The Arts Are Vital: Emergency Funding for Artists and Arts Organizations

The Arts Are Vital - Video — Click the image to hear a message from Alliance for the Arts Executive Director/CEO, Lydia Black

We are so excited to announce the recipients of our The Arts Are Vital Grant! This grant is an emergency relief program for Lee County’s arts organizations and individual artists formed in partnership with the Meisenberg Family Trust to ensure the sustained impact of the arts during a time when we need them most.

The program provides one-time grant awards of $5,000 to arts organizations and $500 to professional artists located in Lee County with urgent financial need due to COVID-19. These funds are unrestricted and may be used by the organizations and artists to help with financial issues due to the impact of COVID-19 on their organizations, lives and livelihoods.

Congratulations to individual artist grantees

Kara Ackley, Cesar Aguilera, Jan Atkielski, Marliss Brockington, Renee Rey, Ella Ellis, Lily Hatchett, Monique Olsen, Brendan Powers, Rachel Powers, David Rode, Caitlin Rosolen, Terry Lynn Spry, Timothy Torres, Gregory Van Kirk, Warren Van Kirk and Jeffery Whidby

Congratulations to arts organization grantee

ArtFest Fort Myers, BIG ARTS, Cultural Park Theatre Company, Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center, Florida Repertory Theatre, Fort Myers Symphonic Mastersingers, Gulfcoast Symphony Orchestra, Gulfshore Ballet, Laboratory Theatre of Florida, Lee County Black History Society, Players Circle Theatre and Southwest Florida Symphony

We know how essential the arts are to our economy, our recovery and to our everyday lives. On behalf of the Alliance for the Arts and the Meisenberg Family Trust, we thank you for supporting the arts organizations and artists who make southwest Florida a great place to live, work and play.