PNC believes supporting the arts strengthens education and encourages social engagement. We look forward to seeing the latest round of projects contribute to our shared vision of a more dynamic community through arts and culture.
JACKSONVILLE, Sept. 13, 2018 – An anti-bullying play, access to new choreographic works and free performances for children and families are among the plans for four arts organizations sharing $60,000 in grants from the PNC Foundation through PNC Arts Alive.
With today’s announcement, PNC has pledged $195,000 to area organizations since launching its three-year initiative in 2016 to support Duval County arts organizations.
“We know the nonprofit arts and culture industry is a $4 billion economic driver in Florida, as well as a growth industry that supports jobs,” said Brian Bucher, PNC regional president of the Port Cities market, which is based in Jacksonville. “PNC believes supporting the arts strengthens education and encourages social engagement. We look forward to seeing the latest round of projects contribute to our shared vision of a more dynamic community through arts and culture.”
The recipients were announced today at the State of the Arts regional arts and culture conference hosted by the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville. PNC has worked with the council to develop the Arts Alive opportunities and help create new and innovative programs for families. Previous grants have supported a range of nonprofits, including the Florida Ballet, the Civic Orchestra of Jacksonville and the Cathedral Arts Project. [See below for a list of grant recipients.]
PNC Arts Alive is a multi-million dollar initiative through the PNC Foundation designed to support the visual and performing arts. The PNC Foundation, which receives its principal funding from The PNC Financial Services Group, 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.
PNC ARTS ALIVE – 2018 GRANT RECIPIENTS
Don't Miss A Beat, Inc. - Art in the Park Series
Art in the Park will be an exuberant community engagement event hosted monthly at the Edith B. Ford Center in Woodstock Park. Each month, families will gather for free food and arts and crafts. More importantly, during each event, Don’t Miss a Beat Academy of Arts students will perform a showcase for the community. Since 2008, Don’t Miss A Beat has been bringing performing arts to youth and families in Duval County who otherwise may never have access in the Riverside, Brooklyn and Woodstock neighborhoods. DMAB’s Academy of Arts provides underserved children weekly access to free performing arts instruction in the areas of dance, drama, vocal and instrumental music.
Players by the Sea – Creativity Behind the Curtain
Creativity Behind the Curtain is focused on technical arts education for girls in middle and high school who come from service organizations that focus on girls at-risk, specifically in the Beaches communities. Workshops will introduce students to unique career opportunities while giving them role models and a hands-on, behind-the-scenes perspective of the technical side of performing arts. Players by the Sea is an artist-driven community theatre and this project is tied to its New Voices/Young Voices one-act plays.
Jacksonville Dance Theatre – Bridging Audiences
Jacksonville Dance Theatre (JDT) is a contemporary dance and performance company. Bridging Audiences will engage Guggenheim Fellow Jonah Bokaer through a partnership with Long Road Projects and Princess Grace Award Nominee Bryn Cohen as the hired choreographers for JDT’s seventh season. They’ll create work on the company to be performed for both local and national audiences and will directly interact with underserved populations in the community through lectures, workshops and open rehearsals. These audiences will then be given free tickets to see the new choreographic works on stage. JDT will also create a YouTube Channel to broadcast various phases of the project.
The Florida Theatre – The Power of Theatre, Erasing Bullying
Florida Theatre, in partnership with director Barbara Colaciello of BABS’LAB, will bring underserved students throughout Jacksonville to the historic Florida Theatre to experience Chalk, an anti-bullying play written by the award-winning radio host, Al Letson. In addition to the staged production of Chalk, an audio play will be produced for Letson’s national podcast, Errthang.
CONTACT:
Cynthia Montgomery
(704) 968-4716
cynthia.montgomery@pnc.com
