GIA Blog

NDN Collective recently launched the Radical Imagination Grant to support six Indigenous artists/culture bearers of all traditions, mediums and genres, that will be awarded grants of $50,000, according to the website.

Upstart Co-Lab, a project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, launched a new coalition that represents $1 billion of impact investing capacity supporting the creative economy, according to the announcement.

The Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture announced a new countywide Cultural Policy that provides direction and guidelines for how the LA County and its departments "will ensure that every resident of LA County has meaningful access to arts and culture."

Belonging in Oakland: A Just City Cultural Fund is a new multi-year program that will fund Oakland cultural practitioners of color to radically reimagine a racially just city, according to the recent announcement.

"Racial equity is about shifting power and resources. It involves dismantling AND rebuilding systems," said Angelique Power, president of The Field Foundation of Illinois in a recent interview with La Piana Consulting.

As the devastating effects of the coronavirus pandemic continue to take their toll, Grantmakers in the Arts (GIA) has expanded its ongoing advocacy work to consider approaches and resources arts and cultural organizations truly need for robust, equitable recovery from this crisis.

South Arts launched recently the South Arts Resilience Fund, a part of the United States Regional Arts Resilience Fund. Through this fund, states the announcement, South Arts will provide grants of $30,000 - $100,000 "supporting the long-term resilience of under-resourced, visionary, and impactful" arts and culture organizations across the nine-state primary service area of AL, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, and TN.

It’s a great holiday to be sharing with each of you today, Juneteenth! As we gather – remotely – to honor and celebrate the power and jubilation of this day, liberation for ancestors and elders, we hope to echo the voices and experiences of Black artists who have brought us joy, made us feel seen, challenged, supported, and taught us so much. We come here with deep gratitude and deeper commitment to investing in a future of liberation for Black peoples everywhere.

"This time, our sector must make a long-term commitment to fund grassroots organizations working to end anti-Black racism and state-sanctioned violence," details a recent statement from Borealis Philanthropy responding to the urgent conversations around anti-Black racism and police brutality.

We at Grantmakers in the Arts (GIA) continue our call to funders to commit to Black communities through action and, importantly, investment! We join the call of our colleagues at ABFE, A Philanthropic Partnership for Black Communities, and many others to support the Movement for Black Lives' demand to invest in Black communities.