Holding True

In celebration of Juneteenth, this week ArtsWave announced the availability of its next round of $100,000 in funding to support African American arts organizations, as well as plans for its third annual artist showcase, part of the Black and Brown Artist Program.  

“With these investments — thanks to donors and partners — ArtsWave has established the two largest annual grant programs dedicated to Black and Brown artists and cultural organizations in the Cincinnati region,” said Alecia Kintner, ArtsWave president and CEO.

Black and Brown Artist Program Funding

Applications for this funding round will be accepted through July 28, with early submission feedback available through July 14 for first-time applicants.

ArtsWave will host two free, online grant writing workshops will be provided as an additional resource tool on Thursday, June 29 and Thursday, July 6, noon to 1 p.m.

More information is available at artswave.org/apply. Recipients will be announced in late August.

The third annual “Truth & Healing Artist Showcase” of new works by 18 of the region’s leading Black and Brown artists will be held at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center on July 14–16 and July 30, with the visual art exhibition in place through Sept. 10.

This year’s showcase is focused on the themes of healing, rebirth and reconnecting. Projects will explore and build upon the current artistic commentary of health and race and connect it with historical events and visions of a more equitable future. The projects not only represent the African American experience, but also the experiences of those with Mexican, Lebanese, Somali, Argentinian, Zimbabwean, Guatemalan and Indigenous heritage. Artists collaborated with community members and other partners in their projects, so that the larger public could participate in the process of healing, including reconnection and rebirth heritage.

Artists were selected by ArtsWave’s panel of community stakeholders in a competitive process for funding last fall. Out of 48 proposals, the artists chosen were determined to best capture the idea of “truth and healing,” and each received $10,000 to execute their project. In addition to financial support for the creation of new art works, the program helps artists develop valuable business and entrepreneurial skills. This year’s artists received professional development courses conducted by Wave Pool, plus monthly networking and progress meetings with ArtsWave staff. 

This year’s showcase features visual art — fashion design, painting and sculpture — along with video documentaries, musical composition, film and podcasts. There are also original musical compositions, theater, dance and multidisciplinary works.

The showcase is part of ArtsWave’s Black and Brown Artist Program which has funded 67 artists of color with $742,108 in grants over the past three years. This program is supported by the City of Cincinnati, Macy’s, Duke Energy, Fifth Third Bank, the Greater Cincinnati Foundation and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.   

ArtsWave’s African American arts grants program, known as “the Circle’s African American Arts Grants Program,” is designed to strengthen the capacity for arts presenting, producing, programming and instruction at organizations led by or predominantly serving Black communities in the Cincinnati region. This program is one of the ways that ArtsWave works to increase the sustainability of organizations that focus on the preservation and advancement of Black arts and culture. Eligible organizations will have a mission related to the African American experience and a majority (51%+) of annual expenditures dedicated to arts and cultural activities.