Arts Program

We believe New York City's arts landscape drives not only its cultural vibrancy but also promotes political and economic power among its residents. By investing in place-based work and local efforts, we can best support the conditions necessary to build that power through and within the arts while also uplifting generative creativity that is at the heart of the deep artistic history and diverse cultural foundations that have shaped New York City.

We also believe in supporting the interconnectedness among BIPOC artists, communities, the arts field, and activism. Movements cannot exist without artistic power, and art and creation itself is a form of power—both must be prioritized. A percentage of our funding will be allocated to citywide arts support services and advocacy rooted in racial justice, ensuring the sustained transformation of the arts field at large.

Priorities for 2025 and 2026

Geographic

In Central & South Brooklyn, the South Bronx, East and Central Harlem, and on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, we support organizations that 

• Focus on arts, cultural, and narrative work through a racial justice lens

• Build BIPOC-led arts infrastructure and provide unconditional, holistic support for BIPOC artists, ensuring their artistic freedom and creativity are respected, resourced, and amplified

• Enhance economic opportunities and access for communities through arts and culture, including partnerships with local vendors, events, and engagement

• Support the use of art and "artivism" as means of political leverage and advocacy both within the arts field and across areas to build community power

• Ensure BIPOC art and culture workers have a seat at the table where resource allocation and decision-making occur

• Support the power and presence of long-standing BIPOC communities in the area, preserve and promote local cultural heritage, and address gentrification's impact on local communities while fostering continued artistic generation

• Engage with and benefit diverse audiences

• Bolster BIPOC-led and serving arts and cultural networks and underfunded cultural organizations

Outside of our geographic priorities, we also support

• “Bridge” theaters across the city that center BIPOC artists and transformative works. Our goal is to change field norms and make NYC productions more accessible

• Arts and cultural networks that have presence and roots in multiple neighborhoods or boroughs, unify advocacy, representation, and transformation efforts in the field, and act as gateways for BIPOC communities to access the arts

• Arts advocacy, support, and services grounded in racial justice to transform the arts field at large and leverage traditional audiences and venues, ensuring a more equitable arts landscape that reflects the city's diversity

PROGRAM STAFF

• Naiche Parker (lead)

• Mike Pratt