(Flint,
Michigan, January 18, 2012) The Flint Public Art Project has been named a
finalist for support from ArtPlace, an unprecedented private-public
collaboration of nine of the nation’s top foundations, eight federal agencies
including the National Endowment for the Arts, and six of the nation’s largest
banks. ArtPlace supports creative placemaking with grants and loans, research
and advocacy. The Flint Public Art Project joins 128 other organizations in 68
cities working to transform their communities by driving vibrancy through
investments in the arts.
The
selected projects represent the best of the more than 2,000 applications from
across the country. Finalists were chosen for their potential to have a
transformative impact on community vibrancy. Proposed projects run the gamut
from temporary art spaces to permanent performance venues, from music festivals
to art walks and from streetscaping to artist residencies.
“This new round of applications shows that
there is serious momentum building for creative placemaking in the U.S.,” says
Carol Coletta, president of ArtPlace. “These artists and designers are an
undervalued asset for kick-starting momentum in our communities. And in this
economy, it’s hard to imagine why any community wouldn’t deploy every asset it
has for success.”
ArtPlace
expects to distribute $15 million in 2012. This year’s grant recipients will be
announced in May. Last year, 34 organizations received a total of $11.5
million.
The
full list of finalists can be found at
http://www.artplaceamerica.org/2012finalists
Participating
foundations include Bloomberg Philanthropies, The Ford Foundation, The James
Irvine Foundation, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, The Kresge
Foundation, The McKnight Foundation, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, The
Rockefeller Foundation, Rasmuson Foundation, The Robina Foundation and an
anonymous donor. In addition to the NEA, federal partners are the departments
of Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, Agriculture,
Education and Transportation, along with leadership from the White House Office
of Management and Budget and the Domestic Policy Council. ArtPlace is also supported
by a $12 million loan fund capitalized by six major financial institutions and
managed by the Nonprofit Finance Fund. Participating institutions are Bank of
America, Citi, Deutsche Bank, Chase, MetLife and Morgan Stanley.
CONTACT: Tim Halbur
(415) 948-1398
