The Scottsdale City Council has approved $1.5 million from the city’s Federal CARES Act funding to help nonprofit arts and culture organizations affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Grant funding will support programming and safe, alternative facilities reopening.
“Scottsdale has always appreciated and supported arts and culture activities – they’re a vital part of our local economy and contribute to community’s vibrancy and well-being,” said Mayor Jim Lane. “Our arts and culture organizations have a long road ahead of them to get back on their feet, but we are hopeful this funding will help their recovery.”
The money given to the Arts and Culture Coronavirus Grant Program will be managed by Scottsdale Arts. Since 1987, Scottsdale Arts has advised and managed the city’s arts and cultural programs through a private-public partnership. Scottsdale Arts has administered the city’s Community Arts Grant process since its inception in 1993.
“Art and culture are a part of Scottsdale’s DNA, contributing not only to our quality of life and vibrant sense of community, but also to our economic vitality and overall attractiveness,” said Dr. Gerd Wuestemann, Scottsdale Arts’ President & CEO. “Artists and arts organizations have suffered in unprecedented ways through this pandemic, with many more challenges yet to come as we enter an unpredictable Fall season. This funding will be hugely important to the survival and fast return of the arts in Scottsdale. We are proud of our close and longstanding partnership with the city and honored to be entrusted with distributing these funds responsibly and equitably.”
Grant applications open online at 10 a.m. Monday, July 27. The application deadline is 11:59 p.m. Monday, Aug. 3. An all-volunteer committee of arts, community and business leaders will review the applications and make recommendations for funding to the city of Scottsdale. More information and guidelines are available online at: ScottsdaleArts.org/Community-Arts-Grant-Program.
Through its dynamic partnership with the city of Scottsdale, the nonprofit Scottsdale Arts (formerly known as Scottsdale Cultural Council) creates diverse, inspired arts experiences and educational and outreach opportunities for the community, while fostering active engagement of individuals, businesses, education and government with the arts. Since its founding in 1987, Scottsdale Arts has grown into a regionally and nationally significant, multi-disciplinary arts organization offering an exceptional variety of programs through four acclaimed branches — Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA), Scottsdale Public Art and Scottsdale Arts Learning & Innovation — serving more than 600,000 participants annually. In conjunction with the city of Scottsdale, we also host more than 200,000 people annually on our campus through a robust rentals program.
