Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton believes a vibrant arts community is instrumental in creating a strong economy and as a result the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture increased the amount of funds being distributed to local non-profit arts and culture organizations.
This year the Community Arts Support Grants Program will award a total of $865,346 to 55 non-profit organizations serving the residents of Phoenix through arts and culture activities.
Approved by Mayor and Council on June 22, 2016, the funding allocation includes a $60,000 increase to the grants program. “We can’t create a strong economy without a vibrant arts community, which is why we tripled our funding for the arts over the past four years,” said Mayor Stanton. “This year we were able to amplify that investment in the arts and culture sector through our grants program. The outstanding organizations receiving these funds will help our economy, bringing artistic excellence and cultural vibrancy to our community.”
Grant funds support the general operating costs of major, midsize, and small arts and culture organizations, specific arts projects related to festivals, as well as arts learning activities. Funds are also allocated to a rental support program operated by the Office of Arts and Culture in partnership with the Phoenix Convention Center.
According to Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture Executive Director, Gail Browne, arts and culture organizations in Phoenix provided approximately 7,000 performances, 300 exhibitions, 2,500 classes and workshops, and 3,000 school programs last year. “The arts and culture sector supported by these grants contributes more than $300 million in economic impact and generates more than $14 million in Phoenix tax revenue, based on the last economic study of the sector.”
All grants are dollar-for-dollar matching grants, requiring grantees to raise funds from corporations, foundations and/or individuals in the city of Phoenix. Organizations that received general operating support provide substantial outreach and education programs to the community. General operating support grant recipients include Alwun House, Arizona Jewish Historical Society, Arizona Opera, Arizona Science Center, Arizona Theatre Company, Ballet Arizona, Black Theatre Troupe, Children’s Museum of Phoenix, Cultural Coalition, Desert Botanical Garden, Grand Canyon Performing Arts, Great Arizona Puppet Theater, Heard Museum, iTheatre Collaborative, Jazz at AZ/The Nash, Musica Nova, Musical Instrument Museum, Orpheus Male Chorus of Phoenix, Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix Boys Choir Phoenix Center for the Arts, Phoenix Chamber Music Society, Phoenix Children’s Chorus, Phoenix Chorale, Phoenix Conservatory of Music, Phoenix Film Foundation, Phoenix Symphony, Phoenix Theatre, Rosie’s House: A Music Academy for Children, Roosevelt Row CDC, Scorpius Dance Theatre, Valley Youth Theatre, Young Arts Arizona, and Xico.
Arts and culture learning grant recipients support lifelong learning in the arts through projects in partnership with schools, businesses, social service organizations, parks, recreational centers, libraries, senior centers and more. Festival grant awards support public festivals that highlight an arts or cultural discipline, or multi-disciplinary celebration of a specific culture. Festival and arts and culture learning grant recipients include the Arab American Festival, Arizona Matsuri, Artlink, Cultural Coalition, Cyphers Center for Urban Arts, Essential Theatre, Flamenco Por La Vida, Grand Avenue Arts & Preservation, Honest Words/Open Minds, India Association of Phoenix, Indo American Cultural Connect, Movement Source, Inc. Orpheus Male Chorus of Phoenix, Phoenix Blues Society, Phoenix Chinese Week, Phoenix St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Irish Society of Arizona, Red Rocks Music Festival, Rising Youth Theatre, The Rag Collection, and Young Arts Arizona. General Operating Support III organizations are allowed to also submit proposals in a project category. Cultural Coalition, Orpheus Male Chorus of Arizona and Young Arts Arizona received grants in two categories. In an effort to encourage emerging organizations to apply, the grants program allows for the use of fiscal agents in the project categories. Five organizations using fiscal agents received funding this year.
Through the Rental Support Program a total of $250,000 is awarded to major cultural organizations that help revitalize the Phoenix downtown corridor through their presentations in city-owned performing arts facilities, Symphony Hall, Orpheum Theater and Herberger Theater Center. Grantees include Arizona Opera, Arizona Theatre Company, Ballet Arizona, Center Dance Ensemble, iTheatre Collaborative, Phoenix Symphony and Valley Youth Theatre.
The Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture, established by the Phoenix City Council in 1985, works to foster a sense of cultural identity, celebrate diversity and ensure an outstanding quality of community life. The Office is advised by a 22-member Phoenix Arts and Culture Commission.
A listing of the total amounts awarded to all grant recipients follows. Asterisked organizations also receive rental support.
Alwun House $ 5,000
Arab American Festival $ 3,150
Arizona Jewish Historical Society $ 7,835
Arizona Matsuri $ 3,500
*Arizona Opera $ 37,354
Arizona Science Center $ 48,354
*Arizona Theatre Company $ 78,909
Artlink $ 1,800
*Ballet Arizona $ 62,792
Black Theatre Troupe $ 9,750
*Center Dance Ensemble $ 10,357
Children’s Museum of Phoenix $ 31,080
Cultural Coalition $ 8,500
Cyphers Center for Urban Arts $ 3,500
Desert Botanical Garden $ 59,108
Essential Theatre $ 3,500
Flamenco Por La Vida $ 2,450
Grand Avenue Arts & Preservation $ 3,500
Grand Canyon Performing Arts $ 5,000
Great Arizona Puppet Theatre $ 13,464
Heard Museum $ 36,218
Honest Words, Open Minds $ 2,190
India Association of Phoenix $ 2,800
Indo American Cultural Connect $ 3,325
*iTheatre Collaborative $ 8,325
Jazz in AZ/The Nash $ 13,653
Movement Source Inc. $ 2,000
Musica Nova $ 5,000
Musical Instrument Museum $ 31,771
Orpheus Male Chorus of Phoenix $ 7,700
Phoenix Art Museum $ 20,291
Phoenix Blues Society $ 2,800
Phoenix Boys Choir Assn. $ 16,493
Phoenix Center for the Arts $ 16,114
Phoenix Chamber Music Society $ 10,204
Phoenix Children’s Chorus $ 15,072
Phoenix Chinese Week $ 3,500
Phoenix Chorale $ 13,294
Phoenix Conservatory of Music $ 15,587
Phoenix Film Foundation $ 11,206
Phoenix St. Patrick’s Day & Irish Society $ 2,100
*Phoenix Symphony Association $ 99,449
Phoenix Theatre $ 30,400
Red Rocks Music Festival $ 3,150
Rising Youth Theatre $ 3,325
Roosevelt Row CDC $ 5,000
Rosie’s House: A Music Academy for Children $ 15,355
Scorpius Dance Theatre $ 5,000
The Rag Collection $ 3,500
*Valley Youth Theatre $ 39,087
Young Arts Arizona $ 8,500
Xico $ 13,966
