Program/Grant: ArtsHERE

18 Midwestern organizations have been selected in a National Endowment for the Arts pilot program.

Healing Broken Circles' ArtsHERE grant will support the creation of new collaborative partnerships, upgrading communications materials, and increasing staff technical skills in event production and promotion. Healing Broken Circles provides opportunities to heal, learn, and thrive for those of us impacted by the justice system, through programs and events that offer creative outlets, social-emotional support and opportunities to deepen societal awareness of the destructive impacts of mass incarceration

Indigenous Roots Cultural Center’s ArtsHERE grant will support the continued growth of their grassroots efforts, helping to strategically restructure and revisit organizational procedures and policies. Indigenous Roots Cultural Center is a multidisciplinary, multigenerational, and multicultural space that cultivates opportunities for Native, Black, Brown, and Indigenous peoples through cultural arts and activism.

West Michigan Center for Arts + Technology (WMCAT)’s ArtsHERE grant will support their Teen Arts + Tech Program expansion, enhancing curriculum development, stakeholder engagement, and strategic planning to reach neighboring school districts with underserved youth. WMCAT provides a culture of opportunity for individuals to achieve social and economic progress through visual arts and tech engagement, workforce development, and social enterprise programs.

The Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center’s ArtsHERE grant will support a five-year strategic planning process, including cultural strategy training and a study series for local artists and community leaders.  Founded in 2001, UCIMC has transformed a historic post office into a community media and arts center, supporting various community programs and fiscally sponsoring over 60 organizations. The Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center’s mission is to foster the creation and distribution of media and art that highlight underrepresented voices and perspectives, and to promote empowerment and expression through media and arts education.

Indy Convergence’s ArtsHERE grant will support the development of a strategic community engagement plan to better understand barriers impacting access to the arts and identify new value-aligned partnerships. Indy Convergence is an arts and community-based nonprofit that connects artists, communities, and their environment. They offer artist residencies, collaborative workshops, and community-focused programming that foster innovative experiences, ideas, and solutions.

South Sudanese Foundation (SSF)’s ArtsHERE grant will support their initiative to expand culturally grounded arts programs and develop a strategic framework for sustainable fundraising, enhancing community engagement and long-term impact. The mission of SSF is to create a transformative community in Fargo-Moorhead where everyone thrives together. Since the pandemic, SSF has grown significantly, addressing the increasing needs of the refugee and New American immigrant population through high-quality programs and services.

Sacred Pipe Resource Center’s ArtsHERE grant will strengthen the capacity of Sacred Pipe Resource Center’s Arts Council by supporting targeted focus groups, data collection, and visioning around expanded arts programming. Sacred Pipe Resource Center is dedicated to addressing and supporting the social, cultural, emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical needs of Native people of all Tribes living in the Bismarck-Mandan and surrounding area. They provide liaison services between Native and non-Native people to foster a cohesive community.

Marion Voices Folklife + Oral History's ArtsHERE grant will support a solidarity-building listening tour across North-Central Ohio engaging allied arts & culture organizations to share strategies & grow a regional folklife network, plus updates to their strategic plan & website as they expand their work regionally. Marion Voices is a folklife & cultural arts organization committed to social justice. Partnering directly with community culture-keepers in Marion County, they offer K-12 folk arts programs, exhibits, festivals, folklife documentation, and more to grow more just, more abundant cultural arts livelihoods across diverse communities.

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.