Tucson Pima Arts Council Receives $225,000 in National Grants

The Tucson Pima Arts Council has received grants from two national foundations totaling $225,000 to support local projects that use the arts as a tool to address social issues in the community.

The Nathan Cummings Foundation awarded TPAC $75,000 and the Open Society Institute $150,000. Both awards support the Arts in Tucson P.L.A.C.E initiative launched by TPAC two years ago with $200,000 from The Kresge Foundation. P.L.A.C.E stands for People, Land, Arts, Culture and Engagement.

TPAC Executive Director Roberto Bedoya said, “Tucson is now on the radar of national foundations who are investing in the future of our community. This is significant because these organizations typically fund projects in major metropolitan areas, not mid-sized cities or rural areas. We have successfully broken that cycle and deepened the philanthropic investment in Southern Arizona in the area of arts and humanities,” Bedoya said.

TPAC re-grants much of this money to support local projects that use art and culture as a tool to address issues vital to the community. “Art and culture can inspire citizens to transform neighborhoods and encourage civic dialogue around challenging issues,” Bedoya said.