ArtsFund philanthropy donates $10 million to Washington arts orgs, $400,000 headed to Spokane County

Millions of dollars are coming to Washington arts organizations, including 38 groups in Spokane.

With grants from the ArtsFund and Allen Family Philanthropies capping at $25,000, Spokane arts organizations will collectively receive $400,000 of the $10 million donated statewide.

ArtsFund CEO Michael Greer believes funding of the arts should not take a backseat to other philanthropic endeavors.

“There are correlations between funded art and metrics that point toward healthy and civically engaged communities,” he said. “By being able to fund organizations across the state, we are doing our part to support the health of our communities.”

A study commissioned by ArtsFund found a correlation between an abundance of arts and culture nonprofits and an increase in civic participation, more community gathering spaces and less income inequality.

According to Greer, those effects are exacerbated in rural communities that may have little access to the arts and the benefits they bring communities.

Many of the Spokane organizations that received the most funding also provide an outlet to different minority groups hoping to share their culture with the city.

Asians for Collective Liberation in Spokane received a $25,000 grant that will be used to fund programs like Chai Culture Club, which explores Asian American identity through popular films, books and music, or Boba Buddies, which provides a space for k-12 students to explore their Asian American identity.

“We are grateful for this essential support from the ArtsFund and Allen Family Philanthropies. In these precarious times of budget cuts, censorship, and limited resources for the arts, cultural institutions, and many non-profit and grassroots organizations, this funding will allow us to continue our work in building community power,” ACL cultural programs manager Frances Grace Mortel said in a statement.

Recipient Spokane United We Stand, which also received $25,000, mentioned federal cuts to arts funding as well.

“This will assist us in recovering from the loss from the budget cuts with the Arts taking a big hit,” said the Asian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander non-profit director Charity Bagatsing Doyl.

Spokane United We Stand will use the funds to host Spokane Lunar New Year on February 14.

“Hosting Spokane’s Lunar New Year event at the Convention Center will bring attention to places and events that our community members might not know about otherwise,” she said. But more importantly it provides healing, a sense of community and belonging to Spokane’s Asian residents whose contributions have been erased and buried for the last 171 years,” she said.

Greer said the funds will not match cuts to the arts seen in recent years.

“Private philanthropy can never make up for public support, both monetarily and ideologically. But as a number of funding sources have exited, we have tried to do what we can,” he said.

Spectrum Center director of advocacy KJ January said the organization would use its 25,000 grant to “uplift Queer and Transgender communities through arts, culture, and advocacy.”

“This support comes at a critical moment. Across the country, we are seeing a sharp rise in coordinated and escalated anti-Queer and anti-Trans legislation. This rhetoric has emboldened violence and hostility toward our communities, especially for those of us living at the intersections of multiple identities. The arts remain one of the most powerful tools we have for resilience, resistance, and healing,” she said.

In total, there are 930 grantees across the state. Grants range from $2,500 to $25,000, and the funds can be spent in any way individual organizations see fit. The average award size was $10,753. Approximately 74% of grantees reported annual budgets of less than $500,000.

Here is a list of Spokane-area arts organizations awarded funding.

• Asians for Collective Liberation in Spokane, $25,000.
• Filipino American Northwest Association, $25,000.
• Inspirations Dance Studio, $25,000.
• Spectrum Center, $25,000.
• Spectrum Singers, $25,000.
• Spokane Pride, $25,000.
• Spokane United We Stand, $25,000.
• Salish School of Spokane, $17,500.
• Spokane Chinese Association, $17,500.
• Terrain Programs, $17,500.
• Art Salvage, $17,500.
• Vertical Elements Entertainment, $17,500.
• MusicFest Northwest, $12,500.
• Spokane Children’s Theatre, $12,500.
• Spokane Word, $12,500.
• Blue Door Theatre, $5,000.
• Coil Studio, $5,000.
• Imagine Jazz, $5,000.
• Mobius Discovery Center, $5,000.
• Spokane All City Jazz Ensemble, $5,000.
• Spokane Art School, $5,000.
• Spokane Civic Theatre, $5,000.
• Spokane Film Festival, $5,000.
• Spokane Valley Summer Theatre, $5,000.
• Stage Left Theater Association, $5,000.
• Valleyfest, $5,000
• Connoisseur Concerts Association, $2,500.
• Idaho Central Spokane Valley Performing Arts Center, $2,500.
• Spark Central, $2,500.
• Spokane Area Children’s Chorus, $2,500.
• Spokane Area Jewish Family Services, $2,500.
• Spokane Arts, $2,500.
• Spokane Folklore Society, $2,500.
• Spokane Symphony, $2,500.
• Spokane Valley Arts Council, $2,500.
• Spokane Youth Symphony, $2,500.
• Thin Air Community Radio, $2,500.
• Urban Art Co-op, $2,500.