ArtPlace America has issued a landmark series of grants dedicated to supporting the 'creative class' and enhance communities through the arts. Organizations in California snagged eight of thirty-four grants nationwide.
"Last month, 11 national foundations plus the National Endowment for the Arts announced the founding of ArtPlace America, a nationwide initiative to drive revitalization in cities and towns with a new investment model that puts the arts at the center of economic development. The launch of Artplace, based in Chicago, coincided with the awarding of $11.5 million in grants to community-oriented arts organizations nationwide."
"The arts have been thought of as icing on the cake," said USC Professor of Planning Elizabeth Currid-Halkett. "But if you look at the cases of some of the most successful neighborhoods in the world, there's a real presence of the arts and cultural industries."
Thanks to Josh Stephens
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