Culture
Artists and arts organizations help to illuminate societal problems and are often catalysts for social justice and racial equity.
The Culture Program seeks to foster culturally vibrant and sustainable communities by placing the next generation of artists, arts leaders, and audiences at the center of its work. We want to promote access, racial equity and diversity, support creativity, and build organizational and community capacity. The Culture Program will continue its efforts to ensure that underserved communities have access to arts programs and institutions; to provide support that furthers the careers of African, Latino, Asian, Arab and Native American (ALAANA) artists; and to maintain our commitment to small to medium-sized neighborhood arts organizations located in, run by or primarily serving communities of color.
Arts access and participation
The Foundation aims to shift the map of neighborhood arts assets and access points by supporting efforts to strengthen arts presenting, engagement and non-curricular instruction capacity at (or in partnership with) neighborhood-based arts organizations that predominantly serve low income or culturally specific communities. We will invest in high quality arts access and opportunities for active arts participation in communities that have historically experienced the greatest socio-economic barriers to sustained engagement.
Goal
Expand access to high quality arts programming and meaningful arts participation in underserved communities.
Objectives
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Strengthen arts presenting, programming and instruction capacity at neighborhood-based arts organizations led by or predominantly serving people of color and/or set in low income communities
We seek proposals that will reduce the costs of or distance to high quality arts experiences (productions, presentations, exhibitions, learning, etc.) in communities where limited arts access has been documented. In addition, we welcome proposals from arts and cultural organizations located in these communities seeking to expand or improve their programmatic and/or operational capacity including but not limited to personnel, audience and board development, and fundraising. We also welcome research and evidence-based initiatives that seek to better understand the impact of arts access on individual life and community outcomes.
Arts leadership and workforce
We will invest in initiatives that offer career exposure and preparedness opportunities to next generation arts professionals of color. We will work to ensure that the reach, impact and stewardship of institutions in the arts and creative sector reflect the region’s full talent pool, are accessible to all residents, and enrich all communities. While the emphasis on staff and professional development continues, there will also be a focus on preparing communities of color for in-demand arts and culture occupations. We hope our efforts will lead to increased exposure, employment, and career mobility of current and next-generation arts professionals of color.
Goal
Increase racial equity, diversity, and inclusion among arts administrators, board members, funders, stewards, and sector employees.
Objectives
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Support racially underrepresented arts leaders and workers in Chicago
We are looking for proposals that support the education and preparation of racially underrepresented arts administrators, board members, stewards, funders and creative industry workers for positions in key organizations of all sizes across Chicago. Proposals might include curatorial leadership intensives; early career opportunities in dramaturgy or arts criticism; media and film production apprenticeships; board diversity initiatives; and focused research on the preparation of adults with low income/low education for careers in the creative industries.
Joyce Awards
Lack of racial diversity persists among artists in exhibitions, programs, and performances presented by major arts institutions. We want Chicago and the Great Lakes region to be recognized as a home to thriving and diverse creative communities, where the next generation of artists and makers can flourish in their careers. We will make investments that support the careers of artists of color, including new and emerging artists, and enable their work to be more widely seen and their practices to develop and expand.
Goal
Expand the presentation, public awareness, critical audience, scholarship, institutional and market access of artists of color and their artworks.
Objectives
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Recognize artists of color through the Joyce Awards
The Joyce Awards, the only regional program supporting artists of color in major Great Lakes cities, aims to strengthen cross-cultural understanding by bringing diverse audiences together. Since its inception in 2003, the competition has awarded nearly $3.25 million to commission 59 new works and collaborations between artists and cultural organizations in Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, Milwaukee and Minneapolis/St. Paul. Each award of $50,000 supports an artist in the creation and production of a new work and provides the commissioning organization with the resources needed to engage potential audiences, new partners, and their surrounding communities at large.
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Elevate the historical and contemporary work and contributions of artists of color
We will support artistic commissions, exhibitions, performances, residencies, community-based practice, professional development, career and financial management training that elevate the contemporary and historical work and contributions of artists of color. We will emphasize helping early-career artists get the support they need to build successful careers, as well as aiding deserving but under-recognized artists receive the popular and institutional recognition their work merits.