Latest Round of Grant Funding Opens for Public Arts Projects
Coral Springs and Parkland, Florida, were among the 2018 winners of the Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge. "The Temple of Time" was one of five large scale installations to help the communities heal after the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Courtesy of Bloomberg Philanthropies
The Bloomberg Philanthropies initiative will offer awards of up to $1 million. Cities with over 30,000 people are eligible to apply.
Under a new round of philanthropic funding, mayors can apply for up to $1 million for temporary public art projects that engage local artists, spur public-private partnerships, and inspire conversations around urban issues.
Now in its third iteration, the Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge will award money to up to 10 winners for projects that address civic issues, such as climate change, gun violence, and neighborhood blight, according to Bloomberg Philanthropies.
Cities with more than 30,000 residents are eligible for awards, and applications will be judged “on their ability to generate public-private collaborations, celebrate creativity and urban identity, and strengthen local economies,” a press release said.
Mayors have until Feb.15 to submit applications. The grants will be distributed over two years and can be used for a variety of project-related expenses, including marketing and development.
“As cities emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, public art has the power to help revitalize communities,” Michael Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and the former mayor of New York City said in a statement.
From sculptures and murals to films and performances, the funds can be used for a range of projects, and there can be multiple installations in a single city.
In 2018, Public Art Challenge grants supported projects in Anchorage, Alaska; Camden, New Jersey; Coral Springs and Parkland, Florida; Jackson, Mississippi; and Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Those initiatives resulted in 142 installations, generated an estimated $100 million in local economic benefits, and involved 1,000 creative professionals and volunteers, according to the release.
To learn more about the challenge, click here.
Molly Bolan is the assistant editor for Route Fifty.
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