CHICAGO, July 1, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- Administered by IFF, Chicago's Cultural Treasures (ChiTreasures)
announced today a second round of grant funding, totaling
$3 million, to be distributed to the
40 current ChiTreasures grantees.
Launched in 2021 as a regional component of the Ford
Foundation's America's Cultural Treasures, and co-created with the
Chicago arts community,
ChiTreasures is a race-conscious initiative that aims to
strengthen, grow, and preserve organizations whose mission is to
enable the creation, preservation, and dissemination of art
stemming from BIPOC traditions, leadership, and culture.
The first round of grantmaking awarded $14 million to 40 BIPOC-led and -focused arts and
culture organizations representing a diverse group of artforms,
neighborhoods, racial and ethnic backgrounds, and contributions to
Chicago's history, vibrancy, and
identity. These organizations serve as important neighborhood
anchors, helping to ensure that experiences and stories from the
communities they serve are shared and heard. In addition to the
funding, grantees were provided technical assistance to help
further support their sustainability, covering topics such as
fundraising, board development, marketing communications, financial
management, and facilities planning and support. Funding is
provided by the Ford Foundation as part of America's Cultural
Treasures; philanthropist MacKenzie
Scott; and a Chicago-based
funding collaborative comprising The Joyce Foundation, John D. and
Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Polk Bros. Foundation, Terra
Foundation for American Art, and Walder Foundation.
"One of the goals of ChiTreasures is to provide the grantees
with opportunities to reach financial sustainability – through
grants and technical assistance," said Tara
Townsend, President of IFF's Social Impact Accelerator.
"Both grants and technical assistance have been provided over the
last three years, but there is a need for more. We are excited to
be able to award another round of funding to these organizations to
further support their futures."
"Funding for organizations that are elevating the traditions and
culture of people from historically marginalized backgrounds and
disinvested communities has never been sufficient. We need to do
more to lift up organizations that have enriched Chicago for generations," said Tara Magner, Director of the MacArthur
Foundation's Chicago Commitment Program, on behalf of the
Chicago-based funding
collaborative. "The Chicago
funders made a commitment to support Chicago's rich arts and culture scene, and
this next round of grants provides an opportunity to continue to do
that."
According to an October 2023
report from the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special
Events, the past few years have seen a decline in philanthropic,
private, and public funding for arts and culture organizations.
This second round of funding aims to counter that by providing
additional support to the current 40 ChiTreasures grantees and
reflects ChiTreasures' commitment to continuing to support
Chicago's BIPOC arts and culture
scene.
To learn more about Chicago's
Cultural Treasures, visit www.chicagosculturaltreasures.org.
ABOUT CHICAGO'S CULTURAL
TREASURES
Chicago's
Cultural Treasures is a four-year initiative that aims to
bolster the long-term financial resilience and sustainability of
BIPOC arts and cultural organizations through a combination of
critical general operating support as well as capacity-building and
technical assistance.
Administered by IFF, a mission-driven lender, developer and
real-estate consultant, the initiative launched in winter 2021 with
a participatory grantmaking process, comprising a diverse group of
community members, civic leaders, and artists whose common
denominator is an appreciation for how art and culture fit into the
fabric of community in the Chicagoland region.
The 40 ChiTreasures grantees include:
• Africa International
House USA
|
• Little Black Pearl
Workshop
|
• Aguijon Theater
Company of Chicago
|
• Live the Spirit
Residency / Englewood Jazz Festival
|
• American Indian
Center
|
• Mexican Folk
Dance Company of Chicago
|
• Asian Improv aRts
Midwest
|
• Muntu Dance
Theatre
|
• The Association for
the Advancement of Creative Musicians
|
• Musical Arts
Institute
|
• Black Ensemble
Theater
|
• National Cambodian
Heritage Museum & Killing Fields Memorial
|
• Chicago Blues
Museum
|
• National Museum of
Puerto Rican Arts & Culture
|
• Chicago Jazz
Philharmonic
|
• Natya Dance
Theatre
|
• Chicago West
Community Music Center
|
• Puerto Rican Arts
Alliance
|
• Community Film
Workshop of Chicago
|
• Red Clay Dance
Company
|
• Congo Square Theatre
Company
|
• Segundo Ruiz Belvis
Cultural Center
|
• Cuerdas Clasicas Inc.
|
• Silk Road
Rising
|
• Deeply Rooted Dance
Theater
|
• Sones de
Mexico
|
• Diasporal Rhythms
|
• South Shore Drill
Team
|
• DuSable Museum of
African American History
|
• South Side Community
Art Center
|
• eta Creative Arts
Foundation, Inc.
|
• Teatro
Vista
|
• Gingarte Capoeira
|
• Threewalls
|
• Inner-City Muslim
Action Network
|
• UrbanTheater
Company
|
• International Latino
Cultural Center of Chicago
|
• West Point School of
Music/Epic Stee
|
• Jazz Institute of
Chicago
|
|
• Joel Hall Dancers
& Center
|
|
MEDIA CONTACT
Dana
Swinney, myWHY Agency
312-291-1099
379774@email4pr.com
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SOURCE IFF