The Jefferson Arts Council awarded more than $10,000 in grant money to area teachers at a reception on Dec. 8 as part of the council’s goal to “make art happen for everyone.”

In addition to council board members and teachers, the awards ceremony was attended by local area artists, members of the Jefferson County School Board, Del. Stephen Skinner and representation from Sen. Joe Manchin’s and Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin’s offices.

The mission of the Jefferson Arts Council is to “promote the arts by creating cultural partnerships that enhance the quality of life in Jefferson County.” This is the 13th year that the council has awarded Teaching Arts Creatively grants, which go to teachers seeking resources to help expand art appreciation and education through unique and varied projects and teaching methods.

Grant awards were not limited to visual arts educators, but also to music teachers. As part of its mission statement, the Jefferson Arts Council, or JAC, seeks to foster a love and appreciation of all the arts, from visual and performance, to written and musical.

Grant awardees have a diverse range of projects and teaching methods, demonstrating the wide variety of ways in which the arts can be taught and appreciated.

Additional information on the Jefferson Arts Council and its awards programs can be found at ahajc.org.