ORLANDO, Fla. – August 31, 2022 — United Arts of Central Florida has opened the application process for the 2023 Diversity in the Arts program sponsored by Duke Energy. Relaunching as a mission investment grant program, the Diversity in the Arts program creates a pathway for grassroots, BIPOC1 /ALAANA2 led organizations to apply for multi-year (up to 2 years) general operating support. Granting between $5,000 to $10,000 per year, United Arts is committed to making intentional investments into the growth and stability of organizations that represent, celebrate, and serve the culturally diverse communities of Central Florida.
The vision of United Arts is to increase access to the arts for all people of Central Florida by 2025. To achieve this vision, United Arts has set strategic goals to be more intentional to grow the grants and outreach programs that are inclusive, equitable, impactful, and sustainable. United Arts convened a diverse taskforce of past and potential Diversity in the Arts grantees, cultural community leaders, former panelists, and United Arts board members to identify and remove barriers hindering access to equitable and impactful arts and culture funding.
“As the recipient of the Diversity in the Arts program, our organization was able to create space for Black and Brown woman directors to educate and empower each other,” said Mandi Jo John, executive director of Black Theatre Girl Magic. “The grant enabled our young organization to pilot uniquely BIPOC educational programs for women and nonbinary people, some of which are already impacting the arts landscape of Central Florida, and we at Black Theatre Girl Magic, look forward to building upon the foundation that this grant opportunity has created.”
The Duke Energy Diversity in the Arts program started as a project-based funding program in 2021 to strengthen diverse, grassroots, arts and cultural organizations located in Lake, Orange, Osceola and Seminole Counties. In its first year, this program awarded $50,000 to 8 cultural organizations led by people of color that had not previously been funded by United Arts. Two went on to receive awards from United Arts’ FY22 project grants cycle, illustrating the program’s objective to invite and encourage participation in other United Arts grant and contract-for-service offerings.
To be considered for the Diversity in the Arts grant program, applicants must be BIPOC/ALAANA led, a 501(c)3 organization or are actively applying for their nonprofit status. In addition, they must be located and serving communities in Lake, Orange, Osceola, or Seminole counties and have arts, history, or science as their primary mission. Submitted applications will be reviewed by United Arts staff for completeness and organizational eligibility before going through a volunteer panel review process.
United Arts uses a volunteer participatory panel process to formulate funding recommendations. Panelists are vital to the integrity of the grant review process. They bring their expertise of their community, the arts (history and science), and nonprofit management to evaluate each application. Each panel is reflective of the communities United Arts serves. For Diversity in the Arts, panelists will be reviewing eligible applications through the lenses of artistic excellence, artistic merit, and community impact. This program has a funding period of January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023, for organizations apply for one year and a funding period of January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023, and January 1, 2024 – December 31, 2024, for successful, multi-year grantees. These grants are sponsored by Duke Energy and the deadline to apply is 11:59 P.M., on October 2, 2022.
Please visit https://unitedarts.cc/grantee-resources/grants-2/ for more information and the complete list of application guidelines and requirements.
- Black, Indigenous, and People of Color
- African, Latino/a/x, Asian, Arab, and Native American
About United Arts of Central Florida
United Arts of Central Florida is the local arts agency uniting the community and fueling the arts. With the help of individual donors, corporations, foundations and public funding, United Arts inspires creativity, builds community and strengthens the economy in Central Florida. United Arts is proud to facilitate arts education programs for all ages and provide critical funding and comprehensive marketing for local art, science, and history organizations and individual artists. Leading the second largest collaborative fundraising campaign in the country and uniting over 30 of the region’s cornerstone arts and cultural organizations, United Arts is dedicated to ensuring the arts are for all.
For more information, visit http://www.UnitedArts.cc or call 407.628.0333.
