Joe's Movement Finalist for Grant Award

Mount Rainier's Joe's Movement Emporium is one of 128 nationwide finalists for a grant from ArtPlace, a public-private philanthropic initiative which seeks to create vibrant communities through investment in the arts. 

More than 2,000 arts organizations applied for $15 million in ArtPlace funding in 2011. Last year, 34 organizations were awarded a total of $11.5 million in funds from ArtPlace.

Joe's Movement Emporium applied for the grant to support its Vibrant Village initiative, designed to revitalize Mount Rainier's town center by creating partnerships between city agencies and private businesses. 

"This opportunity will highlight the talent of our local artists and give our business community new tools to create a vibrant scene downtown," Brooke Kidd, executive director of Joe's Movement Emporium, stated in a press release. 

ArtPlace is supported by the Rockefeller Foundation and the Bloomberg Philanthropies. The initiative is also supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and a host of federal agencies. 

The final announcement about the grant awards will be made in May.