BCC provides stimulus aid to 19 artists

In response to the decline in philanthropic and other support to the non-profit arts sector during this current economic downturn, the Bronx Council on the Arts designed the 2008-09 Program Management Initiative to provide its own stimulus aid to 19 Bronx arts organizations this year. The initiative was funded by the JPMorgan Chase Foundation.

With public and private sources of funding significantly reducing their support of the arts, local community arts organizations are experiencing difficulties in seeking funds for managing their programs. Even in better times, funds are generally provided for programming, but not for its management.

In order to address the critical needs of our local arts organizations caused by the aforementioned shortfall, the BCA designed the Program Management Initiative to assist the project management capabilities of arts organizations in an attempt to sustain the arts over the short term and alleviate the financial pressure to successfully realize their organizational, programmatic and artistic goals.

The focus of this regrant initiative is to address the “back-office” needs of program development, (such as program management and infrastructure resources, as well as technology, marketing, staffing, etc.) to allow our arts organizations to continue to operate successfully.

Specifically, BCA sought to reach those Bronx Arts Organizations with budgets under $500,000 and who did not receive direct support from JPMorgan Chase.

The 2008 Awardees are: Bardekova Ensemble, Bartow Pell Mansion Museum, Bronx Academy of Arts & Dance, Bronx Opera Company, Bronx Symphony Orchestra, Center Stage Community Playhouse, City Island Historical Society, Danza Fiesta, Derfner Judaica Museum, El Maestro Cultural & Educational Center, Inc. En Foco, Inc., Focal Point Press, Garces Puppeteria, INSPIRIT, a dance company, Mass Transit Street Theatre, Inc., One World Arts, Inc. The Orchestra of the Bronx, Pepatian, and Voices UnBroken.

stimulus aid, artists