Midwest
Assembly for the Arts is the only organization in Northeast Ohio working across silos, geographies, and organizations to strengthen and advocate for all creatives – nonprofits, businesses, and artists. We are a clearinghouse, a champion for equity, and a funding facilitator for the arts, with a special focus on BIPOC communities.
Jeremy Johnson
President and CEO
Assembly for the Arts
Grants and Support, Equity and Inclusion, Community Development, Quotes from LAA Staff and Board
West
Glendale Arts and Culture Commission's mission is to enrich the human experience, reinforce Glendale's identity and civic pride through arts and culture, and to recognize the importance of arts to our quality of life and to the local economy. This is accomplished by consciously integrating arts and culture into the daily life of the people of Glendale through urban design, planning, economic development, and education.
Jennifer Fukutomi-Jones
Principal Arts and Culture Administrator
City of Glendale
Quotes from LAA Staff and Board, Economic Vitality, Community Development, Creative Placemaking
Northeast
In Massachusetts, we have the opportunity to apply for funding from multiple LCCs (local cultural councils). For our organization, these gifts add up to a meaningful sum and represent the passion for the arts in all areas of the state. Residents take pride in supporting their "neighborhood" organizations.
Angela Combest
Marketing and Development Director
Various
Nonprofit Organizations, Individual Artists, Grants and support
Pacific Northwest
The Sammamish Arts Commission raises awareness of the importance of art as a way to bring the community together. Through permanent art, we bring beauty to the city. We support performance art and encourage children to explore their own creativity through fun projects and engaging activities.
Ann Humes
Arts Commissioner
Sammamish Arts Commission
Quotes from LAA Staff and Board, Community Development
Pacific Northwest
The Renton Municipal Arts Commission team is committed to promoting arts vibrancy in our community. Through our grant programs, public art installations, cultural events, and educational initiatives, we strive to make the arts accessible and meaningful to everyone. Our mission is to foster a vibrant and dynamic arts community in Renton that reflects the diversity, creativity, and spirit of our city.”
Jessie Kotarski
Economic Development Manager
Renton Municipal Arts Commission
Quotes from LAA Staff and Board, Community Development, Grants and Support, Arts and Culture Events, Accessibility
Pacific Northwest
We foster cultural development through public art, grants to local artists and organizations, and cultural planning. Arts and culture are the soul of the city. It can bring people together, build bridges to cultural understanding and provide a sense of community identity and possibility. We seek to be a vital platform for cultural exchange and creative inspiration.”
Lorie Hoffman
Arts Community Manager
City of Bellevue
Quote from LAA Staff and Board, Grants and Supprt
Northeast
The reality, the emotion, and the connections happening day-to-day within the spaces we work and among the community of people we serve are difficult to quantify, but its necessary to do so because those of us working to amplify the importance of art and culture represent a future where belonging wins. The Philadelphia Cultural Fund is here, sounding the alarm and recognizing our collective growth.
Cesali Morales
Business and Development Director
The Philadelphia Cultural Fund
Nonprofit Organizations, Community Development
Pacific Northwest
ShoreLake Arts produces art events, teaches students of all ages and showcases local artists in our gallery. Programs like the Concerts in the Park series and their sliding-scale model for art classes targeting children connect our community with the arts and each other.
Quinn Elliott
Executive Director
ShoreLake Arts
Quotes from LAA Staff and Board, Arts and Culture Evetns, Arts Education, and Community Development
Northeast
Springfield Cultural Council awarded $249,300 that was distributed among 140 projects in 2023. These grants represent trust bult within the community to activate culturally responsive arts and cultural events coming out of the pandemic. It is local arts councils like SCC that have allowed communities to come out of the pandemic with hope through joyous community activations. Our grants support the Trust Transfer Project and Thank an Artist program, both of which shine a light on Springfield creatives and culture bearers.
Karen Finn
Executive Director
Springfield Cultural Council
Grants and Support, Community Development, COVID-19, Arts and Cultural Events,
Midwest
Cuyahoga Arts and Culture is a LAA that understands that: "Art is Culture" and "Culture is Art". CAC both recognizes and provides funding showing their support of the diversity of arts and cultures that contribute to the diverse artistic community in Cleveland.
Edna Duffy
Artistic Director
Cuyahoga Arts and Culture
Quotes from Grantees, Nonprofit Organization, Grants and Support, Community Development, Equity and Inclusion,
South
With a unique blend of visual and performing arts programs, accessible arts education and seasonal events the Alliance for the Arts is a welcoming environment for artists and visitors. Since the 1970s, the Alliance has transformed lives and improved the community through the arts. After Hurricane Ian, AFTA provided connection to creativity, sharing its facilities with arts and cultural organizations whose facilities were destroyed, proving that the arts help pull us through the worst of times.
