photo by: Shawn Valverde/Special to the Journal-World

A crowd watches a fire breather on New Hampshire Street as part of the Lawrence Busker Festival on Friday, May, 24, 2024.

The Kansas Arts Commission awarded just under $160,000 in grant funding Tuesday to 12 local groups in Douglas County, including Theatre Lawrence and Busker Festival.

Lt. Gov. and Secretary of Commerce David Toland awarded a total of $1,295,450 in funding to 108 recipients in 48 counties across the state. The funds will support museums, arts education, music, dance, visual arts, professional and community theater, creative writing, murals, poetry and other creative projects.

“It is important for the state to engage, connect and support the abundant creativity that can be found throughout Kansas,” Toland said in a statement.

All told, 12 local groups in Douglas County earned a total of $159,288. The group that received the most grant funding was Theatre Lawrence, which received $17,191 from the state.

Here is the complete list of groups that received grants in Douglas County:

LMH Health Foundation: $7,736

Busker Festival: $10,000

LRM Foundation: $10,000

University of Kansas Center for Research: $10,000

Theatre Lawrence: $17,191

Van Go: $16,593

Lawrence Community Orchestra: $16,550

Americana Music Academy: $16,477

Lawrence Art Guild Association: $16,462

Lawrence Arts Center: $16,209

Lumberyard Arts Center, Baldwin City: $16,070

Fidpick Inc.: $6,000