The International Sonoran Desert Alliance (ISDA) was formed in 1993 by members of the Tohono O’odham Nation and residents of Sonora, Mexico and Ajo, Arizona. Ajo is a small town in the heart of the Sonoran Desert—10,000 square miles of the hottest, most fragile desert ecosystem in North America. ISDA’s mission is an uncommon blend of concern for community, culture, and environment. It is rooted in the belief that environmental conservation and preservation can—and should—coincide with a community’s economic sustainability.
In the words of Executive Director Tracy Taft, “We started out as an environmental organization, then became a community development organization, then took the arts and the creative energy of the arts as our primary tool for community and economic development, and became an arts organization. But we are an arts organization that is thoroughly wrapped up and committed to community development, economic development, and social development.”
Established in 2002 by a group of artists and leaders, Alaska Native Arts Foundation (ANAF) was created to improve the economic well-being of Alaska Native artists, invigorate education and training of the next generation of Alaska Native artists, increase global awareness of Alaska Native cultures, create opportunities to inform about the diverse cultural expressions of Alaska's indigenous peoples, and to stimulate demand for and establish fair market pricing for works of art by Alaska Native people.
ANAF partnered with First Peoples Fund to offer artist business training to Native artists seeking tools and support to develop as entrepreneurs and leaders in their rural communities. A local foundation in Anchorage has expressed an interest in partnering with ANAF to continue these business trainings in Alaska. They are also in the exploration phase of a new partnership with Etsy.com (the world's best-known online marketplace for handmade goods) having recently executed a successful pilot program with them.
500 West 600th Avenue
Anchorage, AK 99501
(907)258-2603
Alternate ROOTS is an organization based in the Southern US whose mission is to support the creation and presentation of original art, in all its forms, that is rooted in a particular community of place, tradition, or spirit. As a coalition of cultural workers we strive to be allies in the elimination of all forms of oppression. ROOTS is committed to social and economic justice and the protection of the natural world and addresses these concerns through its programs and services.
ROOTS strengthened its partnership with First People’s Fund and the National Association of Latino Arts and Culture (NALAC), resulting in a more formalized, deliberate, and intentional network. Organization leaders met three times at various conferences and convenings, and a NALAC member theatre performed at ROOTS Week. ROOTS also used LINC funds to revise its website architecture and design to create a more visually dynamic and functionally efficient experience for its users.
1083 Austin Avenue, North East
Room 7
Atlanta, GA 30307
(404)577-1079
Amrita Performing Arts is an NGO based in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, with US nonprofit status. Amrita is committed to creating contemporary Cambodian dance and theater, responding to the rising generation of artists dedicated to ushering their country's ancient performing arts heritage into the future. Amrita recently entered into an administrative relationship with Cambodian Living Arts (CLA) whose mission is to create an environment where Cambodian arts empower and transform individuals and communities.
Amrita has been able to cover administrative costs and augment insufficient support from the Cambodian government for creation of contemporary dance. Amrita presented 4 workshops, 3 conferences, 2 tours, and numerous public showings. In 2011, HRM King Sihamoni invited the dancers and production team for an audience at the Royal Palace to personally thank and acknowledge them and Amrita for their leadership in developing this ambitious but crucial next step in Cambodia’s cultural scene.
10824 Olson Drive
C-123
Rancho Cordova, CA 95670
855-78-777-474
Artistic director Ananya Chatterjea founded Ananya Dance Theatre (ADT) in 1996 after witnessing political theater as a form of consciousness-raising in communities of color. The mission of ADT is to create and present dance theater works that emerge from and exist at the intersection of artistic excellence and social justice. ADT pursues excellence in artistry to forge pathways that generate forces of strength and beauty, galvanize strong communities, and embody a philosophy of possibility and liberation in a shared humanity.
500 21st Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55455
It is the mission of 651 ARTS to deepen awareness of and appreciation for contemporary performing arts and culture of the African Diaspora, and to provide professional and creative opportunities for performing artists of African descent. 651 ARTS fulfills this mission through live dance, music, and theater presentations; a robust educational program for public school youth; providing financial resources and technical assistance to artists; and supporting exchange between U.S. and African artists.
651 ARTS has made important strides toward overhauling their fiscal management systems. In the process they have attracted new major funders and secured a two-year capacity grant to hire their first Marketing Manager. In 2013, 651 ARTS was invited by the City of New York to be one of three cultural organizations housed in a new mixed-use public/private development in Downtown Brooklyn. They are currently finalizing plans for the new facility.
651 Fulton Street
Brooklyn, NY 11217
(718)636-4181
Appalshop is a nonprofit multi-disciplinary arts and education center in the heart of Appalachia producing original films, video, theater, music and spoken-word recordings, radio, photography, multimedia, and books. Appalshop is dedicated to the proposition that the world is immeasurably enriched when local cultures garner the resources, including new technologies, to tell their own stories and to listen to the unique stories of others. The creative acts of listening and telling are Appalshop's core competency.
91 Madison Avenue
Whitesburg, KY 41858
(606)633-0108
The Arab American National Museum (AANM) is the first and only museum in the United States devoted to Arab American history and culture. AANM preserves and presents the history, culture and contributions of Arab Americans, and brings to light the shared experiences of immigrants and ethnic groups. AANM is a project of ACCESS, a Dearborn, Michigan-based nonprofit human services and cultural organization. AANM is also a proud Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC.
13624 Michigan Avenue
Dearborn, MI 48126
(313)582-2266
Artist Trust's sole mission is to support and encourage individual artists working in all disciplines in order to enrich community life throughout Washington State. Artist Trust raises funds from an array of sources in order to give financial grants to individual artists, serve as a professional information resource for artists, and provide recognition and support for the contributions artists make to the lives of the people of Washington State.
1835 12th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98122
(206)467-8734
Founded in 1991, Artists For Humanity’s mission is to bridge economic, racial, and social divisions by partnering youth with professional artists to design, create, market, and sell art. At the heart is the belief that skills equal power and opportunity. AFH provides urban teens with: a safe place, an opportunity to have a voice, the respect and responsibility of employment, and access to educational experiences. AFH reaches into every niche of the city to ensure fresh input, new projects and media, and a unique outlook.
100 West 2nd Street
South Boston, MA 02127
(617)268-7620
Performing artists have few resources available to them for planning and professional development. The resources that are made available are often short-lived, impersonal, and led by administrators rather than artists. The mission of Artists U is to provide individual performing artists with planning and professional development programs that are comprehensive, local, long-term, and artist-run. Artists U seeks to empower artists to leverage their talents and accomplishments toward individual goals and visions.
Artists U has continued to grow its program and it has focused on establishing partnerships with organizations, rather than developing new projects from the ground up. To that end, they are continuing their work with South Carolina Arts Commission, and have developed a new relationship with Cultureworks who will contract Artists U for services. In addition, Artists U is conducting image research and requesting layout proposals for its book, which it plans to self-publish.
Philadelphia, PA
The mission of the Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City (ArtsKC) is to advance and support the arts for the benefit the Kansas City region. This is accomplished by focusing on three strategies: increase funding for the arts and cultural initiatives from diversified and sustainable sources; increase awareness of the arts and their impact on quality-of-life issues in the community; and establish the arts as integral to economic development and other key civic and business initiatives.
ArtsKC further developed their Artist INC program, which has developed into a robust offering of programs designed to enhance the primary seminar experience and extend the benefits to the increasing pool of artists in the Kansas City metropolitan area and beyond. Artist INC’s menu is now an assortment of seminars, individual support, workshops, and online options to reach a variety of artists at different stages of their careers in multiple formats, including the Third Space Speakers Series.
906 Grand Boulevard
Suite 10B
Kansas City, MO 64106
(816)994-9227
Artspace's mission is to create, foster, and preserve affordable space for artists and arts organizations. Established in 1979 to serve as an advocate for artists’ space needs, Artspace made the leap from advocate to developer in the late 1980s. Artspace has since expanded its activities to include projects in 21 states, in three categories: property development, asset management, and consulting services. Artspace is based in the Twin Cities, with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, New Orleans and Washington DC.