Naomi Lee Bloom
Philanthropist, and arts supporter
Alliance for the Arts, Fort Myers, FL
Quotes from Grantees, Nonprofit Organization, Grants and Support, Community Development,Crisis/Emergency Management, Art Education
West
The City of West Hollywood proudly serves its constituents and visitors high quality, cutting edge, art and performance. The City offers over $200,000 through several grant categories that support individual artists and arts non-profits both financially as well as administratively. This funding and support allows art to be made more freely.
Eva Angeloff
Arts Grants Coordinator
City of West Hollywood
MissionQuote from LAA Staff and Board
Northeast
Our investment in the the arts has had a deep impact on our community. As a region that was hit hard after coal declined and de-industrialized for decades, the arts has allowed us to re-imagine ourselves. We see old forgotten spaces revitalized. Creative entrepreneurs choosing to move here, and a vibrant audience in our community. We've experienced increased festivals, artist collectives, thriving museums, galleries and theaters. We can now honor our history, celebrate our present, and create our future through the arts.
Maureen McGuigan
Director of Arts and Culture
Lackawanna County Arts and Culture Department
Quote from LAA Staff and Board, Grants and Supprt, Economic Vitality, Community Development
South
Houston Arts Alliance contributes to the vibrancy of the arts in Houston with its support of a diverse group of arts organizations that enrich the varied arts scene in Houston.
Elda Coco
Vice President of Financial Development
Houston Arts Alliance
Mission, Vibrancy, Diversity, Quotes from Grantees, Grants and Support, Community Development, Equity and Inclusion
South
The City of San Antonio Department of Arts and Culture goes beyond funding by providing us and other arts agencies with the tools and resources needed to thrive in this changing arts landscape.
Eric Schneeman
Development Manager
City of San Antonio Department of Arts and Culture
Quotes from Grantees, Nonprofit Organization, Grants and Support, Community Development,
South
Wonder Theatre continues to engage inspire, and heal our community through its strategically inclusive and diverse musical theatre education as well as its youth and main stage productions. Without the generous funding from the San Antonio Department of Arts and Culture this transformative year round musical theatre programming would not be possible.
Chris Rodriguez
Executive and Artistic Director
San Antonio Department of Arts and Culture
West
As a county LAA, we uniquely serve our communities- urban, rural, coastal, and agricultural by creating new channels to local, state, and federal resources. In a longstanding role as local arts umbrella, we've been able to adapt our programs, services, and resources to our communities' evolving needs. This has been really critical work, especially during recent natural disasters and the pandemic, where we were able to serve as an information and resource hub and a liaison to government for hundreds of organizations. Nobody else does this type of work, as the role of the LAA is to support the vibrancy of all artists, culture bearers, and arts and culture organizations in the region.
Sarah Rubin
Executive Director
Santa Barbara County Office of Arts & Culture
Crisis/Emergency Management, Quotes from LAA Staff and Board, Community Development, Nonprofit Organizations
Mid-Atlantic
Equitable Creative Placemaking is at the center of all we do. From our award-winning collection of public art to our mobile artist-in-residence Art Truck program, the individual artist is recognized as an essential element to fostering a sense of place and belonging for all of our community members.
Michelle Isabelle-Stark
Director
Arlington Cultural Affairs
Creative Placemaking, Equity and Inclusion, Individual Artists, Arts and Cultural Events, Quotes from LAA Staff and Board, Community Development
West
We take our role as the leading arts and culture organization in our two-county service area very seriously. In addition to providing live music and theater programming across all genres in our venues, we also host monthly art gallery exhibitions in our two galleries. We support our other local arts groups by providing marketing support and re-granting opportunities to help them maintain financial stability. We work closely with our various school districts to provide in class as well as extracurricular art opportunities for students.
David Read
Executive Director
Yuba Sutter Arts
Arts Education, Arts and Cultural Events, Quotes from LAA Staff and Board, Nonprofit Organizations, Grants and Support
Northeast
ArtsWestchester's grants programs allow us to reach into every corner the community and deepen our commitment and to accessibility and equity. It's a new day for the arts. We need to realize that the arts are not just about the disciplines themselves. The arts are about inclusivity and participation. The arts foster wellness in individuals and communities; they expand our minds and touch our spirit. That's why it is essential to fund the arts where most people begin their relationship with the arts – at the grassroots level.
