- Mayor Kiar calls grants a boost to Broward’s arts community and proclaims Oct. 25th PNC Arts Alive Day!
- The arts community, including hundreds of local families, will benefit from the first year of #PNCArtsAlive contributions in Broward County
- Five local groups plan to boost creativity in visual & performing arts – programs range from Shakespeare theater and art workshops to public opera and Brazilian live entertainment
FT. LAUDERDALE, Oct. 25, 2016 – Access to public opera performances, the musical genius of smooth Brazilian jazz, Shakespearean theater, and art workshops are among the highlights of five Broward County arts organizations which will receive funds totaling $65,000 this year from the PNC Foundation’s Arts Alive program.
The grants are part of a three-year, $170,000 award PNC announced today at the Broward County Commission meeting to bring PNC Arts Alive to the South Florida community. Broward County Mayor Marty Kiar recognized PNC and Arts Alive for their significant contribution to the cultural arts community and encouraged all citizens to celebrate the vibrancy of this community.
The non-profit winners represents a wide range of disciplines, audiences and participatory experiences from arts groups’ large and small, city and suburban. The arts organizations earned the Arts Alive grants by supporting fresh and emerging arts programs, value-added public programming and creative use of technology, while seeking to expand audiences. [See below for the complete descriptions of grant recipients.]
Throughout 2016, PNC has diligently worked with the Broward County Cultural Division to develop the Arts Alive opportunity locally and bring the initiative to its thriving community.
“It takes the strengths of business and the creativity of the arts to make a community great,” said Earl Bosworth, director, Broward County Cultural Division. “Thanks to good corporate citizens like PNC, more businesses understand that these kinds of programs ensure sustainability and longevity for a vibrant place to live. These grants will inject Broward County with fresh and interactive new programs for the entire family.”
The Broward County Cultural Division reports that its creative economy has a total economic impact of approximately $230 million per year on the region.
“PNC has a long history of partnering with organizations that strengthen the lives of our local Main Street communities, and our support of Arts Alive is a strategic investment in South Florida,” said Cressman Bronson, PNC regional president for Florida East. “We asked South Florida’s arts and culture groups to help people experience art in new ways and they delivered on that goal, engaging audiences through a diverse array of unique programs that showcase Broward County at its best.”
Bronson said the arts and culture industry in the state of Florida generates $49.7 billion in annual revenues per the state’s Division of Cultural Affairs, plus creates new jobs, boosts tourism and invigorates businesses.
“The arts impact more than our emotions,” added Bronson. “The bottom line is a strong arts community is a significant driver of economic success. By bringing Arts Alive to South Florida, PNC is helping to bring creative and interactive cultural arts programs for people of all ages to this community.”
Supporting Arts and Economic Development
Since its debut in 2009, PNC Arts Alive has awarded approximately $13 million in grants to enterprising cultural organizations in Columbus, Ohio, Philadelphia and St. Louis, communities served by PNC and the PNC Foundation.
PNC Arts Alive has supported new exhibitions and festivals, pop-up theater and music performances, mobile arts vans, family arts programs and more. This award-winning program has earned recognition from Americans for the Arts in New York City along with regional arts organizations.
Grants recipients are selected by PNC and a committee composed of officials from arts and community organizations. Applications for the 2017 season will be posted in March. For more information, please visit www.pncartsalive.com.
About the Broward Cultural Division
Broward Cultural Division is a local arts agency, one of thousands across the U.S. providing financial, technical and marketing assistance to artists and arts organizations. Broward County has nearly 1.9 million residents, 13.4 million visitors, 10,000 artists, 6,523 arts-related businesses employing 23,497 people, 823 not-for-profit cultural organizations and 31 cities, some of which operate their own arts councils and public art programs. For more information about the Broward Cultural Division, call 954-357-7457.
About the PNC Foundation
The PNC Foundation, which receives its principal funding from The PNC Financial Services Group (NYSE: PNC), 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. Through Grow Up Great, its signature cause that began in 2004, PNC has created a $350 million, multi-year initiative to help prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life.
PNC ARTS ALIVE – 2016 GRANT RECIPIENTS
Ashanti Cultural Arts - Create, Chat and Chew
Create, Chat and Chew provides opportunities for tri-county residents and tourists to socialize, bond, and engage in conversation through art. The featured artist for each session will share and lead an art project during a two hour workshop.
Coral Springs Museum of Art - All Around Art
All Around Art is a new, fresh and innovative project for South Florida designed to make diverse audiences of children think about the impact of art on and in their everyday lives. Through All Around Art, children will have the opportunity to experience a variety of works by artists such as: JoAnn Nava, Ira Reins, J. Steven Manolis, Isabel Perez, Carlos Zerpabzueta, Martha Rodriguez, and Virginia FiField.
Grace Arts Center Shakespeare-for-the-Streets- An American Drama of Tropical Tales, History and Contemporary Art
Shakespeare-for-the-Streets provides opportunities for new professionally tracked student artists to collaborate with practicing artists in the community. The series of productions in 2017 will harness original script development to musical scores capturing South Florida’s distinctive diversity.
Florida Grand Opera Family Day Festival
Florida Grand Opera’s Family Day Festival brings the grand world of opera directly into local neighborhoods in the South Florida community. This free public program allows children and adults alike to explore all the different elements of an opera production at interactive, hands-on activity stations. Students and families will learn about all of the technical and musical elements that make up opera productions.
Brazilian Voices - Samba Carousel
Brazilian Voices' Samba Carousel is an energy-packed performance that will captivate audiences with exhilarating Brazilian music, dance and multimedia, with songs that include selections of Jazz and Samba favorites.
CONTACT:
Zoraya Suarez
(407) 428-0066
zoraya.suarez@pnc.com
