The Delphi Opera House received an $11,000 grant from the Carroll County Community Foundation to aid in the Arts Enrichment Program for Youth. 

The Arts Enrichment Program for Youth is a program in the making to better the opportunities given to students and young adults in Carroll County. With this money, the Opera Board of Directors is hoping to hire instructors to lead classes in different areas of the arts such as theater, painting, and music-related subjects. These courses will be made available to K-12 students or home-schooled students from Delphi and Carroll, and will cater towards the different interests of age groups. 

In hopes of restoring the popularity of the arts in Carroll County, a request for a $20,000 grant was made. The $11,000 granted is well below what was requested, but the Opera House personnel claim this money will play a beneficial role in the beginning of the project, creating a nice foundation for the program. Of the money received,  $7,500 is earmarked for the purchase of various art supplies, and the other $3,500 is solely for the transportation of students to and from the Opera House. 

Once the initial funds are used, the next goal is to figure out how to sustain money, as well as catch the attention of students and encourage their participation. With the potential of a great success, more grants are likely to be approved in the future. 

Barb Mayfeild, vice president of the Delphi Opera Board of Directors, played an integral role in the writing of the grant and is excited about the possibilities that will come with this program. 

“I’m looking forward to helping kids find something they didn’t even realize they were good at,” she said. 

With the correct funding and participation, this could benefit the community in several ways. With a larger crowd coming into the building, the Opera House can finally be used to its full potential. Once the program commences, the Opera House will not only be used on occasion, but hopefully all the time.

“It’s expensive to heat and cool the Opera House as well as pay various electricity bills; the usage of the building will help cover the cost of these things,” said Barb Mayfeild.

The Arts Enrichment Program will open up a creative space for kids who have interest in the arts but whose needs are not being met with the community’s limited resources. The Opera House will become an outlet for those who need it, or those who are looking for a new hobby. The courses offered will also bring in opportunities for adults who want to instruct a certain topic, creating new job positions.

“My biggest hope for the Arts Enrichment Program for Youth is for the program to thrive and sustain into the future,” Mayfield said.