Janet Langsam
Chief Executive Officer
ArtsWestchester
Grants and Support, Quotes from LAA Staff and Board, Accessibility, Equity and Inclusion, Community Development
Pacific Northwest
We are establishing Des Moines as a center for the arts through community events such as Summer Concert Series, Theater in the Park, art and science programs (Squid a Rama), and public art and sculpture programs.
Ashley Young
Events and Facility Rentals Manager
City of Des Moines Arts Commission
Arts and Cultural Events, Quotes from LAA Staff and Board
South
The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County works in partnership with local cultural agencies advancing economic growth, stimulating tourism, reinforcing child education, and enhancing the cultural identity of the region. The most notable aspects of our community have been influenced by the Arts Council. From a thriving public art program to large-scale investment like a baseball stadium and event center to seasonal theater and music programming, the Arts Council and its many agents, grantees, and advocates work tirelessly to create a vibrant home supporting a better quality of life for its 335,000 residents and many visitors.
Kennon Jackson, Jr.
Executive Vice President
Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County
Tourism, Advocacy, Quotes from LAA Staff and Board, Grants and Support, Arts and Cultural Events, Arts Education, Community Development, Economic Vitality
Mid-Atlantic
As we look toward the full recovery of in-person arts programming and expanded arts education and experiences to combat pandemic-related learning loss and isolation, we help prepare Frederick's citizens to succeed in an economy driven by innovation and creativity. The Frederick Arts Council invests in creative capital that flows throughout Frederick's communities. By further incorporating the arts into areas like housing, transportation, health, parks, and schools, we improve the impact of other policies and services. We continue to provide important arts programming such as Sky Stage Amphitheatre, Festival of the Arts, arts scholarships and grants to arts organizations and to individuals and, perhaps most importantly, one voice for all of our creatives. We are good stewards of investments in our organization and its programming and effective ambassadors for Frederick. The arts play a unique, powerful and cost-effective role in establishing the vitality and economic health of our communities, engaging all ages, and advancing our diverse cultures. We must plan and act now to become the community our future demands by attracting and keeping innovative businesses and engaged citizens through art.
Louise Kennelly
Executive Director
Frederick Arts Council
Tourism, Economic Vitality, Arts Education, Grants and Support, COVID-19, Individual Artists, Quotes from LAA Staff and Board, Community Development, Equity and Inclusion, Accessibility, Arts and Cultural Events, Crisis/Emergency Management
West
The Office of Cultural Affairs is the champion of San Jose's artistic and cultural vibrancy, resources, and vision. We do this through grant investments in the arts sector and artists, high impact public art, outdoor special events, and stewardship of our theaters and museums. We promote the importance of creative expression in the everyday lives of our one million residents.
Kerry Adams Hapner
Director of Cultural Affairs
City of San Jose, Office of Cultural Affairs
Creative Expression, Arts and Cultural Events, Nonprofit Organizations, Grants and Support, Quotes from LAA Staff and Board
West
We are a venue for performance, a home for arts education, a marketplace for artists, an incubator for creative entrepreneurs and the anchor organization for a grassroots network of arts producers. We help individuals find creative outlets, nourish our regional arts ecosystem, help businesses attract and retain employees, drive cultural tourism and help keep entertainment spending local. We know we are successful when the organizations we work with flourish and the arts are a competitive strength of our community.
Wendi Hassan
Executive Director
Cache Valley Center for the Arts
Tourism, Nonprofit Organizations, Individual Artists, Community Development, Creative Placemaking, Arts Education, Economic Vitality
Midwest
Backbone arts and culture organizations are vital to the health and vibrancy of the communities they serve. When at their very best and most valuable, Local Arts Agencies develop a systems view- which allows them to identify and address structural inequity. We work daily to advance shared responsibility and deliver on a social and moral contract with the community we serve. LAA's do the work that, while often behind the scenes, is vital to our communities and regions.
Nicole Mullet
Executive Director
ArtsNow
Quotes from LAA Staff and Board, Economic Vitality, Community Development
Midwest
Our LAA serves as the central distributor of the hotel/motel tax collected from 17 communities. The LAA takes all of the funds to support most of the region's arts organizations without having the various organizations present and compete 17 times at individual municipalities. This is an excellent use of resources as it is time and cost efficient, which frees the arts organizations to do what they do best - create art.
David Kilpatrick
Executive Director
Bravo of Greater Des Moines
Quotes from Grantees, Grants and Support, Nonprofit Organizations, Community Development
Northeast
We support the creative economy with network-building and professional development opportunities. We offer incubation and fiscal sponsorship services to projects and programs. We conduct research and participate in advocacy on behalf of the positive impact of the arts. We promote arts in our region through a cultural calendar and website.
