Congressional District: 1

Azubuike African American Council’s ArtsHERE grant will help bridge the gap in arts and cultural engagement in the Quad Cities through strategic planning, cultural competency training, and marketing to underserved youth of color.  Azubuike provides inspirational and educational opportunities through the arts, aiming to reconcile the racial divides that exist in their community by giving underserved youth a voice to express themselves

Mahogany Black Arts & Cultural Center’s ArtsHERE grant will support a five-year strategic plan, community outreach, board development, and technological investments to grow and manage a member database.  Mahogany Black Arts & Cultural Center is dedicated to the preservation, research, and exhibition of Racine County Black Cultural History. They run programs including an oral histories project, the Wisconsin Black Art & Culture Expo, and a multidisciplinary, emerging artist fellowship.

The project is SEISO’s Artist in Residence, who will spend two weeks teaching and performing in schools and give presentations and recitals in communities in Southeast Iowa. The Artist will also perform as soloist on our Masterworks Series 3 concerts.

Nigerian-American singer-songwriter Rocky Peter brings his inspiring story and beautiful musicianship to Fairfield Arts & Convention Center and the rural community of Jefferson County, IA.

Lubeznik Center for the Arts (LCA) will provide three compelling hands-on workshops. A Long Walk Home, a national art organization that empowers young people to end violence against girls & women, will lead the creation of a Black Girlhood Altar. The other, with Chicago-based artist & educator Rhonda Wheatley, will help participants recognize, strengthen, & trust their intuitive abilities.

MOHAC will bring local artists to a residential youth psychiatric facility, providing activities designed to foster creativity, self-expression, and emotional healing for at-risk youth. This initiative will enhance the therapeutic environment, promote mental well-being, and offer a constructive outlet for the residents. A public art exhibit in the Matthews gallery will showcase some of their work.

Poets in their own words at indie bookstores; a Midwest Gig Trail that connects artists to community venues in a multi-beneficial way. the Poetics Lab will bring writers across state lines to workshop with & perform in front of audiences they usually wouldn't have access to due to financial strain & other barriers. We aim to lift writers & connect communities. Includes ASL & virtual accessibility.

Red Cedar Chamber Music will bring an innovative quartet of violin, cello, double bass, and electric guitar to Johnson STEAM Academy. The lesson plans, enhanced with videos and slides, will focus on the history of jazz as a creation of black Americans and its continued impact on our musical culture. A free public concert will also be presented at the Cedar Rapids Public Library.

Frozen River Film Festival will host a professional filmmaker to offer filmmaking residencies in underserved Winona area secondary schools to supplement arts programming, and to offer a public filmmaking workshop.

The Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra is thrilled to bring internationally renowned violinist and educator Dmitri Berlinsky to our northern Michigan community. This collaboration will provide a world-class artistic experience for our audiences and inspiring opportunity for our musicians, while advancing GLCO's mission and contributing to a more thriving and culturally enriched community.