250 Third Avenue North
Suite 500
Minneapolis, MN 55401
(612)333-9012
The mission of Ashé Cultural Arts Center is to use art and culture to support community development. Located in Central City, New Orleans, , the Center provides opportunities for art presentations, community development, artist support, and the creation of partnerships that amplify outreach and support efforts. Ashé is an initiative of Efforts of Grace, Inc., an organization that creates and supports programs, activities, and creative works emphasizing the contributions of people of African descent.
1712 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd
New Orleans, LA 70113
(504)569-9070
The Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning empowers people to explore and express their voices through imaginative learning and the literary arts. They offer seasonal classes in writing, computer literacy, graphic design, and language; tutoring for students grades K-12; vibrant youth and family programs and exhibits, readings, and other arts-related events designed to encourage among Central Kentuckians an appreciation for all art forms and for learning in general.
251 West 2nd Street
Lexington, KY 40507
(859)254-4175
Founded in 1956 by John D. Rockefeller 3rd, Asia Society is the leading educational organization dedicated to promoting mutual understanding and strengthening partnerships among peoples, leaders and institutions of Asia and the United States in a global context. Across the fields of arts, business, culture, education, and policy, the Society provides insight, generates ideas, and promotes collaboration to address present challenges and create a shared future.
724 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10021
(212)288-6400
One of only two major arts institutions in the world named for Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning playwright and Pittsburgh native August Wilson, the August Wilson Center for African American Culture engages regional and national audiences in its mission of preserving, presenting, interpreting, celebrating and shaping the art, culture and history of African Americans utilizing the rich history, legacy and culture of African Americans from Western Pennsylvania as a foundation.
980 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
(412)258-2700
AVA Gallery and Art Center (Alliance for the Visual Art) is dedicated to promoting the visual arts through exhibitions and educational programs that nurture, support and challenge New England artists, and to providing art classes for children, teens, and adults of all levels and abilities. AVA’s programs are dedicated to recognizing the ways in which art enriches our lives. Scholarship, internship and volunteer opportunities are integral to AVA’s programming.
11 Bank Street
Lebanon, NH 03766
(603)448-3117
AXIS Dance Company is a contemporary repertory company whose mission is to create, support, and educate audiences about physically integrated dance. Through a unique brand of collaborative processes in which dancers with and without physical disabilities create and perform as peers, AXIS has created an aesthetic that is distinctly its own. By working in this new physical language, AXIS aims to make a lasting impact on contemporary dance that broadens the perceptions of both dance and disability.
LINC resources allowed AXIS to increase compensation for its dancers and teaching artists. The dancers received a competitive part-time salary, group health insurance benefits, professional development and transportation reimbursement, and consistent opportunities to teach, perform, and tour. As their core artists became more deeply engaged with AXIS, they were able to form deeper, more authentic relationships in the community and become effective ambassadors of the company.
1428 Alice Street
Suite 200
Oakland, CA 94612
(510)625-0110
The mission of Bebe Miller Company is to support the artistic vision of choreographer Bebe Miller in creative, cross-disciplinary explorations and in creating and performing new works. Seeking to expand the language of dance, Miller's work encompasses choreography, writing, film, video and digital media. Committed to keeping dance available to a wide spectrum of people, the Company is also dedicated to providing access to the creative process and expression to diverse people in a community.
140 Second Avenue
Suite 404
New York, NY 10003
(212)777-1340
Bindlestiff Studio cultivates artists who reflect and celebrate the diverse values, traditions, and histories of Pilipino and Filipino American cultures through bold artistic expression and community engagement. Bindlestiff Studio provides the often under-served Filipino American community access to diverse offerings in theatrical productions, music and film festivals, workshops in directing, production, acting, stand-up comedy, and writing, as well as a children and youth theater program.
185 Sixth Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415)255-0440
Founded in the early 1960s, Bronx Council on the Arts (BCA) is the official cultural agency of Bronx County, serving a multicultural constituency of almost 1.4 million residents. BCA designs and implements cutting edge programming in arts education and cultural strategies to help revitalize local communities and focus attention on issues of concern to Bronx residents, including: job training, financial stabilization, independent contracting, business startups, environmental concerns, and health related issues.
1738 Hone Avenue
Bronx, NY 10461
(718)931-9500
Building on a ten-year history in downtown Miami as LegalArt, Cannonball is familiar, yet completely unpredictable. Core initiatives to support artists include: SeminArt, providing free educational and professional development; LegalLink, an in-house legal advice and referral service for artists and arts organizations; and the Residency Program, which offers long-term live/work space for local artists and short-term residencies for visiting cultural producers.
1035 North Miami Avenue
Suite 200
Miami, FL 33136
(786)347-2360
The mission of the Casita Maria Center for Arts and Education is to empower youth and their families by creating a culture of learning through high-quality social, cultural, and educational opportunities. With its state of the art facilities, carefully designed classrooms, and fully equipped studios, the new Casita Maria Center for Arts and Education building allows the organization to triple the number of New York City students able to participate in their in-school and after-school arts and education programs.
Casita Maria created new staff roles in support of their expanded programming, developed a new strategic plan, received a full Certificate of Occupancy, and is moving forward with planned physical improvements, beginning with the installation of a new projection system. Their heightened profile through this grant and the organizational clarity achieved through the facility planning process has resulted in increased financial support for their programs, including a recent Rockefeller Cultural Innovation grant.
928 Simpson Street
Bronx, NY 10459
(718)589-2230
From 1994-2008, the Columbia College Center for Arts Policy (CAP) was a key player in the discussion of the arts as an essential part of education. Columbia College closed CAP at the end of the 2008 fiscal year in order to focus resources at a time of growing financial challenges to higher education.
Chicago, IL 60605
The Center for Creative Community Development (C3D) is a Williams College research center committed to serving as a national focal point for research, education and training on the role of the arts in community development. C3D undertakes research on the economic and social impacts of arts and cultural organizations in communities around the US, and has developed tools and techniques for measuring and articulating these impacts in a diverse range of communities.
C3D developed a suite of tools that includes nine Visitor Maps and Economic Impact Models and four Social Network Analyses of organizations involved in LINC’s work in artist space development, which have all been published on their website (www.williams.edu/Economics/ArtsEcon); as well as a white paper on gentrification.
66 Stetson Court
Williamstown, MA 01267
(413)884-0093
CCI created the Business of Art (BoA) entrepreneurial training program, two editions of a companion textbook, and a program of supplemental one-on-one counseling regarding basic entrepreneurial training. Based on the success of these programs, CCI is considering online delivery mechanisms and partnerships with academic institutions to extend its reach. LINC also enabled CCI to develop the Artists United for Health Care website, and the “Citizen Philanthropy Project” website.
CCI created the Business of Art (BoA) entrepreneurial training program, two editions of a companion textbook, and a program of supplemental one-on-one counseling regarding basic entrepreneurial training. Based on the success of these programs, CCI is considering online delivery mechanisms and partnerships with academic institutions to extend its reach. LINC also enabled CCI to develop the Artists United for Health Care website, and the “Citizen Philanthropy Project” website.
244 South San Pedro Street
Suite 401
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Centro de Servicios de Alameda County is a resource center open to everyone. Its guiding mission is to help poor and low-income families secure their basic needs and rights and become self-sufficient and productive citizens. Services include food distribution, a thrift store, translation services, immigration and citizenship services, senior group, literacy classes, youth programs, and more.
31880 Alvarado Boulevard
Union City, CA 94587
(510)489-4100
Located in the heart of Manhattan’s Chinatown, Chen Dance Center (CDC) is a recognized leader in dance and a leading Asian American arts institution. CDC realizes its mission to provide moving experiences in Asian American and contemporary dance through its three affiliate programs: H.T. Chen & Dancers, a touring modern dance company; School, a year-round community performing arts school; and Theater, a professional performing arts venue.
70 Mulberry Street
Second floor
New York, NY 10013
(212) 349-0618
Chicago Artists Resource (CAR) is an innovative arts service website administered by the Chicago Artists Coalition. CAR is an online extension of the capabilities, resources and leadership of the city's cultural community and a demonstration of Chicago's commitment to the important contribution successful artists make to a vital, world-class city. CAR provides artists with information on a wide range of issues related to professional practice and a connection to local, national and international resources.
The Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs used LINC support to create CAR, which currently features more than 4,000 links and 4,000 community-contributed posts. Traffic is robust—76,000 visitors use CAR more than 200 times a year. Additional LINC funding enabled CAR to explore syndication, offering localized versions of the site’s infrastructure, content, expertise, and best practices to other regions. In 2012, CAR was transferred to the Chicago Artists Coalition (CAC), an arts service organization that has been serving individual artists since 1974.
Chicago, IL
The Chicago Public Art Group (CPAG) mission is to unite artists and communities to produce quality public art and to extend and transform the tradition of collaborative, community-involved, public artwork. CPAG's goals have remained consistent: design high-quality public art projects; introduce creative skills to children and adults; train and educate professional artists in creating community responsive art projects; and educate communities to the social and aesthetic possibilities of collaborative public art.
600 West Cermak Road
Suite 3B
Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 427-2724
City Lore documents, presents, and advocates for grassroots cultures in New York City through urban folklore and history, cultural preservation, arts education, and grassroots poetry. In a city whose residents represent nationalities from around the globe, City Lore stands at the epicenter of the nation’s rapidly changing cultural demographics. In addition to outdoor exhibits, publications, online resources, and educational services, City Lore’s work includes open-air multilingual poetry performances and collaborative projects.
With major investments from LINC and The Rockefeller Foundation, City Lore created the POEMobile, an open-air poetry projection system and mobile stage that projects multilingual poems on walls and buildings, in tandem with live readings. The POEMobile is both an exciting live experience and part of a lasting effort to disseminate the works of diverse and often little-known communities of artists. In each location, a local “poetry ambassador” is cultivated to co-curate the program and foster organic partnerships.
72 East 1st Street
New York, NY 10003
(212) 529-1955
City of Asylum/Pittsburgh (CoA/P) provides sanctuary to writers in exile from their native countries, and creates a thriving local community for writers, readers, and neighbors. COA/P enables exiled writers to continue their work by providing housing, medical benefits, a living stipend, and help in securing publishers and long-term employment. They also anchor local neighborhood economic development by transforming blighted properties and offering a range of literary programs to encourage cross-cultural exchange.
After attracting significant investment in a major facility project and getting as far as groundbreaking, CoA/P learned that a critical zoning decision was reversed and the site for their facility was no longer viable on the timeline they intended. As an alternative, they are currently exploring leasing a space a few blocks away that is already zoned for the multiple uses (e.g. café with liquor license, public programs, residences) the organization intends.
324 Sampsonia Way
Pittsburgh, Pa 15212
(412) 323-0278
The Columbia Film Society is a community arts organization whose aim is to stimulate discussion and enhance appreciation of media arts in the community by presenting a wide variety of alternative films and sponsoring media arts events and educational programs. The Nickelodeon Theatre is their 99-seat theater, home to three daily film screenings, and frequent special series. “The Nick” is the only non-profit art house film theater in South Carolina and is the home for over 25,000 filmgoers each year.
CFS was able to complete the first phase of their facility project on time and applied lessons from LINC-sponsored technical assistance to strengthen their operations and fundraising capacity. CFS has alsoexpanded their regional learning community through peer site visits, and been granted direct support from Ford Foundation. Future plans include expansion of their media education programming and field networking.
1607 Main Street
Columbia, SC 29210
(803) 254-8234
The Community Partnership for Arts and Culture (CPAC) strengthens, unifies, and connects greater Cleveland’s arts and culture sector. CPAC sets direction with the sector, positions arts and culture as a driving force in building a vibrant community, informs community decision-making through credible research, and provides opportunities for the community’s diverse constituencies to join together on shared interests and objectives. Throughout all of its offerings, CPAC strives to advocate, inform, initiate, and connect.
After piloting their Artist as Entrepreneur Institute (AEI), CPAC integrated AEI into their Council of Smaller Enterprises (COSE) Arts Network as part of their expansion of services and outreach to artists. AEI was the first of its kind in the Midwest and has been adopted by the Broward County Cultural Division in Miami, FL, and the Arts & Science Council in Charlotte, NC. LINC funding also supported CPAC’s Creative Workforce Fellowship, four “From Rust Belt to Artist Belt” conferences, and the Artists in Neighborhood grant program.
1900 Superior Avenue
Suite 130
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 575-0332
CulturalDC creates opportunities for artists and arts organizations that stimulate economic development and improve the quality of life in the greater Washington, DC region. They envision the arts as a driving force in community development and as an integral part of DC's vibrant metropolitan area. CulturalDC’s efforts ensure that there are spaces and resources for artists and arts organizations to live, create, exhibit and perform throughout the city.
916 G Street, North West
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 315-1305
Dance Exchange is an intergenerational company of artists that creates dances and engages people in asking: Who gets to dance? Where is the dance happening? What is it about? Why does it matter? They serve as an incubator for creative research, bringing ideas to action through collaborations that range from experts to unexpected movers and makers. Through these exchanges they stretch the boundaries between the studio, stage, and other environments to make dances that are rooted in the particularity of people and place.
7117 Maple Avenue
Takoma Park, MD 20912
(301) 270-6700
Founded in 1980, Dance Place builds a community of dance artists, audiences, and students through high quality performances and commissions in modern dance, African Dance, tap dance, performance art, hip hop, and spoken word; and through training and educational programs for adults and youth. They are committed to enriching the field of dance locally, nationally and internationally, and their campus serves as an anchor in the development of the Brookland neighborhood of Washington, DC.
Dance Place invested in thorough planning to renovate and expand its facilities, thus reinforcing its position as a driving force in Brookland’s future as a home to artists. In 2012, Dance Place expanded its street presence to include hands-on outdoor art activities through the District’s Temporium project (a product of the NEA's Our Town program) and Artspace Projects (a major national developer and LINC partner) has recently committed to create affordable live/work artist units adjacent to the Dance Place facility.
3225 8th Street, North East
Washington, DC 20017
(202) 269-1600
Diaspora Vibe Gallery is a local arts organization offering support and exhibition opportunities to emerging artists from Latin America and the Caribbean Diaspora through residencies, international exchanges, and community and youth activities that celebrate Miami’s rich cultural and social fabric. Working closely with young artists within the community, Diaspora Vibe Gallery actively promotes the skills and creative expressions of its artists.
686 North East 56th Street
Miami, FL 33137
(786) 536-7801
DiverseWorks values the artistic process and encourages artists to test new visual, performing, and literary ideas in the public arena. By investigating the social, cultural, and artistic issues of our time, DiverseWorks builds, educates, and sustains audiences. Known for its groundbreaking artistic education programs and distinguished by its financial stability, DiverseWorks serves as an open venue for artists, a training ground for future arts administrators, and a model for arts centers across the country.
DiverseWorks Artspace prepared a development audit and 6-12 month fundraising plan to maximize potential for contributed income during a time of leadership transition. Diverseworks engaged a fundraising consultant who conducted a thorough assessment of DW's previous efforts, provided support for grant applications and reporting, and recommendations and tools for future efforts. Overall, DiverseWorks has seen marked improvement in donor relations and actual funds raised.
4102 Fannin Street
Suite 200
Houston, TX 77004
(713) 223-8346
The East Bay Community Foundation is a leading resource for mobilizing financial resources and community leadership to transform the lives of people in the East Bay with pressing needs. The Foundation brings together the financial resources and leadership capabilities of its charitable fund holders with those of government, business, private foundations, and non-profit service providers in coordinated and integrated grant making, campaigns, and programs to make change.
With LINC’s early investment, EBCF and The San Francisco Foundation were able to attract funding from the Hewlett, James Irvine, Surdna and Wattis Foundations to distribute nearly $700,000 in grants to over 180 artists from 2005 to 2010. These commitments inspired over $730,000 in donations from over 3,100 individual donors. The partners commissioned a follow-up study by WolfBrown and Helicon Collaborative on donor motivations and strategies for attracting individual donors to artists’ projects.