Jessica Gelter
Executive Director
Arts Alive!
Capacity Building, Quotes from LAA Staff and Board, Advocacy, Economic Vitality
Northeast
The Boston Cultural Council and Massachusetts Cultural Council are essential partners in the vibrancy and health of our arts and culture sector and ecosystem. We are deeply grateful to both for supporting Arts Connect International's work in building a more equitable and just sector for all.
Marian Brown
Founder and Co-Director of Collective Abundance
Boston Cultural Council and Massachusetts Cultural Council
Equity and Inclusion, Grants and Support, Quotes from Grantees, Economic Vitality
West
The City of Los Angeles boasts more artists and more arts, culture, creative, and entertainment firms per capita than any other community in the United States. Strong financial support from the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) has helped build and strengthen a diverse and vibrant arts community. The agency provides millions annually in grant funding, and produces public and performing arts as well as arts education programming for children, teens, young people, adults, and seniors. Public policy also mandates that 1% of the total cost of all construction, improvements, or renovation projects undertaken by the city be set aside for engaging public art projects, furthering the arts and cultural infrastructure of Los Angeles. Lastly, DCA operates 36 Neighborhood Arts and Cultural Centers, theaters, galleries, and historic sites across Los Angeles, supporting access to long-standing government-funded arts education programs and affordable space with a particular emphasis on inclusion, diversity, equity, excellence, and accessibility.
Daniel Tarica
General Manager
City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs
Arts Education, Arts and Cultural Events, Quotes from LAA Staff and Board, Nonprofit Organizations, Grants and Support, Community Development
Midwest
Not everyone feels they belong in more traditional arts institutions like museums or ballet companies, or maybe they just don't see their own culture or identity reflected in those spaces. Local Arts Agencies like GAAH have the unique ability to meet people where they're at, creating culturally relevant environments and working with people to experience the arts in ways that are meaningful to them. Sometimes that means introducing people to opportunities and experiences within more traditional institutions. Other times, it comes in the form of honoring and celebrating a community's art and cultural identity, regardless of institutional approval or status within the art world.
Steff Rosalez
Chief Executive Officer
Grandville Avenue Arts and Humanities
South
"Arts, culture, and creativity have been integral to the quality of life of the Round Rock community. RRAC has grown steadily and now serves approximately 200,000 people annually across the City. Round Rock is poised for an opportunity to fully embrace its role in fostering arts, culture, and creativity as a fundamental element in the life of the community. Round Rock Creates is a city-wide strategy that embraces creativity as a core function of our community. It's a celebration of the arts, a tribute to the boundless imagination of our residents, and an invitation to every member of our community to participate and express themselves creatively. This strategy reflects our city's vibrant spirit and is a symbol of our commitment to promoting cultural diversity, fostering innovation, and nurturing the next generation of artists and creative thinkers.
Scot S Wilkinson
Director for the Arts and Culture
City of Round Rock Arts and Culture
Grants and Support, Quotes from LAA Staff and Board, Community Development, Economic Vitality
South
Durham Arts Council believes in creating a vibrant community through the arts. Each year DAC supports more than 300 arts organizations and more than 2,000 individual artists through grant programs, facility space, exhibitions, festivals, training, employment, and information services. In the last 10 years alone, 2013 – 2023, DAC has provided $17.9 million in arts jobs and grants to support Durham's arts organizations and artists: $3 million in cash grants; $3.2 million in rent-relieving facility space grants, and $11.7 million in arts sector jobs. Annually DAC serves more than 400,000 people in our community through arts education programs, arts events, exhibits, festivals, arts research and advocacy, and creative placemaking.
Sherry DeVries
Executive Director
Durham Arts Council
Individual Artists, Grants and Support, Creative Placemaking, Arts Education, Arts and Cultural Events, Community Development, Advocacy, Capacity Building
West
SVCREATES works to strengthen the resilience and relevance of small multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary arts groups and individual artists who bring our international community together, nurture the joy and creativity of the people who live here, raise the burning questions of our time, and drive social change. Our mission is to elevate Silicon Valley's creative culture by building the capacity, visibility, and accessibility of the arts.
