COLUMBUS, Ohio, June 6, 2012 — PNC announced today that 13 local arts organizations will receive more than half a million dollars through the PNC Arts Alive initiative of the PNC Foundation, which receives its principal funding from The PNC Financial Services Group (NYSE: PNC), for projects that seek to attract and engage diverse audiences. The funding will support programming to take place in 2013.
This is the third round of grants in the three-year PNC Arts Alive initiative, a $1.5 million effort to expand the reach and economic impact of arts programs in central Ohio.
“Music, theater, dance and the visual arts are vital to increasing the quality of life and attractiveness of our community,” said Michael Gonsiorowski, PNC regional president for central Ohio. “Arts Alive-funded programming is providing more opportunities for residents and visitors to access the rich arts offerings of central Ohio and is helping grow central Ohio’s economy.”
The latest round of Arts Alive grant recipients* span the Columbus metropolitan and regional communities, representing disciplines including music, dance, theater and visual arts. The funded programs blend traditional and new media into performances and include components that offer unique cultural and alternative learning experiences. This year’s recipients include:
Columbus: CAPA, Carpe Diem String Quartet, CATCO-Phoenix, Columbus Dance Theater, Columbus Gay Men’s Chorus, Columbus Museum of Art, Opera Columbus, ProMusica Chamber Orchestra
Delaware: Delaware County Cultural Arts Center
Lancaster: Decorative Arts Center
New Albany: New Albany Symphony
Zanesfield: Mad River Theater Works
Zanesville: Zanesville Museum of Art
*Please see below for full program descriptions.
To maximize the benefits of PNC Arts Alive locally, PNC partnered with leading community arts organizations including the Greater Columbus Arts Council and the Ohio Arts Council, using their input to bring the program to the region.
PNC Arts Alive launched in central Ohio in September 2010 and has already granted $1 million to 24 organizations that are utilizing innovative technology for performances and forging new relationships with other local arts groups. A complete list of previous grant recipients is available at http://pncartsalive.com/columbus/grantees.php.
“PNC has made it possible for a young organization like ours to thrive,” said Heather Garner, executive director of the New Albany Symphony, one of the 2011 grant recipients. “The arts organizations in our community work hard to continue providing creative programming that will touch a variety of people across all ages and backgrounds. Through the Arts Alive initiative, PNC has validated the work we do and made it possible for arts organizations to collaborate in new ways.”
An integral component of The PNC Foundation’s grant making is measuring the effectiveness of its giving. To assess the overall impact of the initiative, PNC will conduct an independent evaluation upon completion of each year’s programming.
So far, results from the first year programming indicate that all participating organizations:
- Increased their total audience while using more than two technological platforms concurrently (e.g. Twitter, Facebook, web sites, etc.) to increase audience reach;
- Reported a direct business benefit that enhanced the organizations’ sustainability, including revenue from ticket sales, increased grant funding or sponsorships. The majority also lowered barriers to participation in the arts for individuals with limited access; and
- Confirmed receiving some level of sustainable funding for the programming by the end of the grant period.
PNC will continue to evaluate the results of second- and third-year programs.
The PNC Foundation actively supports organizations that provide services for the benefit of communities in which it has a significant presence. The foundation focuses its philanthropic mission on early childhood education and community and economic development, which includes the arts and culture. For more information, visit www.pncartsalive.com. Follow @PNCNews on Twitter for breaking news, updates and announcements from PNC.
