Arts Organizations of Color Research Initiative

Sponsor: Wallace Foundation
Solicitation Title: Arts Organizations of Color Research Initiative
Funding Amount: $2 to 3 million
Sponsor Deadline: Friday, August 20, 2021
Solicitation Link: http://wallacefoundation.org/ArtsOpenCall

Overview

Letter of Interest for Wallace Foundation Open Call The Wallace Foundation seeks a research team, or collaborating team of researchers, with a deep understanding of arts organizations of color and their relationships with the communities they serve, across the diversity of communities and arts disciplines that constitute this part of the arts ecosystem. The team will study and document the five years of project work, including the planning year, of the cohort’s 10-12 organizations using theoretically and methodologically rigorous approaches to: ● Contribute to the research-based body of evidence on cultural institutions, and specifically arts organizations of color. ● Provide practical, formative insights for the cohort’s arts organizations, and the initiative leaders, as their projects are implemented. ● Develop evidence-based, practical guidance that can inform other arts organizations in the field, particularly other arts organizations of color, and their stakeholders. Wallace seeks to form an initial cohort of 10 to 12 arts organizations of color who meet eligibility requirements and are: interested in or planning to make strategic changes using community-oriented approaches; committed to contributing to the research base on the history and current practices of arts organizations of color; and interested in and well-suited to learn from other arts organizations of color. For the purposes of this initiative, we define an arts organization of color as one that was founded by (in either artistic or administrative leadership) and for Black, Indigenous, Hispanic/Latinx, Arab American or Asian American/Pacific Islander communities through mission-related work, and continues to serve those communities today. Submissions from the following genres will be considered: performing arts, media arts, literary arts, visual arts, artists, community-based organizations founded by and centering artists and artistic practice. Heritage museums of color that include contemporary art and artists are eligible.

Solicitation Limitations: Organizations whose primary mission is arts education, youth outcomes, professional development or continuing education are not eligible for this initiative. To be eligible for consideration in the first cohort, organizations must: Be based in the United States, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, or Guåhan (Guam). Please note: We have expanded the list of eligible U.S. territories in response to an inquiry from a group of arts organizations; Be a registered nonprofit organization, or have an existing nonprofit fiscal sponsor; Have an annual budget between $500,000 and $5 million (based on FY 2019 or FY 2020); Have been in operation for at least 10 years; and Identify as an arts organization of color. Other Information:Each grantee in the first cohort will receive five years of funding totaling approximately $2 to 3 million to develop and pursue efforts to foster strategic change through approaches that leverage their community orientation. Grantees will also receive coaching based on self-identified needs, participate in a peer learning community and engage in research studies to advance knowledge and lift up the field. Before submitting, we encourage interested organizations to review the <a href="https://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/pages/new-initiative…;

Last Updated: 08/10/2021

RODA ID: 1410