Last week, the Arts and Science Council injected $148,700 in funding to 24 different creatives and creative groups through its Cultural Vision Awards initiative. Half of those are “led by and/or serve communities that the philanthropic community has historically under-resourced, including African, Latinx, Asian, Arab and Native American (ALAANA), LGBTQ and Disability communities,” according to the ASC. 

It’s also worth noting that a full third of those funded were first time recipients.

We’ve designed this grant so that it can be accessible to first-time grant applicants and approach the application as a relationship-building process. We are deeply grateful for the creatives who routinely bring fantastic programming to Mecklenburg, but aim to support those just getting started, too,” said Liz Fitzgerald, ASC’s program director for cultural and community investment, grants and services.

Cultural Vision Grants were designed to support arts, science, history and heritage programming throughout the county with awards of up to $10,000. These are available to individual creatives and nonprofit groups.

Bennu Gardens is one of the Cultural Vision Grant recipients

Fitzgerald says, “Cultural Vision Grants are an investment in creative individuals and organizations that are using their talents to make a stronger community – one where we connect across difference, where we celebrate the unique cultures all around us, where creative life is happening just around each corner, and where everyone is inspired to get involved.”

Supporting Those Supporting All of Us

Funding arts and creativity are always important. But, in a year where funding and the ability to execute “business as usual” have made financial support even more vital. As the ASC sees it, supporting the arts comes down to supporting those still fighting to support our community through their work and their talents.

“What stands out to me is the reminder that constraints can inspire creativity. Each organization that received funding in this latest round has created a Plan A, as well as Plans B, C and D to ensure that we will have rich programming available to us throughout the waves of infection we may be seeing” said Fitzgerald.

“While some of that programming may involve another Zoom call (these will be better than most, I assure you!), we’ve also got things like an audio-recording of True Lobster’s original play, new community murals by ArtWalks CLT and Bree Stallings, a series of documentaries created by youth in Creating Exposure through the Arts and the development of innovative and effective neighborhood advocacy in Hidden Valley facilitated by Ebone’ Lockett.”

Here is the full list of artists who received Cultural Vision Grants. For more information on the projects funded, click here.

• ArtWalks CLT – $2,500
• Barre Belle – $6,000
• Bennu Gardens – $4,000
• Cain Center for the Arts – $6,000
• Center for Prevention Services – $6,000
• Charlotte Film Society – $4,500
• Charlotte Museum of History – $7,500 t
• CineOdyssey Film Festival – $8,000
• Creating Exposure Through The Arts – $4,500
• Digi-Bridge – $10,000
• E&A Productions, Inc. – $9,000
• Angela Haigler – $4,000
• Inspire the Fire – $7,500
• Vadim Kolpakov – $6,000
• Eboné Lockett – $8,500
• Music at St. Alban’s – $8,500
• North Mecklenburg Community Chorus – $5,000
• Promise Resource Network – $6,000
• SouthEnd ARTS – $7,500
• Bree Stallings – $5,500
• True Lobster Charlotte – $5,000
• The Warehouse PAC – $4,500
• Brandi Weaver – $7,500

LOOK CLOSER AT CULTURAL VISION GRANTS

INSTAGRAM | READ ABOUT CURRENT ALLOCATIONS