One of the sectors hit hardest by the pandemic is about to get a much-needed cash infusion thanks to the late Paul Allen’s foundation.
The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation has chosen ArtsFund to administer the $10 million Community Accelerator Grant, which will go to arts and culture organizations across Washington. While it’s open to anyone, ArtsFund president, Michael Greer, says many black, indigenous, disabled, LGBTQ-led groups and others will have greater need. “These organizations saw an outsized impact of COVID,” Greer says, “and so we know that as they recover and are trying to retool for the future, they are going to need even more support to really come back to where they were before and to achieve greater impact within the communities they are trying to serve.”
Greer tells Northwest Newsradio it’s that building back for the future that’s key because he says arts and culture aren’t only desired by communities, but they are good for things like our mental health and our kids’ education.
Greer says the money comes as government pandemic support for the arts has dwindled, and it arrives as inflation deals another blow to arts and cultural institutions. It’s unrestricted, so a gallery can use it to pay workers or a theater can use it for set building materials.
ArtsFund is putting together an advisory panel for the Community Accelerator Grant and will have more on its website before the application period opens in January.
You can learn more in Ryan Harris’ interview with Michael Greer in the video below: