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Arts Projects to Get More Than $115K of Jamaica Councilman's Funds

 The Black Spectrum Theatre Company is slated to receive $30,000 for producing films and plays and organizing the St. Albans Jazz Festival.
The Black Spectrum Theatre Company is slated to receive $30,000 for producing films and plays and organizing the St. Albans Jazz Festival.
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The Black Spectrum Theatre Company/Facebook

QUEENS — More than a dozen art groups in Jamaica will receive about $115,000 of Councilman Daneek Miller’s discretionary funds to spend on their concerts, films and dance programs.

Of that, Jamaica theaters will receive more than $40,000, according to budget documents.

The councilman, whose district also includes St. Albans and Cambria Heights, allocated more than $100,000 to programs supporting youth educational and sports programs and the same amount to numerous senior programs.

“Discretionary funds have been utilized to make sure that critical services are provided to neighborhoods across District 27," Miller said in a statement.

"Through this we are addressing various issues and holistically ensuring that those individuals engaged by funds are able to improve the quality of life in our community.”

The Black Spectrum Theatre Company is slated to receive $30,000, the largest portion of funding from Miller, to produce films and plays, train youth and adults in theater production and acting, as well as organizing the St. Albans Jazz Festival and presenting outdoor events "to underserved communities in Queens."

The Afrikan Poetry Theatre, which specializes in poetry slams and African drumming and dance, will get $7,500 for its operational expenses and the Caribbean American Repertory Theatre will receive $5,000 to provide free tickets for local students.

Miller also earmarked $15,000 to the Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning for its art workshops and summer programs and $5,000 to the Jazz Knights to organize free concerts and jazz education in the neighborhood.

Dancing Classrooms will receive $5,000 for its ballroom dance classes offered at local schools and A Better Jamaica will get $5,000 to fund screenings of family-friendly movies at Jamaica parks.

“Arts and culture programs that touch our entire community are a vital part of the budgeting process,” Miller noted.

The councilman also allocated more than $100,000 to various organizations offering services to local seniors, including $10,000 to India Home for physical therapy and yoga sessions seeking to keep elderly people healthy and Jamaica Service Program for Older Adults, which will receive $10,000 for its recreational activities for seniors.

The same amount has been dedicated to educational and sports programs for youth, including Kickers Youth Sports Association of Southeast Queens and Youth and Tennis, which will each get $12,500 to cover activities as well as operational expenses, and the Eastern Queens Alliance will receive $5,000 to promote environmental education during summer and after-school hands-on workshops and field trips for children.

Several organizations assisting local tenants and homeowners will also receive funding.