200 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza
Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 836-3223
En Foco nurtures and supports contemporary fine art and documentary photographers of diverse cultures, primarily U.S. residents of Latino, African and Asian heritage, and Native Peoples of the Americas and the Pacific. En Foco provides both emerging and mid-career artists with professional recognition, honoraria, and technical assistance through touring exhibitions in public libraries, universities, banks, and other community spaces; and publication opportunities in their bilingual journal, Nueva Luz.
1738 Hone Avenue
Bronx, NY 10461
(718) 931-9311
Everett is a cross-disciplinary, cross-generational, and cross-cultural ensemble of dance and theater artists creating, performing, teaching, and engaging a diverse community through the arts. Guiding Everett’s mission is a deep belief in collaboration, experimentation and the artist’s role in creating a just, equitable and joyous future. their Company, Stage and School work in concert to build and support this vision.
9 Duncan Avenue
Providence, RI 02906
(401) 831-9479
The E-Volve Foundation is powered by a broad network of people with a common passion for democratic principles, sustainable development and the promotion of a better and just world. Their goal is to support a variety of new efforts, serve as a facilitator and connector between people who are doing great things and people who are interested in supporting those efforts, and promote great examples of local power being built and used to solve social problems.
113 North Van Pelt Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
First Peoples Fund's mission is to honor and support the creative community-centered First Peoples artists, and nurture the collective spirit that allows them to sustain their peoples. The FPF vision is to communicate to the world the roots and philosophy of Indigenous artistic expression and its relationship to the collective spirit of First Peoples. FPF strives to provide support and voice to the creative indigenous artists who share their inspiration, wisdom, knowledge, and gifts with their communities.
FPF developed a set of direct support awards to validate cultural transmission and reinforce it with professional training through all stages of development, from micro-entrepreneurship to small business development and beyond. More than 100 Native artists have been recognized through these Community Spirit, Cultural Capital, and Artist in Business Leadership Awards. FPF also provides coaching to tribal development organizations that provide technical assistance programs to emerging artists.
P.O. Box 2977
Rapid City, SD 57709
(605) 348-0324
Fractured Atlas is a national organization that empowers artists, arts organizations, and other cultural sector stakeholders by eliminating practical barriers to artistic expression, so as to foster a more agile and resilient cultural ecosystem. Fractured Atlas supports every level of the cultural ecosystem including individual performing, visual, literary, design, and media artists, and arts organizations of all sizes.
248 West 35th Street
New York, NY 10001
The Fund for Folk Culture (FFC) was a national intermediary dedicated to the dynamic practice and conservation of folk and traditional arts and culture throughout the United States. Through the combined services of grantmaking, convening, research, and publications, and in partnership with donors and colleagues, the FFC supported the work of folk and traditional artists and strengthened local, regional, and national organizations in its field. FCC suspended operations in 2009 after eighteen years of service.
Santa Fe, NM 87504
The mission of Global Action Project (G.A.P.) is to work with young people most affected by injustice to build the knowledge, tools, and relationships needed to create media for community power, cultural expression, and political change. Founded in 1991, G.A.P. has provided media-arts and leadership education for thousands of youth living in underserved communities across New York City and the country. G.A.P.'s core activities include the Urban Voices youth leadership program and the Media in Action community organizing initiative.
130 West 25th Street
Suite 2C
New York, NY 10001
(212) 594-9577
Hawai'i Arts Alliance is building creative lives and communities through education, advocacy and celebration of all arts in Hawai'i. They represent 105 organizations and 300 individuals, a combined statewide membership of over 35,000. They are recognized both locally and nationally for their achievements. Their mission embraces education, communitym, and advocacy.
1040 Richards Street
Honolulu, HI 96813
(808) 533-2787
Helicon Collaborative is a network of professionals with expertise in research and policy formation, strategy development, capacity building, fundraising, evaluation, and other dimensions of nonprofit practice. They help organizations achieve their goals by stimulating their creativity and resourcefulness, and helping them become more relevant and effective.
187 Baltic Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
(718) 855-0183
Hip-Hop Theater Festival (HHTF) presents professionally-executed theater written by and about the hip-hop generation; ignites dialogue and social change through performance arts; and invigorates the theater in general by nurturing the creation of innovative work within the hip-hop aesthetic. Their ongoing goal is to elevate Hip-Hop theater into a widely recognized genre by empowering artists to develop new works and build coalitions with artists and institutions around the world.
304 East 100th Street
New York, NY 10029
(718) 497-4282
The Hmong Arts Connection, now known as the Hmong American Institute for Learning (HAIL), is an arts organization with a mission to promote and inspire artistic expressions of Hmong culture that draws from both traditional and contemporary forms of Hmong art. Art was and is essential for all areas of life for the Hmong, and a vital component to community building. Today, HAIL is at the forefront of contemporary Hmong American art.
2654 Logan Avenue North
Minneapolis, MN 55411
(651) 214-0955
Houston Arts Alliance (HAA) exists to enhance the quality of life and tourism in the Houston region by supporting and promoting the arts through programs, initiatives, and alliances. HAA distributes over $3 million in grants to approximately 220 nonprofit arts organizations and individual artists. In addition, HAA manages the city's civic art collection of 450 artworks, as well as new acquisitions.
3201 Allen Parkway
Suite 250
Houston, TX 77019
(713) 527-9330
Ifetayo Cultural Arts Academy is an arts and cultural organization dedicated to supporting the creative, educational and vocational development of youth and families of African descent. The organization strives to enhance their lives by providing programs in cultural awareness and performing and visual arts, as well as academic instruction, health and wellness, professional skills development, and social services to students and their families either directly or through referrals to strategic partners.
629 East 35th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11203
(718) 856-1123
InSite is dedicated to the realization of bi-national collaborative arts partnerships among non-profit and public institutions in the San Diego-Tijuana region. Operating through a unique collaborative structure that is based on the active participation of cultural and educational institutions in the US and Mexico, InSite is focused on promoting artistic investigation and activation of urban space.
San Diego, CA 92112
The mission of the International Sonoran Desert Alliance (ISDA) is to design and implement environmental, cultural, real estate, and business development projects intended to preserve and enrich the environment, culture, and economy of the Sonoran Desert. The Alliance is committed to fostering communication, understanding, and cooperation among the diverse cultures residing in the area, and to establish the region as a showcase for environmental excellence and an international center for arts and culture.
In 2009, ISDA received the MetLife Foundation Innovative Space Awards grand prize in recognition of its Curley School project.This previously abandoned, 7.5-acre, eight-building historic campus has been transformed into 30 affordable live/work spaces with an auditorium, indoor/outdoor stage, retail gallery, business incubator, and multiple collaboration spaces. ISDA secured Low Income Housing Tax Credits to attract artistic talent to the town and create new economic opportunities for local residents.
401 West Esperanza Avenue
Ajo, AZ 85321
(520) 387-6823
Established in 1965, Intersection is a pioneering arts and community development organization that brings people together across boundaries to instigate break-through change. Intersection works with hundreds of artists through residencies, commissions, fellowships, fiscal sponsorship and incubation, performances, exhibitions, workshops, and public art projects. Intersection is a lead collaborator on the 5M Project, a 4-acre multi-phase, mixed-use development project in downtown San Francisco.
Intersection continues to work with Forest City Development and the Hearst Corporation to plan for the acquisition and development of a permanent location as part of the 5M Project. Intersection has completed the first phase of their project, which includes a temporary move to the San Francisco Chronicle Building where they are experimenting with space usage, conducting community planning, and building a business and partnership model that will inform their design and use of their permanent location.
925 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
The mission of Kamehameha Schools is to improve the capability and well-being of Hawaiians by operating an educational system serving over 6,900 students of Hawaiian ancestry at K-12 campuses on O‘ahu, Maui and Hawai‘i island, and at 31 preschool sites statewide. They extend their educational reach into the community to serve over 40,000 additional learners annually through a range of programs and community collaborations.
567 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96813
(808) 523-6200
The Kellogg School of Management is the business school of Northwestern University. Founded in 1908, it has historically been ranked as one of the top business schools in the world.
