South Arts announces inaugural Southern Cultural Treasures Cohort

The initiative funds 17 BIPOC arts organizations across the Southeastern region with $6 million, in partnership with the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta

ATLANTA — July 6, 2022— South Arts is proud to partner with the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta to announce the inaugural cohort of Southern Cultural Treasures: a $6,000,000, four-year initiative supporting Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) -led and -serving arts and cultural organizations throughout the Southeast. Four Georgia organizations – Ballethnic and True Colors Theatre Company in Atlanta, Savannah-based Deep Center, Inc. and the Otis Redding Foundation in Macon – will each receive grants of $300,000 for general operating support over three years as part of this initiative.

This initial cohort is made up of 17 organizations that represent decades of BIPOC arts and community-driven stewardship throughout the nine-state region that includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.  

“South Arts is honored to recognize and support these 17 organizations as Southern Cultural Treasures,” said Susie Surkamer, South Arts’ president and CEO. “These groups push the boundaries of creative expression, anchor their local communities, and advance the arts in our nine-state region. Our hope is that this initiative, with the help of these organizations, will foster a more equitable art community throughout the Southeastern region.”

South Arts first announced the Southern Cultural Treasures program in the fall of 2021. It complements the Ford Foundation’s America’s Cultural Treasures initiative, which aims to acknowledge and honor the diversity of artistic expression and excellence in America and provide critical funding to organizations that have made a significant impact on America’s cultural landscape.

“We welcome the opportunity to partner with these regional and national funders to shine a light on arts organizations that help our city and region thrive, and that bring greater accessibility to original forms of artistic excellence for broad audiences,” said Frank Fernandez, president and CEO of the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta.

Organizations throughout the nine-state region were given the opportunity to submit a letter of intent. After review, those most closely aligned with the program goals were invited to complete a full application that went through a pair of national reviews before undergoing an interview process with South Arts’ leadership. These 17 exceptional nonprofits were chosen for their vital impact on their communities and helping to both define and preserve the uniqueness of the arts ecosystem in the region.

“We are thrilled to partner with South Arts and honor these 17 cultural institutions and their contributions to the regional landscape,” said Lane Harwell, program officer for creativity and free expression at the Ford Foundation. “We hope this investment will inspire more funders and patrons to support the diversity of arts organizations and expressions in the American South.”

The 17 Southern Cultural Treasures are:

• Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, Inc., Birmingham, AL
• Art2Action Inc, Tampa, FL
• Asia Institute, Inc., Louisville, KY
• Ballethnic Dance Company, Inc., East Point, GA
• Catawba Indian Nation, Rock Hill, SC
• Collage Dance Collective, Memphis, TN
• Colour of Music, Inc., Mount Pleasant, SC
• Deep Center, Inc., Savannah, GA
• Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator, Miami, FL
• Efforts of Grace, Inc., New Orleans, LA
• JazzArts Charlotte, Charlotte, NC
• Junebug Productions, Inc., New Orleans, LA
• BB King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center, Indianola, MS
• Mississippi Center for Cultural Production, Utica, MS
• Otis Redding Foundation, Macon, GA
• Teatro Avante, Miami, FL
• True Colors Theatre Company, Atlanta, GA

“These organizations make up a dynamic representation not only of their region and their communities, but also the burgeoning desire to grow and serve the cultural landscape of the South,” said Joy Young, PhD, South Arts’ vice president of programs. “Our duty at South Arts is to continue advocating for this kind of instrumental support, and we are confident that this cohort of Southern Cultural Treasures will help inspire these pursuits on a national scale.”

The 17 Southern Cultural Treasures were chosen after completing a vigorous application and interview process. Other finalists include: Alabama Blues Project, Blues City Cultural Center, Hattiloo Theatre, Huntsville Community Drumline, New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, Inc., Spady Cultural Heritage Museum, Inc., Walltown Children’s Theatre and Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe of Florida, Inc.

The program is expected to run through March 2025 and provide each organization with up to $300,000 of general operating grants distributed over three years, an additional project grant of up to $7,500, customized consultant services, networking, cohort building, and knowledge sharing.

Southern Cultural Treasures is designed to be a measure of sustainable support. By providing BIPOC-led and -serving organizations with tools and framework to establish their own agency and institutional narratives, the initiative encourages growth throughout the South—not only in the context of the arts, but also in the impact of surrounding communities as well.

South Arts’ Southern Cultural Treasures is supported by the Ford Foundation, with additional support from the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, the Infusion Fund, a partnership between the City of Charlotte, Foundation For The Carolinas and generous donors to support the arts and cultural sector, as well as the Zeist Foundation.

Please contact South Arts if you would like more information about opportunities to match the Ford Foundation’s investment in select communities.

###

About South Arts

South Arts advances Southern vitality through the arts. The nonprofit regional arts organization was founded in 1975 to build on the South’s unique heritage and enhance the public value of the arts. South Arts’ work responds to the arts environment and cultural trends with a regional perspective. South Arts offers an annual portfolio of activities designed to support the success of artists and arts providers in the South, address the needs of Southern communities through impactful arts-based programs, and celebrate the excellence, innovation, value and power of the arts of the South. For more information, visit www.southarts.org.

About the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta

The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta inspires and leads the Atlanta region toward equity and shared prosperity for all who call it home. TogetherATL is the Foundation’s strategic ethos, working through a collaborative approach with community stakeholders, donors, nonprofits and others to examine complex challenges the region faces and create solutions that build a thriving region. Started in 1951, the Community Foundation shepherds approximately $1.4 billion in current assets through its 1,000+ donor funds, while simultaneously raising and deploying more than $120 million annually to thousands of nonprofit organizations. It is Georgia’s second largest foundation. For more information visit: cfgreateratlanta.org or connect with the Foundation via Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Media Contact, for Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta:

Nichole Owens, 770.383.2307
nowens@cfgreateratlanta.org

Media Contacts for South Arts:

Hunter Braithwaite
Director, Cultural Counsel hunter@culturalcounsel.com

Abby Ronner
Account Executive, Cultural Counsel abby@culturalcounsel.com

Ivan Schustak
Director, Communications, South Arts ishustak@southarts.org

Photo credit: Greg Mooney for True Colors Theatre Company