PNC Foundation Announces $1 Million in 'Arts Alive' Grants

The PNC Foundation has announced grants totaling $1 million to twenty-five arts organizations through its PNC Arts Alive initiative, a five-year, $5 million effort to increase access to the arts and help arts nonprofits grow and engage their audiences.

Now in its fourth year, the initiative awarded grants in support of a wide range of programs in the greater Philadelphia/southern New Jersey region, including pop-up theater and music performances as well as family arts and neighborhood-based initiatives. A recent study conducted by the PNC Financial Services Group found that 73 percent of projects supported in 2009, the program's first year, successfully lowered barriers to participation in the arts among individuals with limited access to the arts. Since its inception, the program has awarded more than one hundred grants totaling $4 million to over fifty organizations.

This year's cohort of sixteen returning grantees includes the Philadelphia Orchestra, which was awarded $80,000 in continued support for the youth education programs eZseatU and Sound All Around; the African American Museum, which received $75,000 for Come See About Me, an exhibit that celebrates the influence of the Supremes on fashion, music, civil rights, and female empowerment; and the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, which was awarded $50,000 for the mobile application Check In to the Arts. New grantees include the Asian Arts Initiative, which was awarded $40,000 for a series of public art workshops and visual art presentations by resident artists in Chinatown and South Philadelphia; the Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre, which received $35,000 to underwrite free admission and transportation during PNC Arts Alive Free Will Wednesdays; and the Mendelssohn Club, which was awarded $25,000 for its Big Sing Community Series.

"We know that a vibrant arts scene improves our region by creating jobs, boosting tourism, and generating millions in revenue," said Bill Mills, PNC regional president for Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey. "But accessibility to the arts can also make a profound difference in the lives of individuals — especially underserved youth and their families. The arts develop creativity, innovation, and collaboration — skills for the workforce of tomorrow."

For a complete list of this year's grant recipients, visit the PNC Arts Alive Web site.

“PNC Arts Alive Provides $1 Million to Arts Organizations for Free Public Arts Programs and Innovative Audience Engagement.” PNC Financial Services Group Press Release 3/21/12.

Primary Subject: Arts and Culture
Location(s): New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

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