2001 Sheridan Road
Evanston, IL 60208
(847) 491-3300
The Khmer Arts Ensemble is a renowned 29-member professional touring dance and music troupe based in Takhmao, Cambodia, athe Khmer Arts Tjeater. The Khmer Arts Academy offers free workshops to young members of the Greater Long Beach Cambodian community and others to achieve a high level of excellence through year-round classical training and apprenticeships. Khmer Arts Media produces projects that help contextualize the organization's work and reach a broader, global audience.
Khmer Arts continued to expand its work through the creation of new dances and new media projects, as well as supporting the development of the Academy training program and salon series, which will continue for at least two years post-LINC. In addition, Khmer has been continually developing its board; at a retreat in October 2012, the organization elected only Cambodian-American officers for the first time in its history.
375 Redondo Avenue
Suite 156
Long Beach, CA 90814
(562) 472-0090
La MaMa Experimental Theatre Company (La MaMa E.T.C.) is dedicated to the artist and all aspects of the theatre. Since its founding in 1961, La MaMa has supported artists with free theater and rehearsal space, lights, sound, props, platforms, and anything else necessary to create work. La MaMa strives to allow them to feel free to explore ideas and translate them into a theatrical language that can communicate to any person in any part of the world.
74A East 4th Street
New York, NY 10003
(212) 475-7710
La Mujer Obrera is an internationally acclaimed community-based organization creating cultural and economic development. Their efforts to preserve, adapt, and present the diverse historic and living traditions of Mexican immigrant workers’ heritage and contributions to El Paso are integral to fulfilling the most basic needs and upholding the most basic human rights: access to education, work, health, housing and nourishment, the rights to live in peace and participate fully in civil society.
La Mujer continues to articulate the vision of Centro Mayapan as a long-term development strategy rooted in Mexican cultural heritage that could surpass the garment industry in economic sustainability. La Mujer sponsored a series of cultural events ranging from weekend programming with local artists and musicians, to large-scale annual festivals. They also piloted the Mayapan Mobile Market, delivering weekly produce and free arts, health, music, and cooking workshops to severely low-income residents.
P.O. 3975
(915) 588-0410
El Paso, TX 79923
La Peña is a vibrant community cultural center with a national reputation and a global vision that promotes peace, social justice and cultural understanding through the arts, education, and social action. La Peña provides opportunities for artists to share diverse cultural traditions, to create and perform their work, and to support and interface with diverse social movements. La Peña presents over 200 events annually, organizes an arts education program, produces new works by local artists, and operates Café Valparaiso.
3105 Shattuck Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94705
(510) 849-2568
The mission of the Lalakea Foundation is to promote and perpetuate Native Hawaiian Cultural practices through teaching and learning. Lalakea supports the World Conference on Hula, Ka'Aha Hula o Halauaola, which is held every four years.
2106 Kaiwiki Road
Hilo, HI 96720
(808) 938-2884
Los Cenzontles is a grassroots, artist-driven organization committed to amplifying the roots of Mexican culture through classes, events, media and performances. Founded in 1994 by musician and educator Eugene Rodriguez, Los Cenzontles provides the local community with a family-friendly setting for traditional arts education and cultural events. The Los Cenzontles Academy connects students of all ages with maestros of traditional Mexican genres instilling a sense of cultural pride and participation in living traditions.
Los Cenzontles strengthened program offerings, improved communications collateral, expanded community relationships, and conducted planning to fortify its hybrid nonprofit model. Parallel to negotiating a deal to be the anchor project in a major local development, they developed a Plan B of renovating existing space, which protected them when the project was eradicated. They have since negotiated takeover of the lease of the commercial space adjacent to their current location.
13108 San Pablo Avenue
San Pablo, CA 94805
(510) 233-8015
The Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance (MIBA) is an arts service organization focused on preserving and extending the art of basketmaking within Maine’s Native American community. MIBA seeks to preserve and document the ancient tradition of ash and sweetgrass basketmaking among the Maliseet, Micmac, Passamaquoddy, and Penobscot tribes; expand markets for their baskets; guarantee the supply of high-quality natural grasses; and ensure continuation of the traditions among younger members of the tribes.
After closing its seven-year-old gallery, MIBA refocused its efforts on building infrastructure, developing artist support and professional development programs, and expanding to new live and online markets. MIBA has worked closely with First Peoples Fund and the Four Directions Development Corporation (FDDC) to create professional development workshops and is collaborating with FDDC to develop a branding strategy for a virtual marketplace and a new online Artists Directory.
P.O. Box 325
Old Town, ME 04468
(207) 859-9722
MAPP International Productions is dedicated to developing sustainable environments for artists to create, premiere and tour performing arts projects on the stages of performing arts venues worldwide, and creating opportunities for discussion, learning and civic engagement that encourage appreciation of different cultures and perspectives. MAPP provides support and opportunities for challenging artistic voices to be fully heard and engaged by bringing together arts, humanities and public dialogue.
MAPP was awarded LINC funds for the creation of the catalog to accompany Blink Your Eyes: Sekou Sundiata Revisited, a seven-month, citywide retrospective celebrating the life and work of artist, activist, educator, and LINC Artist Council member, Sekou Sundiata (1948-2007). LINC funds are also supporting the catalog launch at Poets House in May 2013. Catalogs will be sold through the MAPP website, at select events, and after the retrospective ends.
140 Second Avenue
Suite 502
New York, NY 10003
(646) 602-9390
Marin Community Foundation was founded with one simple aspiration: to make a difference in the lives of others through thoughtful, effective philanthropy. The Foundation encourages and applies philanthropic contributions to help improve the human condition, embrace diversity, promote a humane and democratic society, and enhance the community's quality of life, now and for future generations.
5 Hamilton Landing
Suite 200
Novato, CA 94949
(415) 464-2500
Ann Markusen is Director of the Arts Economy Initiative and the Project on Regional and Industrial Economics at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs, and Principal of Markusen Economic Research. She is a researcher, frequent public speaker, and advisor to public agencies, policymakers, businesses, economic developers, and nonprofit organizations across the US, in Europe, Japan, Korea, Australia and Brazil.
St. Paul, MN
The Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) is a state agency that promotes excellence, access, education, and diversity in the arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences to improve the quality of life for all Massachusetts residents and contribute to the economic vitality of their communities. The Council pursues this mission through a combination of grant programs, partnerships, and services for nonprofit cultural organizations, schools, communities, and artists.
Since its launch in 2005, MCC’s ArtistLink program has facilitated the creation of 83 artist space projects in 42 communities, with 645 new units of live/work or studio space for artists. ArtistLink also offered pre-development loans to artists, launched a grants and technical assistance program to help artist spaces assess future capital needs, and supported a challenge grant program for municipalities which encouraged cities and towns to integrate artist space planning into city-wide economic development activities.
10 Saint James Avenue
3rd Floor
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 727-3668
The mission of MIT is to advance knowledge and educate students in science, technology, and other areas of scholarship that will best serve the nation and the world in the 21st century—whether the focus is cancer, energy, economics, or literature. The Institute is committed to generating, disseminating, and preserving knowledge, and to working with others to bring this knowledge to bear on the world's great challenges.
77 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 253-1000
Founded in 1989, Ma-Yi Theater Company is a Drama Desk and Obie Award-winning organization whose mission is to develop and produce new and innovative plays by Asian American writers. Ma-Yi has distinguished itself as one of the country’s leading incubators of new work shaping the national discourse about what it means to be Asian American today. Ma-Yi challenges popular prescriptions of culturally-specific theater and aspires to be an examplar of how theater can be an active partner to diverse communities.
520 Eigth Avenue
Suite 309
New York, NY 10018
(21) 297-14862
Founded in 1989, Miami Light Project (MLP) is a not-for-profit cultural organization which presents live performances by innovative dance, music, and theater artists from around the world; supports the development of new work by South Florida-based artists; and offers educational programs for students of every age. MLP reaches a diverse cross-section of communities with an extensive outreach effort that includes partnerships with other arts organizations, universities and social service agencies.
