Four Arizona arts organizations will receive WESTAF Regional Arts Resilience Fund grants ranging from $30,000 to $74,000.

On Tuesday, October 27, 2020, the Western States Arts Federation (WESTAF) announced the recipients of the WESTAF Regional Arts Resilience Fund grants. Supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation through the U.S. Regional Arts Resilience Fund, these grants were designed to help mitigate the financial threat of COVID-19 to the sector by providing funding for small- and mid-sized arts organizations that are regarded by their peers as having statewide, regional, or national impact.

The four Arizona recipients are Arts for All (Tucson), Museum of Indigenous People (Prescott), Rising Youth Theatre (Phoenix), and Xico Inc. (Phoenix)

Regionally, 39 grants were awarded to organizations operating in the 13-state western region (Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawai‘i, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming).

Grantees were selected through a two-step process, with a request for nominations issued in July, followed by a request for selected nominees to submit a full application. A panel of regional advisors offered guidance on the selection of organizations invited to submit a full application and participated in the application review process that took place in October.

The WESTAF Regional Arts Resilience Fund prioritized organizations that are most at risk during this crisis, including historically under-resourced organizations and those serving under-resourced populations, communities, and/or art forms. The funding of organizations led by and/or predominantly serving individuals from historically marginalized communities that identify as: Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC); low-income; people with disabilities; LGBTQIA+; and/or rural/remote areas (communities that have a population under 50,000 and are isolated from metropolitan areas) was of high priority.

“The organizations being supported through the WESTAF Regional Arts Resilience Fund are deeply committed to serving their communities through arts, culture, and creativity even during this time of challenge and crisis,” said WESTAF Director of Public Policy David Holland. “As a group of grantees, they demonstrate resilience in their responses to change, the breadth and depth of their partnerships and alliances, and their focus on access and engagement. We offer our thanks to the 20 panelists from across the western region who not only helped us to identify these grantees but also inspired us with their commitment to equity and inclusion. We are also grateful for the partnership of the Mellon Foundation and our sister regional arts organizations in this national effort.”

Congratulations to the grantees!