As part of the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona’s (CFSA) historic 2022 CORE Grants round, several local nonprofit arts and culture organizations received funding to maximize their impact and improve the quality of life in Southern Arizona. CFSA believes Southern Arizona is an area rich in cultural history with a vibrant arts community that enhances our lives. This funding supports the continued appreciation, education, promotion, and enjoyment of arts and humanities.
2022 CORE Grantees: Arts and Culture
Act One is actively working with arts organizations across the state exploring digital and virtual platforms to share with schools to ensure that Arizona’s children continue to have access to the arts. Act One provides meaningful arts experiences that enhance the academic and creative potential of children and families in Arizona. They envision a time when all Arizonans acknowledge the value of creative arts experiences as a significant component of educational advancement and personal well-being.
Bernadette Carroll, Executive Director of Act One, shared, “According to the Arts Education Data Project, in the 2020/2021 school year there were over 24,000 K-12 students in Pima County that did not have access to the arts. The funding provided by the CFSA Core grant will help Act One close that gap and serve even more Title I students to provide access to arts and arts education across Pima County.”
Amerind Foundation seeks to foster and promote knowledge and understanding of the Native Peoples of the Americas through research, education, conservation, and community engagement. At Amerind, both on the ground and online, visitors can discover and scholars can advance research that showcases Indigenous voices through Amerind’s ever-growing museum collections, exhibits, art, archives, publications, and library holdings on Native Peoples, the Southwest United States, and Northern Mexico.
Kelly Holt, Director of Philanthropy for Amerind Museum, stated, “Beyond invaluable financial support, CORE funding and the thoughtful process energizes the ways Amerind is growing to better serve Indigenous artists and our community with our cultural resources. As Amerind’s audiences and operations expand and grow, CORE funding is a meaningful vote of confidence in the effectiveness of our community impact, strategic directions, and results.”
Bi-National Arts Institute’s projects on both sides of the US / Mexico border allow them to cultivate the arts through training, performance and exchange opportunities for the youth and adults of our region. As a catalyst, the Institute channels the creative expression of music, poetry, film and other media by celebrating our shared human experience across the border.
Lori Keyne, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Bi-National Arts Institute, shared, “The CORE grant gives us a great deal of hope as we continue to explore ways in which we can fulfill our mission to the best of our abilities. Receiving this reminds us that as we empower each other, we are not in this alone, but part of a greater community.”
Patagonia Regional Times’ mission is to be a reliable and engaging source of news for the communities of Eastern Santa Cruz County — open to all views, focused on local issues, written and edited by local people, and providing a platform for community education and involvement. Their monthly print publication is distributed to newsstands and local merchants across the Eastern Santa Cruz County region.
Marion Vendituoli, Editor of Patagonia Regional Times, said, “To continue to be a successful news organization, the Patagonia Regional Times must be forward-looking and invest for the long term. This CFSA CORE grant will allow us to focus on infrastructure and sustainability with an emphasis on contributing to an endowment.”
The Drawing Studio brings art and the benefits of creating art to the entire community. They offer affordable fee-based and free classes and workshops, host events and exhibits, and foster awareness of the positive effects of creativity on individuals and the entire community. The Drawing Studio’s mission is to inspire people of all ages and backgrounds to embrace art practice as a pathway to personal growth and healthy community.
Emiel Brott, Executive Director of The Drawing Studio, emphasized, “The Drawing Studio is in a time of great change as we shift to an equity model for art classes. CORE funding from the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona will provide critical financial support to expand our free offerings, ensuring that more people have access to the transformational power of making art.”
Tucson Youth Music Center is a nonprofit music center answering the call for music education. They offer music lessons free of charge to underserved youth, and all TYMC families are classified as low-income. Qualifying students are provided with group and/or private instruction as appropriate, music books, necessary supplies, and loaner instruments, all at no charge. Students learn to play an instrument, as well as proper technique, repertoire, sight-reading, music theory, ear-training, performance, improvisation, and music appreciation.
Patricia Young, Former Board Chair of Tucson Youth Music Center, shared, “Receiving the CFSA CORE Grant is an incredible honor and will allow TYMC to expand its instructor base to allow for major student growth in the year ahead.”
Willcox Theater and Arts provides entertainment, education and cultural programs and activities for all ages. Through three historic buildings, Wilcox Theater and Arts brings their rural community a two-screen modern movie theater, kids clubs, and STEAM education and craft workshops.
Gayle Berry, Executive Director of Willcox Theater and Arts Inc., stated, “Receiving a CFSA CORE Grant as we emerge from the constraints of the pandemic gives WTA the funds most needed at this time to make an impact locally and in the more remote areas in this corner of Arizona. It helps us to engage with other organizations and groups to provide services that will have most impact on populations that were previously not reached by WTA’s array of services and programming.”
We are extremely grateful for the hard work and dedication of these organizations and all those in our community working to grow and enrich the arts and cultures of Southern Arizona.
Learn more about additional 2022 CORE Grant Recipients here.