Miami, FL 33137
(305) 576-4350
The Montana Arts Council (MAC) is the state agency established to develop the creative potential of people and communities across Montana, and to advance education, economic vibrancy, and community revitalization through the arts. MAC believes that the arts are essential to the creativity, imagination and entrepreneurship that make Big Sky Country the very best place to live, learn, work, and play.
MAC’s Montana Artrepreneur Program (MAP) has provided 40 hours of training for cohorts of up to 20 artists in regions throughout the state. MAC has also developed a coach training program that equips their MAP-certified artists to train other artists across the state. In addition, their Artists to Market program has reached more than 100 artists and was one of the few arts-based programs to attract support from the US Department of Agriculture’s Rural Community Development Initiative.
830 North Warren Street
P.O Box 202201
Helena, MT 59620
(406) 777-1777
MACLA is an inclusive contemporary arts space grounded in the Chicano/Latino experience that incubates new work in the visual, literary, and performance arts in order to engage people in civic dialogue and transform society. More than 30,000 community residents of all ages participate in the 50 programs MACLA produces each year in four core program tracts: visual arts; performance and literary arts; youth arts education; and community development through the arts.
After conducting analysis of their current facility with the Northern California Community Loan Fund, MACLA has negotiated the acquisition of their space from the City. They have also secured leadership support in acquiring the building and seed funds for the capital phase. Based on a commercial market analysis completed by Ventura Partners, MACLA is now evaluating options for the next phase of development that will both advance their mission and generate earned revenue.
510 South 1st Street
San Jose, CA 95113
(408) 998-2783
The mission of the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MoCAD) is to present art at the forefront of contemporary culture. As a non-collecting institution, MoCAD is responsive to the cultural content of our time, fueling crucial dialogue, collaboration, and public engagement.
MOCAD has received a gift of the deed to the building from the Richard and Jane Monoogian Foundation. Over the last six months they have worked with architects to advance the design and renovations of the museum’s interior layout and overall site. The organization continues to work towards the goals it has set for itself as part of its strategic plan, including its role in revitalizing downtown Detroit.
4454 Woodward Avenue
Detroit, MI 48201
The National Performance Network (NPN) is a group of diverse cultural organizers and artists working to create meaningful partnerships and to provide leadership that enables the practice and public experience of the arts in the United States. As a visible leader and example of best practices in the field, NPN integrates the arts into public experience, furthers artistic pluralism, and acts as an advocate for cultural equity and social justice by supporting artistic activities that demonstrate their values.
866 Camp Street
P.O. Box 56698
New Orleans, LA 70156-6698
(504) 595-8008
New Urban Arts is a nationally-recognized community arts studio for high school students and emerging artists. Their mission is to build a vital community that empowers young artists and leaders to develop a creative practice they can sustain throughout their lives. Their free, year-round out-of-school programs promote sustained mentoring relationships between urban high school students and trained artist mentors—who, together, engage in youth leadership, risk taking, collaboration, and self-directed learning.
New Urban Arts invested resources and attention in the public phase of a million-dollar capital campaign while managing the transition into a new space and weathering a decline in foundation and corporate grants. The most notable accomplishment has been the ongoing success of a one million dollar capital campaign, which publicly launched in 2011. To date, NUA has raised $816,000 of the campaign goal and completely paid down their mortgage.
705 Westminster Street
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 751-4556
The Northwoods NiiJii Enterprise Community members include The Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, The Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, and The Sokaogon Chippewa Community of Mole Lake. Partnerships extend to federal and state agencies, local and tribal governments, private businesses, foundations, non-profit organizations and individuals. NiiJii's programs work because they are initiated and led by members of the community it serves.
Niijii has established a design for their new cultural campus which includes an outdoor amphitheater, historic museum, and incubator space for creative enterprises led by Native artists. They have also formed a charter and board of directors for the new organization created to operate the campus and its programming.
602 Peace Pipe Road
P.O. Box 786
Lac du Flambeau, WI 54538
(715) 588-9325
Open Book is a haven for flourishing creative writing, publishing, and printing arts activity in Minnesota, founded by The Loft Literary Center, Milkweed Editions, and Minnesota Center for Book Arts. Since opening its doors in 2000 as the first organization of its kind in the nation, Open Book remains dedicated to fostering a vibrant book community and ongoing artistic collaboration, and providing a home for the literary arts.
1011 Washington Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55415
(612) 215-2572
The mission of PA‘I Foundation is to preserve and perpetuate Hawaiian cultural traditions for future generations, and to establish a cultural center on O’ahu to better serve the broader Hawaiian community. PA‘I Foundation is the non-profit organization of Pua Ali’i ‘Ilima, a hālau hula (school of Hawaiian dance) founded by kumu hula (master teacher of Hawaiian dance) Vicky Holt Takamine in 1977. PA‘I Foundation seeks to address and serve the needs of native Hawaiians and those who make Hawai’i their home.
PA‘I was able to expand its programming, launch a website, and publicize its activities. Through an alliance with fellow LINC grantee First Peoples Fund, PA‘I artists received business training, and LINC connections also resulted in touring engagements for PA‘I in New York City and other locations. All of these efforts strengthened PA‘I Foundation’s organizational and financial base, which allowed it to open a dedicated interim studio in 2011, and to plan for a permanent home scheduled to open in 2015.
P.O. Box 17483
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 792-0890
Established in 1964, Peninsula Community Foundation (PCF) granted more than $1.1 billion to nonprofits locally, nationally and internationally and was a philanthropic partner to more than 750 families, individuals and corporations focused on solving the most challenging problems, improving the quality of life and inspiring greater civic participation throughout the region. PCF is now a part of Silicon Valley Community Foundation, which serves San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.
2440 West El Camino Real
Suite 300
Mountain View, CA 94040
The Philadelphia Folklore Project (PFP) is a 26-year-old independent public folklife agency committed to building critical folk cultural knowledge, sustaining vital and diverse living cultural heritage, and creating equitable processes and practices for nurturing local grassroots arts and humanities. PFP documents, supports, and presents Philadelphia-area folk arts and culture--including the arts of people who have been here for generations and those who have just arrived.
735 South 50th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19143
(215) 726-1106
Princeton University is a vibrant community of scholarship and learning that stands in the nation's service and in the service of all nations. Chartered in 1746, Princeton is the fourth-oldest college in the United States. Princeton is an independent, coeducational, nondenominational institution that provides undergraduate and graduate instruction in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and engineering.
Princeton University
Princeton, NJ 08544
(609) 258-3000
Princeton Survey Research Associates International (PSRAI) is dedicated to high-quality research and providing reliable, valid results for clients around the world. PSRAI offers innovative research design, methodologically-sound procedures, careful supervision of data collection, sophisticated data analysis, and clear, insightful, and engaging reports. PSRAI has designed and implemented complex research efforts for clients ranging from non-profits, to news organizations and major international corporations.
600 Alexander Road
Suite 202
Princeton, NJ 08540
(609) 924-9204
Project Row Houses (PRH) is a neighborhood-based nonprofit art and cultural organization in Houston’s Northern Third Ward, one of the city’s oldest African-American communities. PRH began in 1993 as a result of discussions among African-American artists who wanted to establish a positive, creative presence in their own community. Central to the vision of PRH is the social role of art as seen in neighborhood revitalization, historic preservation, community service, and youth education.
2521 Holman Street
Houston, TX 77004
(713) 526-7662
The Queens Museum of Art (QMA) is dedicated to presenting the highest quality visual arts and educational programming for the New York metropolitan area, and particularly for the residents of Queens, a uniquely diverse, ethnic, cultural, and international community. The Museum designs and provides art exhibitions, public programs and educational experiences that promote the appreciation and enjoyment of art, support the creative efforts of artists, and enhance the quality of life.
New York City Building
Flushing Meadows Corona Park
Queens, NY 11368
(718) 592-9700
Rebuild Foundation is a not-for-profit, creative engine focusing on cultural and economic redevelopment and affordable space initiatives in under-resourced communities. They currently manage projects in Detroit, Omaha, Saint Louis, and Chicago, each city enlisting a team of artists, architects, developers, educators, and community activists, who work together to integrate the arts and alternative entrepreneurship into a community-driven process of place making and neighborhood transformation.
