11 Culver City Nonprofits Awarded $226K In County Arts Grants

CULVER CITY, CA — Eleven Culver City nonprofits have been awarded over $226,000 in county grants to support arts initiatives, the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture announced Friday.

The grants are among $6.4 million awarded to 318 nonprofits countywide as part of the Organizational Grant and Community Impact Arts Grant programs. It's a larger pot of money than usual: The Board of Supervisors increased Organizational Grant funding by $1.2 million, the first increase in over 15 years, according to officials.

That program helps support critical needs of arts nonprofits, including staffing and programming. Grantees also get access to county professional development opportunities and scholarships for training and conferences.

County officials say the grants are meant to address systemic inequity in arts funding: 94 percent of grantees have budgets under $5 million. Half of those have budgets under $200,000.

"These organizations are often underfunded and include those that reflect and serve communities of color, historically marginalized, and rural communities," according to the Arts and Culture department.

The Community Impact Arts Grant program, meantime, supports arts-based programs from social justice and service organizations.

"CIAG was designed to address two priorities: making arts services available to LA County residents who might not experience them through traditional arts venues and outlets, and encouraging integration of the arts in cross-sector work at local nonprofits," according to the department.

Applicants for both grants were supported by the county with workshops and technical assistance. Their applications were then reviewed by a combined total of 105 peer panelists from the arts sector. Award recommendations were then reviewed by the Arts Commission, an advisory body appointed by the Board of Supervisors.

Here’s the complete list of Culver City grantees, with grant-use information provided by the county:

Center for Land Use Interpretation
$26,700 to support equitable compensation for the program director

Center for the Study of Political Graphics
$22,100 to support salaries of the archives director and project archivist

The New American Theatre
$15,500 to support ongoing expenses including artist and actor salaries, supplies, production, rent and administrative costs

Culver City Public Theatre
$9,600 to support operations and staff positions for weekly open mic poetry and spoken word
events

The Actors' Gang
$49,600 to support and sustain infrastructure and growth for staff and artistic personnel

DIAMOND IN THE RAW
$9,800 to support the organization in its mission of introducing young girls to careers in the
entertainment industry

Invertigo Dance Theatre
$24,400 to support executive director and staff salaries

Museum of Jurassic Technology
$25,700 to support a year-long series of concerts and lectures, presenting underrepresented
and little-known traditions and ideas to the public

VOX Femina Los Angeles
$23,500 to support and expand recent, significant growth in programming, staffing, marketing
and community outreach

L.A. GOAL
$9,900 to support "Music for All" program, enhancing special needs individuals' learning through music, promoting behavior, social improvements and relieving anxiety

STAR Inc.
$9,800 to support free art classes in visual and performing arts for 1,600 economically disadvantaged youth in afterschool programs across LA County