The Pittsburgh Foundation

Advancing Black Arts in Pittsburgh program

Advancing Black Arts in Pittsburgh Program awards twenty-two grants

More than $320,000 to support arts and culture programs
 

PITTSBURGH, Pa., May 21, 2014 – The Pittsburgh Foundation and The Heinz Endowments awarded over $320,000 in grants to twenty-two individual artists and organizations from the Advancing Black Arts in Pittsburgh Program.

Launched as a partnership between the two foundations in November of 2010, the program is designed to support artistic risk-taking, outreach programming, career opportunities for individual artists, and strategies to promote organizational growth. The Advancing Black Arts in Pittsburgh Fund is held at The Pittsburgh Foundation and was established by an initial grant of $325,000 from each foundation. 

A six-member panel comprising artists, curators, community representatives and staff from both foundations reviewed 40 applications for consideration for spring 2014. A total of 22 artists and organizations received grants amounting to $320,489. Grants were awarded in three funding categories and encompassed various disciplines.

Grantees for the spring grant cycle include: Ramon Riley, to create 30 new works for the exhibition, “Braddock: Coming Home”; Sharon Flake, to create a stage play based on the novel, “The Skin I’m In”; and Brett Wormsley, to produce a documentary on U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves.  (See attached for a full list of grantees).

The Advancing Black Arts in Pittsburgh Program offers spring and fall grant cycles each year.  Applications for the fall cycle are due by August 4, 2014. 

INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS

Michael Chapman, $6,500, to collaborate with Jasiri X on new songs with acoustic instrumentation.

Kendra Dennard, $3,500, to develop a new version of the Viva: BLACK documentary performance.

Sharon Flake, $15,000, to create a stage play based on the novel, "The Skin I'm In."

Paradise Gray, $15,000, to develop "The Paradise Collection," an archive of historical Hip-hop media and memorabilia.

Heather Hopson, $15,000, to develop the blog, "Diary of a First Time Mom."

Billy Jackson, $15,000, to produce the documentary, "Wendell G. Freeland-The Silent Soldier."

Jazmin Jackson, $14,069, to create a 35-piece fashion collection and photo book.

Yvonne McBride, $14,200, to develop the oral history project titled, "Crossroads."

Ayanah Moor, $7,574, to create a new performance piece titled, "FLOW."

Bridgette Perdue, $2,750, to create a series of new songs inspired by research on African and African               American music dating back to the 1700s.

Ramon Riley, $15,000, to create 30 new works for the exhibition, "Braddock: Coming Home."

Dameta Skinner, $13,015, to support the expansion of the Hip-Hop Academy 3-D program.

Candace Walker, $15,000, to develop a solo, multi-media performance titled, "Kandake Live!"

Anthony Williams, $10,000, to support a series of workshops, titled "Black Men Loving Black Men."

Brett Wormsley, $10,881, to produce a documentary on U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves.

RESIDENCIES

City of Asylum Pittsburgh, $10,000, to host an artist residency with Oliver Lake to develop a new, jazz-based artwork.

Community Theater Project Corporation, $15,000, to support an artist residency with Joy KMT to develop a new work for stage performance.

Melting Pot Ministries, $15,000, to support an artist residency with Chrystal Bates-Matuscak to develop a staged production based on the stories of first generation African immigrants.

UNRESTRICTED

Kente Arts Alliance, $25,000, for FY 2015 unrestricted support.

Kuntu Repertory Theatre, $50,000, for expenses related to organizational dissolution.

Nego Gato, Inc., $8,000, for FY 2014 unrestricted support.

Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company, $25,000, for FY 2014 unrestricted support.

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