LEWISTON — The ArtVan program of VSA Maine has been awarded a number of grants in support of its mobile art therapy work with children and teens living in poverty in Maine.

The Irving Foundation and the Jane B. Cook Charitable Trust awarded $2,000 and $7,500, respectively, in support of ArtVan’s work in Lewiston/Auburn, Bath, Brunswick and Biddeford.

ArtVan Artistic Director Jamie Silvestri said, “These funds will go a long way in helping us realize our mission — using the arts to build trusting relationships and to effect positive change in the lives of youth, their families and the larger community.”

Community specific grants were also awarded ArtVan by the Aldermere Foundation for $2,500, in support of ArtVan programming at the Lewiston Public Library and by the Alfred M. Senter Foundation for $2,000 in support of ArtVan’s after school art programming at the Perryman Village housing development in Brunswick.

In addition, VSA Maine received $1,000 in funding from the Daveis Benevolent Fund for the development of multi-generational art classes. “This seed money will help us fulfill an ambition of ours, to offer innovative and inclusive art classes at our gallery space in Brunswick,” said VSA Executive Director Kippy Rudy. “Many of our funders, such as Cook and Senter, are regular supporters of VSA and ArtVan, and we are very grateful for their encouragement and sustenance.”