GRANT RECIPIENTS AND PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS
Returning Grantees:
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CAPA – PNC Arts Alive All Access CAPA is currently offering $5 tickets to make arts performances and exhibits accessible and affordable for visitors ages 13-25. The funding will allow continuation of the previously-funded ticket subsidy program. |
$35,000
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Carpe Diem String Quartet – Live Online Broadcasts Carpe Diem eStage is an innovative new way of using internet technology to stream live broadcasts of musical performances. Carpe Diem eStage will produce eight programs in 2013, radically increasing the number of people exposed to live performances of music. The live webcasts can be viewed for free on the Carpe Diem website and all schools in the state of Ohio will be notified of the performances. |
$62,500 |
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CATCO-Phoenix – “Shakespeare 4.0” CATCO-Phoenix will be producing “Shakespeare 4.0,” a touring production targeting underserved middle and high school students from Jan. through June 2013. Through abbreviated adaptations of Shakespeare plays, this innovative program will help students get excited about Shakespeare. Study guides for teachers and students will be available, along with a Facebook page and special Twitter handle to provide a platform for student dialogue on the arts. |
$45,000 |
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Columbus Gay Men’s Chorus – “Motown in Our Town” The Columbus Gay Men’s Chorus (CGMC) will produce a concert series titled, “Motown in Our Town” in June 2013. The project will include engaging the King-Lincoln District residents and underserved residents of the near east side of Columbus by offering complimentary tickets to the performances. In addition, CGMC will host a panel discussion after the Sunday matinee to discuss the role the performing arts have played in the African American community, among other topics. |
$25,000
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Columbus Museum of Art – Free Sundays The Columbus Museum of Art will continue to offer free Sundays throughout the year to increase accessibility to broad and diverse audiences. In 2011, free Sundays served more than 61,000 visitors of all ages. |
$50,000
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Decorative Arts Center – “Ethnic Textiles: The Threads that Unite Us” The Decorative Arts Center will present "Ethnic Textiles: The Threads that Unite Us" between May 4 and Sept. 1, 2013. The exhibition will engage new audiences with an installation of exceptional textiles from around the globe and will be accompanied by family activities, lectures, art classes, live music and an exhibition catalog. |
$25,000
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Delaware County Cultural Arts Center – “The Arts Castle Goes Green” The Delaware County Cultural Arts Center will offer a year-long program promoting sustainability and conservation entitled, "The Arts Castle Goes Green, Presented by PNC." Through a series of free- or reduced-price classes, workshops and special events, The Castle will use art to convey the importance of developing an awareness and appreciation of the environment. |
$35,000
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Mad River Theater Works – Performance on Food Production Mad River Theater Works will produce a multi-media performance that will tell the cultural and scientific history of food production. The musical will explore the journey of food in our world, beginning with small family farms and arriving at the large scale industrial agriculture centers that are the primary source of food in American homes today. |
$40,500
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New Albany Symphony – “Shall We Dance?” Production New Albany Symphony will present “Shall We Dance?” a high-energy production combining the vibrant rhythms of Latin American music with the moves of Latin American dance. The concert includes professional Latin dancers in a “Dancing with the Stars” format. The professional dancer and non-professional partner will show off their skills and authentic Latin costume during the live on-stage performance with the 100-piece New Albany Symphony Orchestra and guest percussionists on Feb. 10, 2013. |
$42,000
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ProMusica Chamber Orchestra – “Thurber’s Dogs” Curriculum ProMusica and Thurber House will develop an in-school curriculum around “Thurber’s Dogs,” targeting two elementary school classes. This curriculum will combine elements of live music, creative writing, cartooning, historical information on James Thurber and free tickets for the students and their families to see the ProMusica production of “Thurber’s Dogs.” |
$45,000
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Zanesville Museum of Art – Musical Color The Zanesville Museum of Art will produce four free public programs at its galleries and museum grounds to showcase the relationship between visual and musical arts. The showcase will take place between April and Sept. 2013. |
$35,500
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New Grantees: |
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Columbus Dance Theater – “Cleopatra” The Columbus Dance Theater will offer a special day and time free of charge of the premiere production of “Cleopatra” for students from English classes to study the play. The new rendition of “Cleopatra,” which re-imagines her place in history through the lens of our post-modern society, is a dynamic convergence of dance, theatre, music and video. |
$35,000
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Opera Columbus – Opera Cabaret Opera Columbus’ Opera Cabaret will debut in the fall 2012 and feature young artists performing English adaptations of classic operas in casual settings around Columbus, including restaurants, bars, cafés and similar venues. The performances will provide an introduction to the opera to those who may not be inclined to attend a traditional opera performance. |
$40,000
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CONTACT:
Kelly Amen
(216) 222-9514
(216) 536-8507 (cell)
kelly.amen@pnc.com
