CultureWorks is thrilled to announce our recipients for the 2019 cycle of our annual Grants Program. We received many wonderful applications, which only made it more difficult to make final decisions. First and foremost, congratulations to all applicants for their submissions and for participating in our thriving arts and culture community.

We are delighted to fund sixteen organizations and eight professional artists and provide support for a variety of projects, programs, and experiences for the 2019-2020 year. Grant awards totaled $128,498 and were made possible through the generosity of Altria Group, The Community Foundation for a greater Richmond and other individual local arts supporters. The CultureWorks Grants Program has two focus areas: Building Capabilities and Cultural Equity. Building Capabilities grants support the overall growth of an organization or artist while Cultural Equity grants support initiatives that reach or serve underrepresented populations in the community.

The 2019 grants cycle supports part of CultureWorks’ mission to ensure that arts and culture reaches everyone in the Richmond and Tri-City areas. Grants this year will benefit the cities of Richmond, Colonial Heights, Hopewell and Petersburg and the counties of Charles City, Chesterfield, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, New Kent and Powhatan, and the town of Ashland.

It’s been a pleasure to hear and see wonderful messages from some of this year’s recipients. A complete list of the 2019 Grant Awards is included below.

“We are grateful for CultureWorks and their commitment to fostering creativity and conversations in Richmond and beyond.”

- Anna Senechal Johnson, Cadence Theatre Company

Artist Victor Haskins received a Building Capabilities grant for his project, Moving Sound Pictures. He shared, “With this grant, I will be able to stage a large(r) scale production of this project that will include collaborations with multiple dancers, integrating multimedia, and an original narrative, amongst other elements. I'm extremely excited about this opportunity to continue to actualize ideas in my imagination.”

Pictured: Shannon McConville, Founding Artistic Director of Stavna Ballet

Shannon McConville, Founding Artistic Director of Stavna Ballet, is “humbled and honored” to receive a Cultural Equity Grant for the Stavna Reach Expansion Project in the East End of Richmond. “Thank you for believing in us and helping make our dreams a reality. We can’t wait to deepen our relationships within the community and without your support this would not be possible.”

Cadence Theatre Company, recipient of a Building Capabilities grant, will be able to expand their fund development program. “We are grateful for CultureWorks and their commitment to fostering creativity and conversations in Richmond and beyond. Like Cadence, CultureWorks believes that arts and culture have the power to teach and inspire, to uplift and heal, to truly transform,” says CTC founder and Creative Director Anna Senechal Johnson. “We thank CultureWorks for their confidence and investment in us. This grant furthers their vision of a community where everyone has access to arts and culture.”

Congratulations again to the 2019 CultureWorks Grants Recipients. We are eager to see all of the brilliant work you will do to impact the communities we serve in the coming year.

Organizations

1708 Gallery - $5,000 - To create a more diverse, inclusive and equitable InLight Festival focusing specifically on the black community through new curatorial initiatives.
Art on Wheels - $10,000 - To fund the Richmond Community Cubes project.
Asian American Society of Central Virginia - $4,000 - To provide cultural programming at the 2020 Asian American Celebration.
Cadence Theatre Company - $10,000 - To expand their fund development program.
Classical Revolution RVA - $1,650 - To support performers at Classical Innovations at Orbital Music Park.
Communities in Schools of Chesterfield - $10,000 – To fund their Celebrating Diversity Through Arts program.
Dogtown Dance Theater - $10,000 - To support an ExCELL Afterschool Program for English Language Learners.
Firehouse Theater - $15,000 - For the K Dance Residency at Firehouse.
Hopewell Downtown Partnership - $10,000 - To support Cultural Equity, Artists on Main Street, Hopewell.
James River Writers - $2,450 - To provide a website upgrade.
Powhatan Fairgrounds - $3,200 - To fund a facility assessment – safety and security.
Pretty Purposed - $4,000 - To support the 2019-2020 Pretty Purposed GIRLS Program, Petersburg.
Richmond Concert Band - $750 - To provide commissioned pieces composed to celebrate the band’s 50th Anniversary.
Richmond Jazz Society Inc. - $5,000 - To provide jazz programming for underserved audiences.
Robinson Theater Community Arts Center - $10,000 - To repair the stage floor, marquee and exterior display boxes.
Stavna Ballet - $6,650 - To fund the Stavna Reach Expansion Project in the East End of Richmond.

Artists

David Bromley - $1,767 - Painting & Drawing for seniors and adults in the Petersburg area
Sone-Seeré Burrell - $3,000 - Black Butterfly II exhibit
Victor Haskins - $3,000 - Deeper Collaborations with Moving Sound Pictures project
Aimee Joyaux - $3,000 - "Race in Place" Exhibit, Petersburg
Austin (Auz) Miles - $3,000 - "I CAN, because I said so" project
Alfonso Perez Acosta - $3,000 - "Migration Flow: a celebration of National Immigrants Day" project
Eva Rocha - $3,000 - Renovating space for an artist studio
Mac Wood - $1,031 - Emancipated Planters project