Phoenix Center for the Arts granted $1.2 million to expand community, DEI programs

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) - The Phoenix Center for the Arts has been awarded $1.2 million for its community arts education and DEI programming.

The grant comes from the American Rescue Plan Act, doled out by the Biden administration to boost local communities post-pandemic. The Center plans to use part of the funds to restart its Art in Mind program, an art class designed to be accessible for those with Alzheimer’s and their caretakers.

Funds will also be given to the BIPOC Arts mentorship program, which boosts underrepresented artists and cultural programming in the community. The Center also plans to link up with nonprofits that serve Black, Indigenous, Hispanic, and Asian communities as well as seniors, disabled individuals, and the LGBTQIA2S+ community.

“We need the insight, engagement, and support of these diverse nonprofits and individual artists to create systems for culturally relevant and in-demand artist training and support programs,” said Sandra Bassett, CEO of Phoenix Center for the Arts. The BIPOC Arts program will be led by professional artists, co-learning opportunities with others, and their own class to teach at the Center and other Valley locations. Artists who are accepted into the program will be given an up-to-6-month weekly curriculum.

All artists are welcome, but priority will be given to BIPOC in Phoenix. 40 artists will be chosen by staff and board members at the Center. You can apply for and learn more about the Center and its programming here.

Copyright 2023 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.