CLEVELAND, Ohio — Karamu House and Cleveland Public Theatre are among four Ohio arts and culture organizations to receive much-needed grants to help them get through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Both received $50,000 from Arts Midwest’s share of the United States Regional Arts Resilience Fund. The Dayton Contemporary Dance Company and Stuart’s Opera House in Nelsonville were the other organizations to receive funds. Arts Midwest was one of six regional arts organizations to receive money from the $10 million fund created in response to the coronavirus shutdown and underwritten by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
“We are grateful that four Ohio arts organizations were able to receive support through this national funding initiative generously offered by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and Arts Midwest,” said Donna S. Collins, Ohio Arts Council Executive Director, in a release. “We know so many of our colleagues in the arts are facing unprecedented challenges and uncertainties in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, especially those serving under-resourced communities. We commend their strength, innovation, and perseverance as they continue to work each day to provide transformative arts experiences accessible to all audiences.”
The fund will distribute a second wave of grants in November. In allocating its $1.5 million share for this round, Arts Midwest focused on rural communities, Indigenous communities and communities of color.
Founded in 1915, Karamu House is the oldest producing African American theatre in the nation. Cleveland Public Theatre, recently named winner of the National Theatre Conference’s 2020 Outstanding Theatre Award, is home to Teatro Público de Cleveland, a local Latino theatre company.
Last week, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine issued guidelines for the reopening of performing arts venues. However, due to public health concerns and capacity limitations, both Karamu House and Cleveland Public Theatre don’t plan on reopening until at least early 2021.
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The COVID-19 crisis has had an enormous financial impact on the arts, with losses to the creative sector nationally at more than $12.5 billion so far, according to Americans for the Arts.
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