Press Release
Contacts:
– Roberto Bedoya at 520 624-0895 ext. 25 or rbedoya@tucsonpimaartscouncil.org
– Leia Maahs at 520 624-0895 ext. 19 or lmaahs@tucsonpimaartscouncil.org
– Cynthia B. Shaw at 248 643-9630 or cbshaw@kresge.org
Kresge Foundation Partners with Tucson Pima Arts Council
To Provide $200,000 for Arts, CULTURE and COMMUNITY PROJECTS
TUCSON, AZ – Jan. 25, 2010 – The Kresge Foundation of Troy, Michigan will partner with the Tucson Pima Arts Council to provide $200,000 for arts, culture and community initiatives over the next two years.
The Kresge Foundation is piloting a new community arts and engagement project in Tucson, St. Louis, Baltimore, Birmingham and Detroit that encourages residents to use art and culture as a tool to address issues in their communities.
This multi-city project is designed to test Kresge’s belief that grassroots arts and cultural projects can be an effective tool to unite communities, address pressing social issues and uplift spirits in difficult times. The foundation plans to invest $200,000 over two years in each city.
Kresge enlisted the Tucson Pima Arts Council to administer the program titled Kresge Arts in Tucson: P.L.A.C.E. – (People, Land, Art, Culture and Engagement). Individuals and groups will be encouraged to apply, including local artists, historians, neighborhood and homeowner associations, youth groups, community development agencies as well as arts and cultural organizations, among others. Grants will range from $2,500 to $10,000. Applications for these grants are due to TPAC by 5 p.m. April 9, 2010.
“Art and culture can inspire citizens to transform neighborhoods and encourage civic dialogue around challenging issues. In times of uncertainty, we need creative outlets to feed the human spirit. We believe that when we make consistent and purposeful investments of our time and talents, great things can happen,” said Kresge Foundation President Rip Rapson.
Kresge Arts in Tucson: P.L.A.C.E. is intended to support the creative ideas that percolate from within the community. The hope is that projects will engage underserved and new audiences as well as children, teens and families…promote cross-cultural understanding… increase exposure to art and culture…and provide experiences in non-traditional spaces such as low-income housing developments, juvenile detention centers, or after-school program centers.
“We believe a thriving arts and cultural community – one that is well supported and well recognized – enriches the quality of life for residents and visitors and, in doing so, inspires new thinking, spurs innovation and accelerates the creative vitality of the region,” said Rapson.
“The Kresge Foundation has given us the means to implement a key recommendation that emerged in the process of creating the Pima Cultural Plan – that being the P.L.A.C.E. (People, Land, Art, Culture and Engagement) initiative. This is a unique opportunity to collaborate and create new projects that will enrich the lives of many people,” said TPAC Executive Director Roberto Bedoya.
“In these challenging times, this new public-private partnership gives us the motivation and the means to preserve the identity and distinctiveness of our region, trigger civic dialog, develop partnerships and implement programs that support and animate our community’s cultural development,” Bedoya said.
Kresge Arts in Tucson: P.L.A.C.E. Partners
- Kresge Foundation – The Kresge Foundation of Troy, Michigan, is a $2.8 billion private, national foundation that supports communities by building the capacity of nonprofit organizations in six fields: health, the environment, arts and culture, education, human services and community development. Kresge seeks to influence the quality of life for future generations by creating access and opportunity in underserved communities, improving the health of low-income people, supporting artistic expression, assisting in the revitalization of Detroit, and advancing methods for dealing with global climate change. In 2008, the foundation approved 342 grants totaling $181 million. Visit www.kresge.org for more information.
- Tucson Pima Arts Council – The Tucson Pima Arts Council is the designated arts agency for the City of Tucson and Pima County. This year TPAC awarded more than $272,000 in grants to 52 arts organizations throughout the greater Tucson community. TPAC also oversees the public art programs for the city, county and other entities, including 14 projects completed and seven awarded during the past year. Other TPAC priorities include the community arts program, which serves neighborhoods and rural areas by funding residencies for professional artists and underserved youth. TPAC also presents the annual fall Open Studio Tour and the spring Lumie awards. TPAC advocates for and promotes arts and culture as a vital part of Southern Arizona. For more information, visit www.tucsonpimaartscouncil.org or call 520-624-0595.