Grant Program Launches To Aid Uptown Manhattan Artists

UPTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — Two cultural organizations are teaming up to create a new grant program that will award nearly $1 million to artists and nonprofit organizations based north of 98th Street.

Lower Manhattan Cultural Council and Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Development Corporation announced the creation of the UMEZ Arts Engagement program this week, according to a joint press release. The program will award $650,000 to artists and organizations over a two-year period.

The UMEZ Arts Engagement program will officially launch in July of 2018 and will run through all of 2019, according to a press release. Grant recipients will be awarded up to $10,000 in direct funding for projects in the performing, literary, media and visual arts.

The goal of the program is to help artists of diverse disciplines and backgrounds who are based above 98th Street.

"We’re delighted to expand our support to artists and smaller arts-based groups in Upper Manhattan," Kenneth J. Knuckles, President & CEO of UMEZ, said in a statement. "Look around and you can see that Upper Manhattan is anchored not only by major cultural institutions, but also by the many hundreds of artists and smaller groups that enrich our community. This program will provide more resources to allow our creative community to expand their programs, broaden their audience and deepen their engagement with our community."

The organizations behind the grant program will host a three information sessions for anyone interested in applying for a grant. Attendance at one of these sessions will be required to qualify for a grant and Spanish translation will be available.

The sessions will be held:

• January 23, 2018 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. United Palace on 4140 Broadway;
• February 8, 2018 from 3-5 p.m. at Hi-ARTS at 215 East 99th Street;
• February 20, 2018 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Herbert Cave Auditorium at Harlem Hospital, 512 Lenox Avenue.

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