photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

The Ballard Center, 708 Elm St., is pictured on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025.

Nine Douglas County organizations and nonprofits have been awarded nearly $70,000 in state grants for arts programming for the 2026-27 grant period, the state of Kansas announced Tuesday.

The grants were awarded by the Kansas Arts Commission and will support visual arts, performing arts, music and special events in multiple Douglas County communities. A news release from the state said $750,000 was awarded across 34 Kansas counties. Douglas County organizations received the second most funding in the state, with Sedgwick County organizations receiving the most dollars at $121,580.

Sarah Fizell, the chair of the Kansas Arts Commission, said in a statement that artists and art organizations “(strengthen) the fibers of the community” and investing in the arts creates “huge impacts across the state” by improving community connection and activating public spaces.

The funding for the grants comes from an annual appropriation from the Kansas Legislature and federal support from the National Endowment for the Arts, according to the release. Last year, Douglas County organizations received just over $100,000 from the Kansas Arts Commission, as the Journal-World reported.

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

• University of Kansas Center for Research, Inc.: $10,000

• Elizabeth B Ballard Community Center: $10,000

• Lawrence Arts Center: $8,079

• Lumberyard Arts Center Inc: $7,913

• Theatre Lawrence: $7,850

• Van Go Inc.: $7,767

• Americana Music Academy Inc: $7,282

• Lawrence Civic Choir Inc.: $2,876

• Douglas County Historical Society: $7,080