Through the design of a participatory grantmaking model, “En Foco: Proyecto de Visibilización Cultural” will grant a total of up to $500,000
San Juan, Puerto Rico (December 12, 2022) – The Flamboyan Foundation’s Arts Fund launched today “En Foco: Proyecto de Visibilización Cultural,” an open call for proposals to fund individuals and organizations that present creative and innovative projects aimed at amplifying the arts and culture in Puerto Rico.
With a $500,000 budget, “En Foco: Proyecto de Visibilización Cultural” will grant $50,000 – $100,000 to artists and organizations to develop and showcase their work within a two-year period. The deadline to apply is Monday, February 13, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. Organizations, individuals, or collectives interested in applying can do so through this link www.flamboyanfoundation.org/es/enfoco.
As exciting as it is to support artists and art organizations, the grant-making approach is equally evocative. Grantees from the Flamboyan Arts Fund, all artists and art organizations, convened to design, develop, and direct this initiative using participatory grantmaking as a model. During this process, stakeholders from the arts sector had the opportunity to identify the main priority for using these funds and establish the general parameters that guide the open call. A steering committee was formed, which will evaluate the proposals and select the new grantees. From conception to implementation, every step has been developed and implemented by artists to support other artists. After the initiative concludes, it will be presented as a case study on innovative and participatory models that can be replicated within the philanthropic sector of Puerto Rico.
Flamboyan Foundation is grateful to the Ford Foundation for providing financial support to this initiative so that together we can continue to preserve, amplify and strengthen the arts sector in Puerto Rico.
“We are very excited to continue supporting the arts and culture of Puerto Rico through this new grant. The participatory model that this initiative follows is part of our efforts to strengthen the Puerto Rican artistic and cultural sector. The grant not only provides the opportunity for future recipients to develop their projects but also empowers and opens the space so that it is the community itself that holds the reins in these processes,” said Carlos Rodríguez Silvestre, executive director of the Flamboyan Foundation in Puerto Rico
Rocío Aranda Alvarado, program officer for Creativity and Free Expression at the Ford Foundation, indicated that “arts and culture are powerful weapons against inequity and injustice. At Ford, we work hard to support sectors that fight for social change, and his model of awarding funds through a participatory process echoes our mission to center the needs of those most impacted. We have been allies of Puerto Rico and its people for years, and we are proud to be part of this initiative.”
For more information on the requirements and other specifications, visit www.flamboyanfoundation.org/es/enfoco.
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About the Flamboyan Foundation
Guided by the belief that all children deserve the opportunity to live a fulfilling life, the Flamboyan Foundation works to ensure that every child in the US and Puerto Rico receives an outstanding education. In D.C., Flamboyan accelerates student learning by helping educators and school systems transform their relationships with families. In Puerto Rico, Flamboyan is ensuring students are reading in Spanish on grade level by third grade while building a thriving philanthropic and nonprofit sector, which includes arts and cultural organizations. http://www.flamboyanfoundation.org
About the Flamboyan Arts Fund
The Flamboyan Arts Fund is a partnership between Flamboyan Foundation, Lin-Manuel Miranda, his family, and the Broadway musical Hamilton to preserve, amplify, and sustain the arts in Puerto Rico. Since Hurricane María devastated the island last year, many artists and arts organizations like museums, theaters, arts education programs, and music venues are at risk of cutting back services or closing. The fund supports all facets of the arts community, including music, theater, visual arts, dance, literature, and youth arts education, to ensure that the arts and culture continue to flourish during the rebuilding of Puerto Rico.
About the Ford Foundation
The Ford Foundation is an independent organization working to address inequality and build a future grounded in justice. For more than 85 years, it has supported visionaries on the frontlines of social change worldwide, guided by its mission to strengthen democratic values, reduce poverty and injustice, promote international cooperation, and advance human achievement. Today, with an endowment of $16 billion, the foundation has headquarters in New York and ten regional offices across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. https://www.fordfoundation.org/