Grant Offers Support To 30 Local Arts Groups

ArtandSeek.net November 13, 2020 14

Dozens of arts groups in North Texas are getting new funding thanks to The Arts Community Alliance.

The grants from TACA will provide $200,500 to 30 groups, ranging from theater and dance companies to museums and choral ensembles.

It’s the first of three rounds of unrestricted funding created for organizations finding ways to keep their mission alive during the pandemic.

Last week, one of the recipients, Verdigris Ensemble, made its return to the stage with a series of outdoor shows.

Sam Brukhman is artistic director of the vocal group.

“It showed all of us: the four performers that were singing and me, who organized it, that music can still be really powerful,” Brukhman said. “When you’re sitting at home for eight months in quarantine, you totally forget about that stuff.”

In a statement, vice-chair of grants with TACA Jim Nugent said certain art forms like chorale ensembles have more hurdles when it comes to new methods of programming due to the risk of virus transmission.

“So, they may be slower to pivot in a way that shows resiliency,” Nugent said. “In the same vein, other organizations governed by union rules may not be able to return to programming quickly. We’re hopeful that over time, these organizations will find ways to overcome barriers to return to programming that aligns with the grant criteria for resiliency.”

Brukhman says groups that have embraced unconventional programming are well-positioned to weather the changing landscape of live performance. Verdigris often turns to new spaces and innovative compositions.

“You have all of these different perspectives that are presenting music that is unbelievable,” he said. “Textures and timbres and instrumentation that just has never been explored before. I think that, in and of itself, is an enabling tool to show audiences that we are responding directly to events and things that are going on right now.”

TACA has two more rounds of grants to make next year, in February and June.

Here’s the full list of recipients:

American Baroque Opera Company

Bishop Arts Theatre Center

Bruce Wood Dance

Cara Mía Theater Co.

Chamberlain Ballet

Children’s Chorus of Greater Dallas

Cry Havoc Theater Company

Dallas Bach Society

Dallas Black Dance Theatre

Dallas Children’s Theater