Alexandra Urbanowski
Associate Director
Silicon Valley Creates
Community Development, Capacity Building, Quotes from LAA Staff and Board, Nonprofit Organizations, Individual Artists, Creative Placemaking
West
Angels Gate Cultural Center is thankful to the Los Angeles Department of Arts and Culture for supporting our marketing and outreach efforts, exhibitions and auxiliary programming since 2009. Through its support, hundreds of paid exhibition opportunities have been created, broadening the diversity of artists, ideas, and cultures that our local communities engage with in our gallery and often providing a platform for underrepresented artists in Los Angeles to be exhibited. Over the course of the last year, and in part through support from the LACDAC, AGCC has greatly expanded our programming to include 54 events in addition to 10 exhibitions with auxiliary programming. In order to facilitate this significant growth in our programming, the Center expanded our team to include a Projects Coordinator, Programs Associate and an Operations Coordinator.
Amy Eriksen
Executive Director
Los Angeles Department of Arts and Culture
Grants and Support, Quotes from Grantees, Accessibility, Equity and Inclusion, Community Development, Arts and Cultural Events, Community Development, Individual Artists
Pacific Northwest
The Regional Arts and Culture Council and the Oregon Arts Council have supported the mission of Pacific Youth Choir by providing yearly operating support. This support makes it possible for the life changing work of the choir to continue! The many nonprofits in and around the Portland metro region receive operating support allowing all of us to focus on the work that allows our nonprofits to thrive.
Ruth Finn
Managing Director
Regional Arts and Culture Council & Oregon Arts Council
Grants and Support, Quotes from Grantees
Midwest
Our agency plays a vital role in our region's quality of life, from providing small grants to developing a unified message for community stakeholders on the economic and social impacts of the creative sector. We also advise, support, and mentor emerging arts leaders and provide training for existing arts leadership. We succeed in giving the arts a seat at the table.
Douglas Johnson
Executive Director and Curator
McLean County Arts Center
Grants and Support, Quotes from LAA Staff and Board, Community Development, Economic Vitality
Pacific Northwest
Edmonds Center for the Arts has become the crown jewel of this community by creating extraordinary moments, memories and connections. In this small community ECA is a member of a thriving arts community that that has a significant positive impact on Edmonds, generating an estimated $50 million a year and 440 full-time equivalent positions to the regional economy. They are purveyors of inspiration and imagination and they make hearts soar.
Mike Rosen
Board Member
Edmonds Center for the Arts
Community Development
Canada
"Calgary Arts Development contributes to arts vibrancy primarily through various grant programs for artists and art organizations. The funding they provide certainly help grow the number of practicing artists and of active arts organizations in the city."
Maud Salvi
Executive Director
Calgary Arts Development
Nonprofit Organizations, Individual Artists, Grants and support
Northeast
The Philadelphia Cultural Fund has enriched the cultural life of Philadelphia and its artists through its grant programs. It is responsive to the needs of the community and to the critical difficulties non-profit organizations and performing groups have experienced during and since the pandemic. The impact on non-profit arts organizations is profound and reaches deeply into the ability of these groups to reach their cultural goals in order to benefit the community in a powerful and positive way.
Lloyd Smith
Philadelphia Cultural Fund
Grants and Support, COVID-19, Community Development, Non-Profit Organizations, Individual Artists
South
The Irving Arts Board, created by the City of Irving in 1980, was charged with developing the Irving Arts Center, and the city's museums and archives. For our orchestra, they are our "best friends." They provide annual grants and facilities available for resident arts groups like ours. Their staff advise and work with us to handle ticketing, technical staff for concerts and recordings, poster production, and audience data. We're a team.
Betty Taylor Cox
VP of Marketing and Development
Irving Arts Board
Grants and Support, Quotes from Grantees, Capacity Building
West
Over my fifty-plus years as an arts administrator, I have seen how local arts agencies (LAAs) serving cities and the county of Los Angeles create programs that respond to specific needs of the local arts community. Support for festivals, interns, programs serving marginalized communities, etc. vary from region to region across the US and our LAAs help Los Angeles artists use their talents for civic good.
Michael Alexander
Campus Arts and Culture Liaison
LA County Department of Arts Culture, City of Los Angeles Department of Arts and Culture
Grants and Support, Community Development
Mid-Atlantic
ArtsFairfax serves and promotes more than 200 local arts and culture organizations that reflect the diversity of a county where 39% of its residents speak a language other than English. We distribute over $750,000 in grants and ArtsFairfax grantees present an average of 15,000 programs to 500,000 participants every year. ArtsFairfax efforts raise the visibility of local arts and culture to demonstrate the strength and contributions of our creative economy to the greater community.
Allison Mui
Director of Communications
ArtsFairfax
Grants and Support, Community Development, Economic Vitality, Quotes from LAA Staff and Board, Equity and Inclusion
Mid-Atlantic
At the core of what local arts agencies do is connect artists and arts organizations to opportunities, community partners, and each other. We know from our grantees that our expanded efforts as a grant-maker and service provider have been key to the survival of the arts sector. ArtsFairfax has sustained the arts community through very challenging pandemic times, and we see the impact of our work in new ways, including increased collaboration to create unique cultural experiences.
