The City of Tulsa, Tulsa City Council and the Tulsa Arts Commission are pleased to announce the Vision Arts 6 grantees, with $150,000 going to support 20 local arts organizations.
Since its inception, the Vision Arts program has provided crucial support to local nonprofit arts and cultural organizations, strengthening Tulsa's creative economy and enriching the city's cultural landscape.
"Since 2018, Tulsans have demonstrated their commitment to investing in arts and culture through Vision Tulsa, and I'm excited to join the Tulsa Arts Commission in announcing this year's award recipients," Mayor Monroe Nichols said. "These grants allow our vibrant arts scene to thrive and help foster creativity and boost our local economy all while elevating our local arts community."
Vision Arts supports organizations and activities that provide high-quality arts and cultural programing to Tulsa residents while also promoting tourism and economic development throughout the city. The program is funded through the Vision Tulsa economic development package, approved by voters in April of 2016 and will fund identified civic investments through 2031.
Awardees were required to specify how their proposal will promote tourism or have an economic impact within Tulsa. The proposals were based upon the following:
"The arts play an important role in Tulsa's local economy and our tourism efforts," Council Chair Phil Lakin said. "The Vision Arts grants program provides cultural experiences for our residents and visitors that would not have been possible without leveraging these local funds. I'm thankful the voters approved this program and for Tulsans' continued support of the arts."
To ensure neutrality, an independent review panel oversees application review, with support from a non-voting Arts Commission member and special subcommittee of Arts Commissioners: Machele Miller Dill (chair of the subcommittee and new chair), Brandon Rule (outgoing chair of the Arts Commission), Holbrook Lawson, and Obum Ukabam. Due to Vision Arts' emphasis on economic impact, the review includes economic development leaders, including a representative from Partner Tulsa and the Greater Tulsa Chamber of Commerce's Office of Film, Music, Arts, and Culture (FMAC), as well as two at-large community members. District 4 City Councilor Laura Bellis and District 3 City Councilor Jackie Dutton also served on the independent review panel, working alongside the two community panelists, FMAC, and PartnerTulsa to evaluate proposals and recommend funding allocations.
The Arts Commission also provided multiple information sessions, along with additional grant writing and technical assistance sessions for organizations to craft their applications and future arts grants as well. This round of grant applications was the largest to date with 44 organizations submitting applications requesting almost $800,000 in project funding.
Arts Commission Chair Machele Miller Dill explained the value of the program, saying, "The Vision Arts grants play a crucial role in retaining and nurturing local talent while contributing to our economy. Both Tulsans and visitors will appreciate the diverse array of arts and culture programming made possible through this vital funding initiative."
Of the $150,00 allocated, the program will invest a total of $90,000 in 13 organizations whose annual donations do not exceed $400,000 per year:
Additionally, the program will invest a total of $60,000 in seven organizations whose annual donations equal or exceed $400,000 per year:
About Vision Tulsa
Vision Tulsa, an $884 million sales tax renewal package approved by voters in 2016, is making substantial investments in economic development, education, public safety, streets, and transportation needs citywide. With citizen priorities providing the driving force behind the creation of Vision Tulsa, transformative projects and enhancements are setting the stage for a bright future for Tulsa.
For more information about Vision Tulsa, visit www.cityoftulsa.org/vision.
For more information about Arts in Tulsa, visit www.cityoftulsa.org/arts.
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