Rebuild strengthened its operating capacity in Chicago and expanded to new projects in Detroit, Omaha, and St. Louis. A team of artists, architects, developers, educators, and community activists was enlisted at each site to work together to integrate arts programs, apprenticeships, and entrepreneurial projects into community-driven neighborhood revitalization. Rebuild hired additional staff, formalized internal systems, and professionalized communications, while expanding its corps of volunteers in each of its project sites.
6918 South Dorchester Avenue
Chicago, IL 60637
(314) 329-7544
Rennie Harris Puremovement is a hip-hop dance company dedicated to preserving and disseminating hip-hop culture through workshops, classes, history lecture demonstrations, long-term residencies, mentoring programs, and public performances. Dr. Lorenzo (Rennie) Harris’ work encompasses the diverse and rich African-American traditions of the past, while simultaneously presenting the voice of a new generation through its ever-evolving interpretations of dance.
1500 Market Street
12th Floor, East Tower
Philadelphia, PA 19102
(267) 236-4097
Founded in 1992, Side Street Projects is a completely mobile, artist-run organization. Their mission is to give artists of all ages the ability and the means to support their creative endeavors through educational programs that encourage self-reliance and creative problem solving in a contemporary art context. Side Street Projects is part of a growing alternative practice of artists who operate outside the gallery system by working inside communities. They engage in “complex public negotiations” rather than object making.
P.O. Box 90432
Pasadena, CA 91103
(626) 798-7774
The Social Impact of the Arts Project (SIAP) is a research group at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy & Practice in Philadelphia. SIAP was formed in 1994 to ask questions about and develop methods to examine the impact of the arts and culture on community life. The primary research focus is the relationship of the arts to community change, with a particular interest in strategies for arts-based neighborhood revitalization and social inclusion.
SIAP has produced case studies of three naturally occurring cultural districts in Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Seattle; and a three-city study and summary. The summary is available on the LINC and SIAP websites.
3701 Locust Walk
Philadelphia, PA 19104
The Soo Theatre Poject, Inc. mission is to enrich the quality of life in Sault Ste. Marie by bringing talented entertainers, local artists, and quality events to the historic Soo Theatre stage. STARS (Soo Theatre Arts Resource Studios) is a program that offers classes in dance, yoga, theatre, music, and the visual arts; private music lessons; and opportunities to participate in performing groups.
534 Ashmun Street
Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783
(906)632-1930
The South Carolina Arts Commission (SCAC) is an autonomous state agency governed by a nine-member Board of Commissioners. For more than 40 years, the agency has worked to make it possible for every citizen in the state to enjoy and benefit from the arts, including those who do not have a lot of money or live in a large city. The Commission's programs and activities fall into three major domains of public participation and service: Artist Development, Arts Education, and Community Arts Development.
SCAC developed the Artists’ Venture Initiative (AVI) as a three-part program of artist gatherings, in-depth professional development; and the Artist Ventures Investment program for investing in entrepreneurial artists. SCAC worked with LINC grantee, Artists U, to identify and train artists/facilitators to implement coaching for artists chosen for the investment program.
1026 Sumter Street
Columbia, SC 29201
(803) 734-8696
Springboard for the Arts is an economic and community development organization for artists and by artists. Their work is about building stronger communities, neighborhoods, and economies, and they believe that artists are an important leverage point in that work. Springboard for the Arts' mission is to cultivate vibrant communities by connecting artists with the skills, information, and services they need to make a living and a life.
Springboard created a series of Artists’ Health Fairs, established a voucher plan with the Neighborhood Involvement Program and participating clinics, and established a relief fund to help artists with emergency medical bills. In addition, Springboard developed guides to health care and health insurance in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Several organizations around the country are now using Springboard’s Replication Toolkit to improve services to artists in their own regions.
308 Prince Street
St. Paul, MN 55101
(651) 292-4381
The Stockton Rush Bartol Foundation believes that arts and culture are a catalyst for meaningful communication and connection in Philadelphia; that their value lies as much in the creative process and purely aesthetic experience as in the product; and that all citizens deserve access to compelling creative experiences. These experiences should be grounded in strong artistic practice and relevant to a wide range of cultural traditions and aesthetics.
Avenue of the Arts
Suite 1003
Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 545-4037
S.L.A.M. (the STREB Lab for Action Mechanics) is an open-access venue and artist-driven community institution. The company has developed an extensive calendar of programs including two annual home performance seasons, year-round classes for children and adults, a summer camp, an Emerging Artist Commissioning Program, KIDS IN CONTROL (a program for at-risk youth in partnership with the Greenpoint YMCA), and TEEN ACTION (an education initiative in collaboration with the El Puente Leadership Center).
STREB has moved its creative and community engagement agenda forward by producing new work and expanding its benchmark education programs. Highlights include an international tour to the Holland Dance Festival and a groundbreaking, site-specific presentation for the London 2012 Festival at the invitation of the Mayor of London. STREB also awarded commissions to five emerging artists and maintained its Community Outreach programs at its own facility and in partnership with Greenpoint YMCA, among others.
51 North 1st Street
Brooklyn, NY 11249
(718) 384-6491
The Actors Fund is a nationwide human services organization for performing arts and entertainment professionals in need, in crisis, or in transition. In 1998, The Actors Fund created the Artists Health Insurance Resource Center (AHIRC). Through in-person counseling in NY and LA, national telephone support, and hundreds of workshops throughout the country, AHIRC works to reduce the number of uninsured artists and expand artists’ access to quality, affordable health insurance and health care.
LINC funding enabled AHIRC to develop the Every Artist Insured booklet, which explains the Supreme Court’s Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act (PPACA) and what it means for artists. Subsequent production of city and regional Health Care Guides and the “Every Artist Insured” tour brought seminars and additional resources to more than twenty cities. AHIRC has registered over 340,000 website visitors and directly counseled over 2,800 individuals. AHIRC has recently been selected by New York State to operate as a Community Health Advocate.
729 7th Avenue
10th Floor
New York, NY 10019
(212) 221-7300
The mission of The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region is to strengthen the Washington metropolitan region by encouraging and supporting effective giving and by providing leadership on critical issues in the community. The Foundation is part of a network of some 700 community foundations nationwide, each a tax-exempt, public charity made up of charitable funds established by individuals, families, corporations, and other organizations.
1201 15th Street North West
Suite 420
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 955-5890
The Heidelberg Project is an open-air art environment in the heart of an urban community on Detroit’s east side. Tyree Guyton, founder and artistic director, uses everyday discarded objects to create a two-block area full of color, symbolism, and intrigue. Now in its 25th year, the Heidelberg Project is recognized around the world as a demonstration of the power of creativity to transform lives. The Heidelberg Project offers a forum for ideas, a seed of hope, and a bright vision for the future.
The Heidelberg Project has scaled back its capital project and established a plan to develop a more extensive open-air landscape within the Heidelberg area footprint, and rehabilitate existing HP structures beginning with a home recently acquired at the Wayne County Land Auction. The property is located on the same plot of land envisioned for its original, larger facility and will serve as the anchor for the revised Cultural Village, situating an office and in-door program space on Heidelberg Street.
42 Watson Street
Detroit, MI 48201
(313) 974-6894
One of the earliest cultural centers and museums located on an Indian reservation in the United States, The Heritage Center at Red Cloud Indian School on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation is a place for art, education, preservation, economic development, culture, and history. The Center has become a model and source of inspiration for the Lakota people—and visitors from around the globe—who wish to honor and celebrate the Lakota culture, Native art, and the Center's historic, significant collection.
Baseline planning for The Heritage Center’s facility has been completed. Leadership is currently forming an internal project team to create and vet culturally- specific Lakota and Jesuit “codes” to guide the design stage. In addition to the design stage, the next steps are also focused on a fundraising feasibility study. A cultural/architectural consultant has been hired and an outside consultant will be hired to complete the funding feasibility study. Additional LINC support also allowed The Heritage Center to develop its first communications plan.
100 Mission Drive
Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, SD 57770
The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation benefits individuals and communities by supporting the preservation and enhancement of the built and natural environments through historic preservation, encouragement of quality architectural and landscape design, and conserving open space. The Foundation also supports the performing and visual arts, investigative reporting, government accountability, and organizations that provide opportunities for working families who remain poor.