Allison Mui
Director of Communications
ArtsFairfax
Grants and Support, Community Development, Economic Vitality, Quotes from LAA Staff and Board, Equity and Inclusion
Northeast
Culture is born in community. With support at the local level, it can grow as part of an interconnected ecosystem of culture and arts workers and organizations of every size. If every neighborhood can engage in the positive power of culture and connect to the wider cultural world across the city, the result is a vibrant, equitable, and thriving cultural landscape.
Lucy Sexton
Executive Director
New Yorks for Culture & Arts
Grants and Support, Equity and Inclusion, Community Development
Pacific Northwest
We believe the arts are essential to a thriving community. The arts connect people and create healthy places where people want to live, work, and visit. The Arts & Business Alliance of Eugene (ABAE) is leading a movement to reimagine models of partnerships and foster exchange between Eugene's arts and business communities. The ABAE believes that arts and business thrive together, and it is our role to forge that connection.
Kelly Johnson
Executive Director
Arts & Business Alliance of Eugene
Quotes from LAA Staff and Board, Economic Vitality
South
Houston Arts Alliance grants help artists and nonprofits to be bold, productive, and strong. They believe that artists and arts organizations are vitally important to the quality of life and the economy of Houston. Therefore, they invest in them to achieve their artistic and professional goals to foster creative experiences for the people of Houston and visitors. Culture of Health – Advancing Together (CHAT) partnered with the Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs and the Houston Arts Alliance to create murals by local artists to inspire and create thought-provoking art. The Story Trail puts Gulfton on the map as a must-see destination for cultural enrichment.
Aisha Siddiqui
Founder and CEO
Houston Arts Alliance
Quotes from Grantees, Creative Expression, Tourism
Midwest
Non-profit organizations such as ours are only able to financially survive because of the generous financial support of local and state government support. Their support allows our organization to impact thousands of local youth and adult artists and the community that enjoys vibrant and fruitful art productions and performances.
Ken Dymond
Executive Director
Sylvania Community Arts Commission
Grants and Support, Grants and Support, Arts and Cultural Events, Community Development
Midwest
WeCareArts.org believes in the healing power of art and community. Ohio's Culture Works’ and Montgomery County Arts and Cultural Districts' support helps to create possibilities for our artist-clients. As a non-profit combining art and community to empower people living with disabilities, addiction, and mental health issues, sustainability is key. The support of Culture Works and MCACD helps WeCareArts.org to focus less on "keeping the lights on" and more on the art and our artists! Our community partnership helps bring the We Care Arts mission to life!
Katie Neubert
Executive Director
Culture Works & Montgomery County Arts and Cultural District (MCACD) (2 separate entities)
Grants and Support, Community Development, Quotes from Grantees
Midwest
The Greater Columbus Arts Council uses a variety of funding streams, programs, and outreach to create vibrancy in our community. In addition to competitive fellowships, residencies and awards, our non-competitive, first-come, first-served Funds for Artists program provides up to $1,700 annually to artists to support supplies, professional development, marketing, travel and more. In addition, we provide significant financial support to organizations of all sizes, free workshops and networking events for organizations and artists, multiple databases of resources including a comprehensive cultural event calendar, a public art database and artist directory. And every day we advocate for artists, increased public funding for the arts and an expanded public art program and opportunities.
Jami Goldstein
Vice President Marketing, Communications & Events
Greater Columbus Arts Council
Grants and Support, Arts and Cultural Events, Community Development, Quotes from LAA Staff and Board
West
Sedona is a community animated by the arts, thanks to strong support from the community and the City of Sedona and their small grants program. They also support our efforts to bring the arts in to the terribly underfunded schools.
John Neville
President
City of Sedona
Grants and Support, Community Development, Arts Education
Midwest
ArtsWave enables vibrant arts through its community fundraising campaign and grants ($10+ million annually), and by convening arts, community, and business leaders on topics impacting the region, like arts education and diversity, equity, inclusion, and access in arts programming.
Josh Neumeyer
Managing Director
ArtsWave
Grants and Support, Economic Vitality, Arts Education, Equity and Inclusion, Quotes from Grantees
Northeast
The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council (GPAC) is an incredible resource for regional arts groups like Film Pittsburgh. From small-scale measures like sharing free accessibility equipment among local arts groups to large-scale advocacy at the state and national levels, GPAC works to create an equitable and vibrant arts and culture community in our region.
