8 Foundations Supporting The Arts
Art is an essential part of life that has the ability to inspire, enrich, and positively transform both makers and their audiences. For professional creative expression to be possible, however, artists need resources and funding. Foundations such as the ones listed here help make this happen, providing grants, networks, and exhibition opportunities to support artists and the communities to which they belong. This video was made with Ezvid Wikimaker.
8 Noteworthy Arts Foundations
| Name | Mission |
|---|---|
| United Performing Arts Fund | Ensure a vibrant and inclusive performing arts scene in Southeastern Wisconsin |
| City Music Foundation | Turn exceptional musical talent into professional success by equipping outstanding musicians with tools, skills, experience, and networks to help them make a living from making music |
| La Quinta Arts Foundation | Promote and cultivate the arts |
| The Arts Foundation | Champion the contemporary arts, giving individual awards to artists at a breakthrough moment |
| Arts Council Malta | Place the arts and creativity at the heart of Malta's future |
| Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona | Advance artistic expression, civic participation, and equitable economic growth of the diverse community by supporting, promoting, and advocating for arts and culture in the region |
| Ontario Arts Foundation | Work towards the increased stability of the arts infrastructure in Ontario |
| Timucua Arts Foundation | Inspire audiences through engaging experiences of the arts |
Inside Timucua
Arts Education in America
- 91% of Americans agree that the arts are "part of a well-rounded education"
- 93% to 94% believe that students in elementary, middle, and high school should receive an education in the arts
- 74% agree that the arts help students to perform better academically
- Nationally, more than 40% of secondary schools did not require arts courses for graduation for the 2009-2010 school year
- Federal funding for arts & humanities is around $250 million a year, while the National Science Foundation is funded at around the $5 billion mark
- Arts and music education programs are mandatory in countries that rank near the top for math and science test scores, like Japan, Hungary, and the Netherlands
- According to a nationwide study, 63% of eighth-graders took a music class, and 42% took a visual arts class
- Students in the Northeast were twice as likely (68%) to have taken a visual arts class than students in the South (35%)
- Students eligible for free and reduced-price lunch, which is often used as a proxy to identify low-income students, scored an average of 26 points lower in music than those not eligible and 22 points lower in visual arts
- In the District of Columbia, 75% of white students took an art course, compared to 49% of black students
Why You Need Art in Your Life
In Depth
American President George Washington once opined that encouraging the arts is the civic duty of every citizen. In an era when finding such support can be difficult, the following organizations, in no particular order, are working to fulfill that duty by providing funding, promotion, and education to creators and arts organizations worldwide.
At #1 is the United Performing Arts Fund. The purpose of the organization is to foster a vibrant and inclusive performing arts scene in Southeastern Wisconsin. The approach of the group includes work that encourages "entertainment excellence," makes such expression accessible to all, and directly benefits the region. The organization's fundraising efforts help keep thousands of local creatives employed.
Founded in 1967, the group is a local umbrella fundraising organization that actively works in supporting fourteen member groups and a number of affiliates. Some of the organizations the Fund works with include First Stage and the Florentine Opera Company, as well as the Milwaukee Ballet, Repertory Theater, and Symphony Orchestra.
Founded in 1967, the group is a local umbrella fundraising organization that actively works in supporting fourteen member groups and a number of affiliates.
At #2 is the City Music Foundation. Founded by Lord Mayor of the City of London Roger Gifford, the group describes itself as being focused on turning talent into success. Through its flagship Artist Programme, the organization seeks to identify and support professional artists in the early days of their careers, offering guidance and resources as they learn the business.
Each year, the City Music Foundation selects a new class of performers through a two-tiered application process that includes an online submission and in-person audition. Those selected gain access to professional development workshops, performance opportunities, mentoring, promotion, and more. Artists selected in the past have ranged from classical violinists and vocalists to folk music groups and accordion players.
At #3 is La Quinta Arts Foundation. This nonprofit was founded in 1982 by La Quinta, California's first mayor, Fred Wolff. The mission of the group is to promote and cultivate the arts. Through meaningful community partnerships, the Foundation seeks to offer cultural, educational, and personal growth opportunities to students, creators, and beyond.
This nonprofit was founded in 1982 by La Quinta, California's first mayor, Fred Wolff.
The Foundation has sold more than $60 million worth of art including paintings, ceramics, jewelry, sculpture, digital works, and more. Most notably, it established and runs the nationally recognized La Quinta Arts Festival, drawing thousands of creatives, patrons, and enthusiasts to the desert each year. Proceeds of such efforts have enabled the organization to award more than $1.6 million in scholarships.
Coming up at #4 is The Arts Foundation. Established by an anonymous donor to support UK creatives of all types, the organization awards five $10,000 fellowships each year across the fields of craft and design, film, literature, music, new media, and performing and visual arts. The categories change each year to provide opportunities to focus on innovative practices in areas as distinct as children's theater and choral conducting.
The group believes that creative practice is critical to one's wellbeing and a human right. The organization prioritizes supporting creators who are thinking outside the box in order to give them the cushion they need to keep pushing boundaries. Notable past recipients include playwright Sarah Kane, Artistic Director of the National Theatre Rufus Norris, and filmmaker Carol Morley.
Notable past recipients include playwright Sarah Kane, Artistic Director of the National Theatre Rufus Norris, and filmmaker Carol Morley.
At #5 is Arts Council Malta. Previously known as the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts, the group is the country's national agency for the development of, and investment in, cultural and creative endeavors. Its aim is to nurture creative potential and support professional development, deepen connections to the international artistic community, and build out public cultural organizations.
The Council manages a portfolio comprised of nine distinct funding programs amounting to over 1.5 million annually. In addition to providing funding for specific applicants to these programs, the group aids in bringing large cultural events to the region, such as Notte Bianca, the Cittadella Arts Festival, and the International Art Exhibition.
#6 is the Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona. Its mission includes managing the public creative process for the area, offering grant opportunities, and supporting professional development for artistic talent and organizations in the region. The group is comprised of staff, a board of directors, and locals who are passionate about creating and act as deciding members of panels and committees responsible for determining grants.
The group is comprised of staff, a board of directors, and locals who are passionate about creating and act as deciding members of panels and committees responsible for determining grants.
Founded in 1971, the organization fulfills its purpose by providing direct funding and technical assistance to local artists while offering resources for continual development. The group is also responsible for the creation of public art for the city of Tucson and surrounding area, funding more than 300 installments over the past several decades.
Arriving at #7 is the Ontario Arts Foundation, a nonprofit that works with local patrons in Ontario to generate long-term support for arts in the area. The group specifically helps individuals and corporations to develop plans for ongoing support of creative spaces, providing legal and financial advice on how to best impact the community.
Holding hundreds of endowments for such patrons, the group has doled out more than $87 million in awards to artists and organizations, including the MacLaren Art Centre and Station Gallery, for over two decades. The Foundation is also heavily invested in offering educational opportunities to creators and creative organizations. The funds the group manages have awarded more than $11 million in scholarships for professional development.
The Foundation is also heavily invested in offering educational opportunities to creators and creative organizations.
Wrapping things up at #8 is the Timucua Arts Foundation. It was started by Benoit Glazer and Elaine Corriveau in 2000, who began by organizing small performances in their home after growing frustrated with a lack of music events in the area. The duo eventually expanded, building a new house and performance space, and have hosted hundreds of events to date.
The aim of the Orlando-based group is to inspire and present artistic endeavors. The Foundation puts on three types of events: traditional ticketed performances, and donation-based open house and matinee performances. In 2016, the organization branched out into educational efforts, launching a program to teach music composition to people of all ages and skill levels.