333 North Michigan Avenue
Suite 510
Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 641-5772
The San Francisco Foundation (TSFF) is an incubator for community investment, original ideas, and passionate leadership. Since 1948, they have been bringing together networks of philanthropists and civic leaders to support and build on the strengths of the community and make the Bay Area the best place it can be. TSFF is a leading agent of Bay Area philanthropy and ranks among the nation’s largest community foundations in grantmaking and assets.
With LINC’s early investment, TSFF and the East Bay Community Foundation were able to attract funding from the Hewlett, James Irvine, Surdna and Wattis Foundations to distribute nearly $700,000 in grants to over 180 artists from 2005 to 2010. These commitments inspired over $730,000 in donations from over 3,100 individual donors. The partners commissioned a follow-up study by WolfBrown and Helicon Collaborative on donor motivations and strategies for attracting individual donors to artists’ projects.
255 Bush Street
Suite 500
San Francisco, CA 94104
(415) 733-8500
The Southwest Center is a research unit of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences of the University of Arizona, with a threefold mission: to sponsor and facilitate research on the Greater Southwest, to publish exemplary work growing from that research, and to act in service to citizens of the region through programs of teaching and outreach. In all three areas special emphasis is given to strengthening individual and institutional ties to our colleagues at universities and cultural centers in the Republic of Mexico.
Dr. Maribel Alvarez has developed a new blog at www.artsinachangingamerica.net The blog showed significant growth during the last quarter, and was able to hire two interns to infiltrate the social media landscape and improve efficiency. In the last three months, the blog increased Facebook “likes” from 75 to over 1,500. This significant growth in the last quarter and Facebook engagement suggest that there will be continued growth moving forward.
1052 North Highland Avenue
P.O. Box 210185
Tucson, AZ 85721
(520) 621-2484
The Urban Institute gathers data, conducts research, evaluates programs, offers technical assistance overseas, and educates Americans on social and economic issues — to foster sound public policy and effective government. The Urban Institute builds knowledge about the nation’s social and fiscal challenges, practicing open-minded, evidence-based research to diagnose problems and figure out which policies and programs work best, for whom, and how.
2100 M Street, North West
Washington, DC 20037
(202) 833-7200
The mission of The Village of Arts and Humanities is to support the voices and aspirations of the community through providing opportunities for self-expression rooted in art and culture. The Village inspires people to be agents of positive change through programs that encompass arts and culture, engage youth, revitalize community, preserve heritage, and respect the environment.
2544 Germantown Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19133
(215) 225-7830
Founded in 1984 by choreographer Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, Urban Bush Women (UBW) seeks to bring the untold and under-told histories and stories of disenfranchised people to light through dance. UBW works from a woman-centered perspective and as members of the African Diaspora community in order to create a more equitable balance of power in the dance world and beyond. UBW fulfills their missionby facilitating the use of art as a means of addressing issues of social justice and encouraging civic engagement.
UBW continued to focus on the training and professional development of the primary B.O.L.D. (Builders Organizers Leaders through Dance) trainers/managers and increased the employment of trained B.O.L.D. community engagement specialists. UBW was also able to offer fees to invite dance and visual artists to be part of a performance and residency project created and developed by UBW founder Jawole Willa Jo Zollar and LINC Artist Council member Liz Lerman.
138 South Oxford Street
Suite 4B
Brooklyn, NY 11217
(718) 398-4537
Urban Word NYC champions New York City youth by providing platforms for critical literacy, youth development, and leadership through free and uncensored writing, college prep, and performance opportunities. They believe that free self-expression–matured in an enhanced critical literacy environment–improves self-confidence and strengthens educational achievement. They promote active literacy, critical thought, and positive social dialogue across boundaries of age, race, class, gender, culture, and sexuality.
Urban Word NYC continued thier work with over 3,600 young people throughout NYC. They anticipate that outreach initiatives and youth participation for the 2012-2013 program years to increase by at least 15%. In partnership with the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation St. John’s Recreation Center they will launch UWNYC Hip Hop Academy & Studio in Brooklyn, increasing their impact and making them a stronger competitor for government resources.
242 West 27th St
#3A
New York, NY 10001
Vietnamese Youth Development Center (VYDC) provides direct assistance to Southeast Asian and neighborhood youth by empowering them to participate actively in the development of their community. VYDC prepares young people to transition successfully into adulthood by providing comprehensive case management, employment, educational services and socially enriching activities in the Tenderloin community and throughout San Francisco.
166 Eddy Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 771-2600
Formally established in 1927, the Walker Art Center was the first public art gallery in the Upper Midwest. The Walker is a catalyst for the creative expression of artists and the active engagement of audiences. Focusing on the visual, performing, and media arts of our time, the Walker takes a global, multidisciplinary, and diverse approach to the creation, presentation, interpretation, collection, and preservation of art. Walker programs examine the questions that shape and inspire us as individuals, cultures, and communities.
1750 Hennepin Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55403
(612) 375-7600
Watts House Project (WHP) is an artist-driven neighborhood redevelopment organization, wherein artists, architects, design professionals, and local volunteers collaborate to employ art as an economic and community development engine in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles. WHP revitalizes the neighborhood and re-imagines the environment through inventive programming, community involvement, and functional and creative housing renovations.
WHP has recently restructured its staff and its board to re-energize and refocus the organization. They have launched a new phase (WHP 2.0) which represents an evolution of the organization into an entity with clear direction for how it serves its community and how it intends to expand beyond Watts.
1726-1750 East 107th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90002
(323) 537-2232
Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience is dedicated to immersing people in uniquely-American stories of survival, success, struggle, conflict, compassion and hope. The Museum is in the heart of Seattle’s vibrant Chinatown-International District, and includes the very hotel where countless immigrants first found a home, a meal, and refuge. The Wing is a Smithsonian Affiliate, a partnership with the Smithsonian Institution.
719 South King Street
Seattle, WA 98104
(206) 623-5124
WolfBrown helps funders, nonprofit institutions and public agencies understand their potential, set priorities and fulfill their promise. While arts and culture is a focus of their work, they also serve important clients in the social service, health, environment, preservation, and other sectors. At the heart of their work is the belief that every human being has a unique creative voice of intrinsic worth and that every community has a responsibility to awaken, nurture, and sustain its cultural capital.
8A Francis Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 494-9300
Youngstown Cultural Arts Center is an inclusive, contemporary multi-arts space based in the Delridge Neighborhood of Southwest Seattle that incubates and inspires new arts participants, art-makers, and organizations from multicultural, intergenerational communities in order to engage in civic dialogue and meaningful community transformation. Youngstown is included in the national register of historic spaces.
4408 Delridge Way, South West
Seattle, WA 98106
(206) 935-2999
Youth Speaks creates safe spaces to empower the next generation of leaders, self-defined artists, and visionary activists through written and oral literacies. They challenge youth to find, develop, publicly present, and apply their voices as creators of social change. Ultimately, they hope to shift the perceptions of youth by combating illiteracy, alienation, and silence, creating a global movement of brave new voices bringing the noise from the margins to the core.
1663 Mission Street
Suite 604
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 255-9035
ArtHome’s mission is to help artists build assets and equity through financial literacy, home ownership, self-sufficiency, and the responsible use of credit. After identifying asset-building programs with good data, scalable practices, and successful track records that are not currently serving artists, ArtHome works with leaders in these systems to expand their reach to serve cultural workers and artists. Areas of focus include homebuyer training programs, matching grant savings programs, and peer lending systems.
ArtHome produced a series of publications in English, Spanish, and Chinese, including: a Homebuyer Handbook, the Foreclosure Prevention Handbook, and Mortgage Qualification Strategies for Artists and Independent Workers. The success of this work has triggered replication efforts in two LINC communities: ArtHome is partnering with Community Partners for Arts and Culture (CPAC) in Cleveland , and Springboard for the Arts in Minnesota, where a local Homebuyer Handbook is now available.
155 Water Street #413
Brooklyn, NY 11201
(718)412-8515