Kathryn Spitz Cohan
Executive Director
Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council
Equity and Inclusion, Accessibility, Community Development, Advocacy
South
As both the director of a funded agency and an executive committee member of a collective of arts leaders, I find the Department of Arts and Culture a truly significant partner in our city's cultural ecosystem. Working together we were able to advocate support from our city leaders and provided valuable data on the impact of the arts on our local economy.
Jon Hinojosa
President and Chief Innovation Officer
City of San Antonio Department of Arts and Culture
Grants and Support, Community Development
South
The City of San Antonio's Department of Arts and Culture is engaged in a multitude of ways in arts, culture, and creativity with its commitment to funding cultural agencies, providing individual artist support, and overseeing public arts, film, and the poet laureate initiatives. Their leadership is instrumental in shining a light on the arts and culture of San Antonio and reminding the community of the importance of the arts, to not only our economic development but to young people, neighborhoods, and the public at large.
Jon Hinojosa
President and Chief Innovation Officer
City of San Antonio Department of Arts and Culture
Grants and Support, Community Development
Midwest
Cuyahoga Arts & Culture (CAC) distributed nearly $12 million in taxpayer dollars to 273 organizations in 2022, and since CAC began in 2007, we've granted more than $230 million to more than 470 organizations. The taxpayer funds we collect and distribute are a difference maker for nonprofit organizations in Cuyahoga County, Ohio - even more so during COVID. We estimate that the nonprofits we fund lost more than $171 million in revenues during COVID, impacting the employment of more than 5,000 people. Our funding helped soften the blow, keeping nonprofits afloat and artists and creative workers employed. In addition, CAC helped to secure $3.3M in funding from Cuyahoga County, made possible by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to provide relief funding to artists and nonprofits. 149 nonprofits shared in $1.65M in ARPA funds, helping support payroll, program expenses, and more during a crucial time of recovery.
Jill Paulsen
Executive Director
Cuyahoga Arts and Culture
Grants and Support, Economic Vitality, Crisis/Emergency Management, COVID-19, Quotes from LAA Staff and Board,
Midwest
The pandemic tested the arts nonprofits in so many ways. Still, we have been heartened by their resilience in redefining their programming to meet the needs of millions of audience members and participants who have sought the healing balm of the arts during the past three years. We are fortunate to have a designated tax to support the arts in Cuyahoga County, and we look forward to continuing our work to inspire and strengthen our community through our investments.
Jill Paulsen
Executive Director
Cuyahoga Arts & Culture
Grants and Support, Economic Vitality, Crisis/Emergency Management, COVID-19, Quotes from LAA Staff and Board,
Northeast
Allegheny Regional Asset District (RAD) supports regional assets including libraries, parks, cultural facilities, and programs. They provide grants from proceeds of the Allegheny County Sales and Use Tax and monitor the assets for effective operation and development. RAD serves Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, PA. Grants from RAD have enabled smaller arts organizations, such as our LGBTQIA+ choral group with its 110 members, to continue being part of a vibrant cultural community. Their funding was essential during COVID so we could emerge financially stable and ready to flourish again.
JoAnn Chonoska
Treasurer
Allegheny Regional Asset District
Grants and Support, Community Development, COVID-19, Quotes from Grantees
Northeast
The Arts Council of Greater New Haven champions a diverse, regional arts community where creativity thrives, believing that art, culture, and creative expression are fundamental human rights. As a leading regional nonprofit arts agency in Connecticut, we provide leadership and advocacy for artists and arts organizations throughout the greater New Haven community. Through our programs and initiatives, we provide critical support service, community coordination, as well as a variety of funding opportunities, learning opportunities, and internships to thousands of artists, cultural organizations, and residents every year. All our work is 100% free for our community and we are committed to paying every creative we collaborate with because we believe artists should be paid for their work, period!
Megan Manton
Development Director
Arts Countil of Greater New Haven
Grants and Support, Community Development, Advocacy, Creative Expression, Quotes from LAA Staff and Board, Equity and Inclusion
Northeast
The Arts Council of Greater New Haven's grantmaking initiatives are rooted in equity and accessibility, especially for individual artists of color and small budgeted organizations that have been historically excluded from funding. For each grant initiative, we make it a priority that community members, especially those who are directly affected by racial and other inequities, are the ones who help us design the strategy and govern the investment of the funds into the community. This participatory grantmaking approach allows for deeper and more rooted impact within the cities and towns we serve. An example of this is through our Artist Corps initiative that not only provides funding to local artists, but provides mentorship and support from a team of facilitators who are professional artists and creative leaders in our region. In addition, our facilitators help review and select the projects for our Artist Corps. The Artist Corps not only helps artists see their art at the forefront of the community, but also helps to generate lasting creative projects that produce meaningful impact within our community.
