The Allied Arts Council on Thursday announced this year’s four recipients of grants from the David H. Morton Memorial Fund for the Arts.

Each year, the fund provides grants of $1,000 to arts organizations in the area.

This year’s recipients chosen by the David H. Morton trustees include: Allied Arts Council, for a Traffic Box Art Project; American Guild of Organists, for “Pedals, Pipes and Pizza” and the Christopher Houlihan Organ Recital; Performing Arts Association for “An Evening with Groucho” Residency, and the Saint Joseph Symphony, for “Classical Jazz.”

The purpose of the fund is to sponsor at least one arts event annually to pay tribute to Mr. Morton’s leadership in the St. Joseph arts community. The fund can award grants to any public or private organization that has received or applied for tax-exempt status. Projects considered for the grant included music, exhibitions, public art, and theatre projects.

Teresa Fankhauser of the Allied Arts Association says there have been some unusual and interesting winners in the 26 years since the Memorial Fund was founded in 1987. The Friends of the Missouri Theater received a grant to help restore the chandelier on the mezzanine. Trails West! won a few years ago for the festival’s “Artist In Action” program. The St Joseph Symphony received a grant for its Young Conductors Competition. And the Coleman Hawkins Society received a grant to help fund a traveling exhibit.

The Morton Fund accepts contributions at any time, as memorials, tributes, or just to support the arts. For more information about the fund, call the Allied Arts Council at (816) 233-0231.