MIAMI – The Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation at The Miami Foundation (the Pérez Family Foundation) is pleased to launch the third edition of the Pérez CreARTE Grants Program (Pérez CreARTE), awarding over $3.5 million to organizations across Miami-Dade County that seek to cultivate a vibrant, connected, and culturally stimulating arts ecosystem. With two-year grants ranging from $100,000 to $250,000, the 2023 program will focus on three main areas: Arts Access, Arts Education, and Artist Fellowships and Residencies. Applications open on Tuesday, April 11, with winners announced in the fall. Eligible organizations may apply here.
“Art is a powerful tool – it allows artists to not only communicate personal emotions and ideas, but also inspire entire communities. The importance of this dynamic cannot be understated, especially as our city and region go through tremendous change,” said Jorge M. Pérez, internationally recognized philanthropist and founder of the Pérez Family Foundation. “We’re firm believers that art feeds the soul, ultimately benefiting the entire community in a unique way. Pérez CreARTE has made such a profound impact over the past four years, and we’re honored to continue our efforts toward making Miami-Dade a global hub for artistic excellence.”
Pérez CreARTE Program Growing
The Pérez Family Foundation’s financial investment in Pérez CreARTE has grown immensely since its inception, with $2 million distributed as part of the inaugural program in 2019 and another $3.2 million distributed in 2021. The program has made a total investment of over $6.3 million in 30 unique organizations across Miami-Dade County, enabling these organizations to reach more than 400,000 individuals through grant-supported programming, capacity building, and impact assessment.
The third edition of Pérez CreARTE will seek to fill key areas that impact the creative community most, including access to affordable workspaces, cultural equity, and education. The grants will be awarded to organizations whose missions align with one of three main focus areas:
- Arts Access: Funding to support meaningful and diverse public engagement with, and access to, various forms of high-quality art across Greater Miami and the integration of the arts into the fabric of community life.
- Arts Education: Funding to support high-performing, innovative organizations in Greater Miami working to ensure that all young people have equitable access to arts education opportunities. This area aims to invest in the most effective, scalable, multidisciplinary arts education programs, in school and out of school, as well as pre-professional training programs that prepare future artists in a variety of disciplines.
- Artist Fellowships and Residencies: Funding to support the creation and/or expansion of artist fellowship and residency programs to expand local options for artistic professionals to hone their talents and showcase their work.
Grant Distribution
After receiving hundreds of applications for the 2021 program, the Pérez Family Foundation distributed $3.2 million across 25 organizations. Current grantees include Bakehouse Art Complex, which used its most recent $200,000 grant to support the Bakehouse Art Complex Studio Residency program. Community Justice Project, which used its $150,000 grant to expand its social justice-focused artist-in-residence program. Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator (DVCAI), which used its $100,000 grant to fortify and expand its existing Miami Artist-in-Residence program for emerging artists from the Latin and Caribbean Diasporas.
In addition, GableStage, which used its $150,000 grant to grow its educational department with pivotal new hires. Plus, HistoryMiami Museum which used its $100,000 grant to launch a fellowship program for local documentary photographers in concert with an accompanying educational program component for youth. The full list of grant recipients can be found here.
Community Partnership
The Pérez CreARTE Grants Program is made possible through a unique partnership between the Pérez Family Foundation and The Miami Foundation, a pillar of the local nonprofit community that currently manages close to $445 million in philanthropic funds.
“Partnering with the Pérez family on their philanthropy is a win for the Miami social sector,” said Miami Foundation President and CEO Rebecca Fishman Lipsey. “We are proud to leverage our Foundation’s staff, community knowledge, and expertise to help produce a transformational giving program for our community. The generosity of the Pérez family is unparalleled, and their vision for impact and bold approach to giving sets a tone for what philanthropy can be in Miami.”
Current Pérez CreARTE grantees are invited to apply for renewed funding through a separate, but parallel, process. The Pérez family is interested in balancing a desire to sustain and nourish the important work of current and previous partners while also leaving room for new ideas and investments. The application window will close on Friday, May 26, 2023.
All interested applicants should direct their inquiries to Lindsey Linzer, Vice President of Community Investments at [email protected] and Belissa Alvarez, Director of the Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation at [email protected], who will be managing applications and the awards process. Full guidelines for the Pérez CreARTE Grants Program can be found in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole.
An informational webinar is also available for those who want to learn more about the program. Register for the webinar which is taking place on April 17th here.
