Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan Announces Inclusive Arts Fund Grants to 35 Recipients

The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan announced today $500,000 in grants to 35 arts organizations in southeast Michigan through the Inclusive Arts Fund. The funding provides small and midsize art and culture organizations in the region with resources to provide access to equitable, innovative, and affordable programming to foster a more inclusive region. These grants support organizations in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Monroe, Washtenaw, Livingston and St. Clair counties.

“Investment in organizations across the region who are making significant contributions to strengthen communities through arts and culture is critical,” said Leah Counts, Arts and Environmental Initiatives Program Officer at the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan. “These grants will allow 35 organizations to expand their programming, build operational capacity, and provide communities with access to affordable and enriching arts and culture programs.”

The Inclusive Arts Fund was established in 2022 by the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation as part of its nearly $100 million investment in arts and culture in southeast Michigan. In the most recent grant cycle, the Community Foundation saw a sharp increase in applications compared to the previous year, signaling a call to all philanthropists to invest in small to midsize organizations who are fostering arts and culture in their communities.

“We’re excited and thankful to the Inclusive Art Fund for this generous grant. It will help us launch an online platform and host events where neighbors of all different ages and backgrounds can connect with each other as they deepen their teaching and creative practices,” said Billy Mark, Director at Neighborhood Art School.

“Riverside Arts Center expresses sincere gratitude as we embark on the planning and development of our Expressive Empowerment Program. The allocated funds will play a pivotal role in guaranteeing the delivery of high-quality workshops and classes, specifically tailored to provide meaningful support to communities that are frequently overlooked,” said Liz Warren, Executive Director at Riverside Arts Center.

The full list of grantees include:

• Detroit Artists Market – $20,000 support for operations to boost capacity and pilot new educational initiatives for artists.
• Living and Learning Enrichment Center – $20,000 support for an inclusive studio and marketplace for artists with disabilities.
• InsideOut Literary Arts Project – $20,000 support for an arts education model for youth arts programs that prioritizes the artistic, professional, and personal development of teaching artists.
• YMCA of Monroe – $20,000 support for an art program for children with diverse physical, cognitive, and emotional abilities.
• Shakespeare in Detroit – $20,000 support for expanding both in-person and online audiences.
• Plowshares Theatre Company – $20,000 support for productions focused on the Afro-Latinx community.
• Scarab Club – $17,500 support for more inclusive representation in future exhibitions and increased accessibility.
• Northville Art House, Inc. – $17,500 support for a partnership with art therapists to develop classes and workshops that approach art instruction through a therapeutic lens.
• Riverside Arts Center Foundation, Inc. – $17,500 support for art programming, education, and experiences for neurodivergent individuals.
• Detroit Sound Conservancy – $15,000 support for increasing staff capacity to plan inclusive programs and support sustainable and equitable development initiatives.
• THE IRWIN HOUSE, INC. – $15,000 support for operating expenses with an emphasis on expanding visual, interdisciplinary and public art programming.
• D.Cipher – $15,000 support for increased organizational capacity for 2024 programming and initiatives.
• Motor City Street Dance Academy – $15,000 support for programming that advances youth leadership and creativity through various art forms.
• Ypsilanti Youth Orchestra – $15,000 support for tuition-free, holistic, and culturally responsive music education for youth ages 3 to 18.
• Canfield Consortium – $15,000 support for organizational capacity and the introduction of art and poetry programming at an art-centered green space and cultural hub.
• NW Goldberg Cares – $15,000 support for concerts in a park provided at no cost and with an emphasis on families with young children.
• Carrie Morris Arts Production – $15,000 support for an outdoor summer puppet program series by Detroit Puppet Company with an emphasis on language accessibility.
• LifeLab Kids Foundation – $15,000 support for the expansion of an art therapy program for children with developmental disabilities to its Macomb County facility.
• Neighborhood Art School – $15,000 support for expanding access to programs through an online platform that builds on in-person art events and workshops.
• 826 Michigan – $15,000 support for out-of-school writing clubs for K-12 students in Detroit and local teaching artist involvement.
• Arts & Scraps – $15,000 support for increasing access to creative reuse, through community space, programming, and materials.
• GhostLight Arts Initiative – $15,000 support for the Obsidian Theatre Festival, which supports community organizing via culturally transformative practices and uplifts both stories and storytellers.
• Grosse Pointe Theatre, Inc. – $15,000 support for expanding programming and performances to be more accessible for people with sensory processing sensitivities as well as seniors.
• Detroit Theater Organ Society, Inc. – $15,000 Inc support for community films and performances reflecting the diversity and interests of southwest Detroit.
• Prism Gay Men and Allies Chorus Corporation – $10,000 support for the concert season and community performances to foster greater understanding and acceptance of LGBTQ+ individuals in our region.
• Teen H.Y.P.E. Youth Development Program – $10,000 support for organizational capacity to sustain youth arts programming and stage productions.
• Kickstart Farmington – $10,000 support for increased engagement in film- and book-focused festivals, as well as increased arts education offerings.
• Choral Artists of Michigan – $10,000 support for a collaborative choral festival and scholarships to expand youth enrollment in choral music education.
• Great Lakes Taiko Center, LLC – $10,000 support for increasing access and removing barriers to Japanese drumming classes and performance opportunities.
• The Society for the Re-Institutionalization of Storytelling – $10,000 support for expanding capacity and awareness for free storytelling workshops and performance events.
• Detroit Repertory Theatre Company – $10,000 support for general operations to support staff and provide culturally relevant theatre content.
• Extra Mile Playwrights Theatre – $10,000 support for partnership-focused programming and education about little known or untold stories of Detroit’s past and present.
• Every Soul Arts, LLC – $10,000 support for opportunities for young people with experiences of homelessness or housing insecurity to develop and participate in theatre-focused workshops and short films.
• Akropolis Quintet Inc – $7,500 support for a contemporary music festival and high school residency in Detroit to develop and perform community co-created works.
• Arsene Performing Arts – $5,000 support for organizational capacity for productions, including youth-focused performances, in Macomb and St. Clair counties.