Megan Manton
Development Director
Arts Countil of Greater New Haven
Grants and Support, Community Development, Advocacy, Creative Expression, Quotes from LAA Staff and Board, Equity and Inclusion
Pacific Northwest
We connect artists and creatives to opportunity and access. We support the creative economy in greater Portland by providing equitable funding and services to artists, creatives, and art organizations; managing and growing a diverse, nationally acclaimed public art program; and developing enduring public and private partnerships. We are building community support for artists, creatives, arts-serving organizations, and arts educators, ensuring a thriving region for arts and culture
Mario Mesquita
Manager of Advocacy & Engagement
Regional Arts & Culture Council
Grants and Support, Equity and Inclusion, Community Development, Quotes from LAA Staff and Board
Midwest
Assembly for the Arts is the only organization in Northeast Ohio working across silos, geographies, and organizations to strengthen and advocate for all creatives – nonprofits, businesses, and artists. We are a clearinghouse, a champion for equity, and a funding facilitator for the arts, with a special focus on BIPOC communities.
Jeremy Johnson
President and CEO
Assembly for the Arts
Grants and Support, Equity and Inclusion, Community Development, Quotes from LAA Staff and Board
Northeast
Springfield Cultural Council conducts a community "pitch night" open to all grant applicants. This unique opportunity allows creatives to come together, find collaborations, learn about their city and form new bonds. There is no better opportunity to connect so many big ideas and the visionaries behind them than this event. Pitch night is inspiring to say the least.
Karen Finn
Executive Director
Midwest
We work daily to inspire a vibrant Toledo. Through our programming, grant making and constant advocacy we fill the critical role of connective tissue for our arts and culture ecosystem. We work tirelessly to ensure the vibrancy of our arts and culture ecosystem endures and thrives. Most recently, we led the campaign for our city and county to form a $6 million dollar ARPA grant program for artists and non-profit arts organizations. Through this grant program, 37 organizations and more than 100 artists received funding to help them recover from the pandemic and continue to contribute to the overall health and well-being of our community.
Marc Folk
President and CEO
The Arts Commission of Greater Toledo
Pacific Northwest
The Issaquah Arts Commission supports meaningful arts and culture engagement through a community granting program, community arts events, promotion of a creative district, and arts and cultural policy development. The Commission supports our local arts organizations and cultural workers through an arts granting program that includes general operating support and support to individual artists.
Amy Dukes
Arts Program Administrator
City of Issaquah Arts Commission
Midwest
For more than 20 years, Huron Valley Council for the Arts has supported authors, visual artists, musicians, writers, dancers and more while providing programming in these areas in conjunction with and to serve the communities in our region
Sioux Trujillo
Executive Director
Huron Valley Council for the Arts
Midwest
By serving as an advocate for the cultural sector in Southeast Michigan, CultureSource helps promote the visibility of cultural organizations and grassroots arts activity to drive investment in local creative activity. We design our funding and learning opportunities to target specific challenges faced by arts organizations and provide the resources to help them strategize solutions. This impact can be seen at many cultural organizations who have used their CultureSource grants to upgrade their digital infrastructure, produce performances in public spaces, enroll in professional development, and support cultural education in the classroom.
Omari Rush
Executive Director
CultureSource
Northeast
CNY Arts' mission is to promote, support, and celebrate arts, culture, and heritage in our region. CNY Arts rapidly raised over $1M in emergency funding during the COVID pandemic, and then secured ARPA funds from federal, state, and local agencies for regrant support. Over the next two years CNY Arts will be delivering over $8M in regrants to our local communities which consist of six counties, comprising 5,500 square miles.
Alex Korman
Director of Communications and Marketing
CNY Arts
West
SVCreates is an exceptional partner to Teatro Visión and to all of these diverse small organizations that make up our unique arts community. The funding that SVCreates provides has been a powerful driver of innovation and improvement in our operations and programming.
Leigh Henderson
Managing Director
Silicon Valley Creates
Quotes from Grantees, Grants and Support, Nonprofit Organizations, Capacity Building
West
Art and Culture is integral to LA County's identity, economy, and is a driver for positive change. Public support of artists, creative jobs, programs, and arts organizations by the LACDAC is necessary to ensure Los Angeles County continues to thrive as a cultural hub for the nation. The Department is crucial to ensuring artists and art organizations have the necessary funding to engage the public in art and culture, which creates a thriving society.
Amy Eriksen
Executive Director
Los Angeles Department of Arts and Culture