State of Alabama

07/23/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/23/2026 15:31

Support the Arts License Plate Advisory Committee awards $126,335 in funding

MONTGOMERY, Ala., (July 23, 2026) - The Alabama Arts License Plate Advisory Committee recently awarded 53 grants totaling $126,335. These grants will support arts education and community arts projects across the state.

The success of this grant program is tied directly to the number of Support the Arts license plates sold. As more Alabamians choose to display their support for arts and creativity on their vehicles, the pool of available funding for arts-focused initiatives grows. In 2025, over 5,500 Alabamians purchased a Support the Arts plate, which provides the funding that makes these grant awards possible.

"It is great to see so many arts supporters driving across Alabama," said Dr. Elliot Knight, executive director of the Alabama State Council on the Arts. "The current plate design is based on artwork by Bethanne Hill. Due to its popularity, the committee decided to extend the availability of this design for an additional five years."

"This grant program is a valuable resource for artists and educators across the state. The Alabama Arts Alliance is proud to partner with the Council on the Arts to award these funds so schools and community art programs can provide our students with the best arts education opportunities possible. Your purchase of a Support the Arts plate is a simple but powerful way to ensure the strength of arts education throughout our state," added Rebecca Yeager, executive director of the Alabama Arts Alliance.

Ceil Jenkins Snow (Birmingham) chairs the Alabama Arts License Plate Advisory Committee. Allison Dillon-Jauken (Huntsville), Euri Carr (Montgomery), Kristin Law (Camden), Becky Scheinert (Warrenton), and Rebecca Yeager (Birmingham) also serve on the volunteer committee.

Nonprofit organizations and schools interested in applying for funding can find more information and submit applications at arts.alabama.gov/licensetag.aspx . The next deadline to apply is December 15, 2026.

Alabama drivers are encouraged to join the effort to fund arts programming by purchasing a Support the Arts plate via their county's vehicle licensing office. For more information, visit revenue.alabama.gov .

Organization

City

Project

Amount

Alabama Ballet

Birmingham

Education and Outreach Initiatives

$2,500

Alabama Contemporary Art Center

Mobile

Satellite Arts Education & Outreach

$2,500

Alabama Dance Council

Birmingham

Alabama Dance Festival

$2,500

Alabama Educational Theatre Association

Vestavia Hills

Support for Underprivileged Theatre Programs

$2,500

Alabama Folklife Association

Mobile

Alabama Folk podcast

$2,500

Alabama Shakespeare Festival

Montgomery

Fall Festival of Shakespeare with Montgomery Public Schools

$2,500

Alma Bryant High School Chorus

Irvington

Supplemental Sound Equipment

$2,375

Arts Access Alabama

Daphne

Foundations of Music Theory for High School Artists

$2,500

Arts Council of Tuscaloosa

Tuscaloosa

TuscArts OnStage 2026-2027 Season

$2,500

Band of Blue

Selma

Sousaphone Enhancement Project

$2,500

Bellingrath Middle School

Montgomery

Multimedia and Music Production Initiative

$2,500

Birmingham Boys Choir

Birmingham

Materials for Instruction and Performance

$2,500

Birmingham Civil Rights Institute

Birmingham

Subsidized K-12 Student Access to Civil Rights Education

$2,500

Birmingham Youth & Young Adult Fellowship Choir

Dothan

Gospel Music Arts Education Workshop and Live Recording Project

$2,500

Blount County Board of Education

Oneonta

Student Art on Display

$1,800

Blount County Education Foundation

Oneonta

Honor Band Experience for Students

$2,000

Boys & Girls Club of Southeast Alabama

Ozark

After-School Arts Program

$2,500

Bumpus Middle School

Hoover

Travel Support for 2026 Midwest Clinic International Band & Orchestra Conference

$2,500

Calera Middle School

Montevallo

Curriculum-based Student Publishing Project

$2,500

CEPA Management Corporation

Pell City

Drama Education Initiative

$2,500

Charles Henderson High School Theatre

Troy

Teaching Artist Fees for Production of "Austen's Pride"

$2,500

Chelsea Middle School Band

Chelsea

Instruments for Band Program

$2,500

Crenshaw County Schools

Luverne

2026-2027 After-School and Early Release Arts Classes

$2,500

Cullman Theatre

Cullman

Professional Development for Arts Leadership

$2,000

Decatur High School

Decatur

Production of "Tarzan the Musical"

$2,500

Dream Weavers Children's Theatre

Madison

Community Theatre Season Productions and Workshops

$2,500

East Samford School

Auburn

Pipe-and-Drape System for Arts Programs

$2,000

Eastern Shore Choral Society

Daphne

Performances for 35th Anniversary Season

$2,500

Exposure Community Development Corporation

Birmingham

Free Music Opportunity Classes

$2,500

Foundation 154

Elba

DesignDash for Arts Collective Building

$2,500

Haleyville Elementary School

Haleyville

Ukuleles for Music Classroom

$1,500

Hamilton High School

Hamilton

Sound and Recording Studio Equipment

$2,500

Hillcrest Middle School Band

Tuscaloosa

Instruments for Middle School Band Students

$2,500

Hoover City Schools Theatre Department

Hoover

Industry Standard Software for Professional Student Performances

$2,500

Huntsville Master Chorale

Huntsville

Huntsville Choral Festival

$2,500

Impact Arts Council

Morris

Sensory-Friendly Arts Access Initiative

$2,000

Jasper City Schools

Jasper

Theatre Arts Program at Jasper High School

$2,500

Lexington High School Band

Lexington

Updated Percussion Instruments

$2,500

Mary B. Austin PTA

Mobile

After School Art Program

$2,500

Mentone Educational Resources Foundation

Mentone

Sail Shade Structure for Pollinator Paradise Garden

$2,500

Mobile Arts Council

Mobile

Amp Up Arts Collaborative Site Support

$2,500

Mobile Ballet

Mobile

Dance Across Mobile: Building Community in South Alabama

$2,500

Mobile Opera

Mobile

Student Preview of "Romeo and Juliet"

$1,250

Mobile Symphony

Mobile

Mobile Symphony Youth Orchestra

$2,500

Montgomery Symphony Association

Montgomery

Support for Artist Fee

$2,500

Nichols Lawson Middle School

Sylacauga

Theatre Program Development Initiative

$2,500

Our Happy Place

Sumiton

Musical Instruments for Arts Programs

$2,160

Silverhill School

Silverhill

"Spark the Imagination" Art-Making Activities

$2,500

Smiths Station High School

Smiths Station

Instrument Acquisition

$2,250

Smiths Station Junior High School Band

Smiths Station

Instrument and Equipment for Band Program

$2,000

Vestavia Hills Elementary Liberty Park

Vestavia Hills

Support for Field Trips and Performance Opportunities

$2,500

Vivian B. Adams School

Ozark

Series of Art Shows Celebrating Creativity, Ability, and Inclusion

$2,500

Zion Chapel School

Jack

Concert Tuba for Band Program

$2,500

The grants above are in response to applications submitted at the June 2026 deadline. For details on a specific grant, contact Rebecca Yeager at [email protected] .

###

About Alabama's Support the Arts License Plate Grant Program
The Support the Arts license plate grant program aims to promote the arts in Alabama. A six-person committee governs the program, evaluating grant applications and issuing awards that support arts programming and arts education. Committee members serve voluntarily, and one member is appointed by each of the following organizations or individuals: the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Alabama State Council on the Arts, the Alabama Arts Alliance, and the State Department of Education.

State of Alabama published this content on July 23, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on July 23, 2026 at 21:31 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]