Artist Communities Alliance (ACA) is pleased to announce it has been awarded a grant award of $3 million over three years from the Mellon Foundation.
“This award advances ACA’s unique leadership and vision for artist residencies where people have the freedom to unleash their creative potential and prosper in inclusive, just, joyful, and accessible environments,” says Lisa Funderburke (Hoffman), ACA President and CEO. “It affirms ACA’s position as the global authority on artist residency culture and operations, as well as a trusted intermediary and resource for artists and the people who power residencies. We are grateful for Mellon’s continued investment and belief in ACA as a vital contributor to the arts sector and an advocate for equitable systems that support the whole life of an artist.”
This grant from the Mellon Foundation will enable ACA to increase its internal capacity and develop an award system that recognizes artist residency programs committed to actively building their equitable capacity while augmenting our research efforts to advance restorative work and cultural shifts in the arts sector.
“ACA is a transformative instrument of change that is dedicated to nurturing diverse creative practitioners and the organizations that support them,” says Sanjit Sethi, ACA Board Chair and President of the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. “This incredible support from the Mellon Foundation will allow ACA to create systems of support, policies and articulated insights that will be felt for generations to come.”
For the past several years, ACA has focused on field-strengthening activities for the artist residency field. This encompasses research, advocacy, professional development, and program promotion. ACA believes that fair and just practices, honoring the people who power residencies, must be at the core of all these activities.
“Residencies serve as community builders for artists and introduce them to lifelong collaborators, friends, and professional networks,” says Emil Kang, Program Director of Arts and Culture. “The Mellon Foundation is pleased to partner with Artist Communities Alliance on our mutual commitment to supporting artists and the organizations they rely on directly.”
You can read the press release here.