communities, and it brings the arts back into individual lives in impactful ways!

We at ARTSNET are working to support individual artists by offering grants to individual artists.  If you are or know of an individual artist in the mid-cities region, we offer a wonderful funding opportunity!  Due on January 30, 2010 by 5 p.m., our grants will award up to $5,000 per individual artist to create work within their own community.   Visit www.artsnetc.org to download a grant application!