Bronx Council on the Arts grants
Organization gives $500,000 in grants to local artists and art groups
BY JENNA BAGCAL
A Bronx arts organization
recently announced
its distribution
of funds to the local
art community despite
its challenges during
COVID-19.
Earlier this month,
the Bronx Council
on the Arts (BCA) revealed
that it donated
over $500,000 through
its annual grant making
programs including
over 70 Community Engagement
Grants (CEG)
and over 40 Bronx Recognizes
Its Own (BRIO)
Awards.
“As COVID-19 continues
to have a devastating
impact, especially
in The Bronx, and resistance
to systemic racism
in our society continues,
we hope that these funds
make a difference for individual
artists, arts collectives
and arts organizations
and advance the
vibrant arts and culture
2020 BRIO Awards recipients Photo courtesy of Bronx Council on the Arts
in the borough,” said
BCA in a statement.
Funding support
for these grants came
from the New York State
Council on the Arts (NYSCA)
and the New York
City Department of Cultural
Affairs (DCLA).
According to BCA,
“Bronx-based art and
artist have been a driver
of the City’s culture for
centuries.” The organization’s
funding supports
arts and culture
projects that center on
the community and also
recognizes outstanding
local artist who represent
the borough’s diversity
.T
his year, the organization
awarded CEGs to
71 projects that “contribute
to the cultural life of
the borough.” According
to BCA, the grants focus
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BRONX TIMES R 24 EPORTER, JULY 24-30, 2020 BTR
on the work produced by
community-based organizations
and includes categories
like “New Work,”
“Arts Fund,” “Community
Arts” and “Arts on
the Block.” Artist and
organizations who win
these grants encompass
all disciplines, genres
and styles.
In 2020, 44 artists in
the literary world, media
and performing and
visual arts were given
BRIO Awards, which
“serve to recognize the
wealth of Bronx artistic
talent.”
A full list of grant
winners is available in
the “grants” section of
BCA’s website.
BCA selects winners
based on the tenants of equity,
diversity and inclusion.
The process is led by
a “diverse array of panelists
recruited through
an open process.” Panelists
are selected based
on their expertise, geography,
gender, race and
other “diversity benchmarks.”
BRIO winners
are selected through an
anonymous process.
Applications for the
2021 grant cycle will open
on August 10 and will be
available on bronxarts.
org.
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