Community Foundation to funnel at least $150,000 into public art projects

Building on the past year’s planning which involved robust community engagement, the Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts has announced the first phase of its Creative Commonwealth initiative with a round of grants to support the creation of public art for New Bedford and Fall River.

NEW BEDFORD — Building on the past year’s planning which involved robust community engagement, the Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts has announced the first phase of its Creative Commonwealth initiative with a round of grants to support the creation of public art for New Bedford and Fall River.

A minimum of $150,000 will be available for public art projects that emphasize accessibility and inclusion and celebrates community-wide ownership of the arts.

Projects are to be completed or significantly underway by September 2019 and applicants must be a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit.

Applicants are encouraged develop projects that are impactful, transformative, collaborative, engage the community and demonstrate artistic excellence.

“This initial grant opportunity marks an important milestone for our Creative Commonwealth initiative as we offer the community a substantial new opportunity to create excellence in our public arena,” said Nicholas M. Christ, president and CEO of BayCoast Bank and chair of the Arts & Culture Committee of the Community Foundation.

“We actively seek proposals from organizations that engage youth and serve culturally diverse populations, and we welcome applicants that embrace artistic risk-taking and bold organizational change,” said Priscilla Ditchfield who serves with Christ on the Arts & Culture Committee and chairs its Grants Committee.

Interested applicants can access the Letter of Interest on the Community Foundation website at cfsema.org.

Completed Letters of Interest are due by 5 p.m. on July 6 and potential applicants should direct questions to Rayana Grace, Arts & Culture Program Manager, at 508-996-8253 ext. 203 or rgrace@cfsema.org.

A partnership between the Barr Foundation and five community foundations in Massachusetts, the Creative Commonwealth initiative is rooted in the belief that investments in arts and creativity build thriving communities, and it aims to promote the vital leadership role community foundations can play to advance the arts.

The Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts has been awarded $500,000 over 24 months to pilot ideas customized to Fall River and New Bedford. These grants follow a year-long planning process funded by Barr in 2017, during which each foundation worked with community leaders to identify opportunities, needs, and priorities.