Arts & Science Council’s latest round of Cultural Vision Grants provided $198,000 to creatives.

Thirty-one groups and individuals of the 69 who applied are grant recipients, with projects expected to be completed by June 30, 2022. Forty-five percent of the grantees received Cultural Vision Grants for the first time. Grants range from $2,000-$9,500. Grants may be up to $10,000 to fund projects within Mecklenburg County by a creative or nonprofit organization within the county.

Projects must build community, increase innovation and increase relevance by using arts, history or science to address community issues. Initial applications for the next round of ASC Cultural Vision Grants will be accepted through Sept. 8 at 12 p.m.

“ASC is proud to fund the work of Charlotte-Mecklenburg creative individuals and cultural organizations – in spite of an ongoing pandemic and other challenges – that continue to engage and strengthen our communities through arts and culture,” ASC President Krista Terrell said in a statement. “We appreciate our public and private donors who understand and believe in ASC’s commitment to cultural equity and our centering of community in all that we do. This support allows us to invest in the people, programs and ideas that move us toward a more equitable, sustainable and innovative creative ecosystem.”

ASC released their inaugural Cultural Equity Report earlier this year. The 34-page report examined what the organization called an inequitable funding history and the organization’s progress toward cultural equity. They stressed an increased commitment to African, Latinx, Asian, Arab or Native American, or ALAANA, organizations and individuals. Seventy-one percent of the projects funded in this grant cycle are led by and/or serve ALAANA, LGBTQ and disability communities.

Among the recipients is Lakeetha Blakeney, who received $6,250 to support “Sweet Jenn,” which Blakeney wrote. The living exhibit serves as a window into the world of Jenny Butler, an enslaved woman in the antebellum South. Vickie Evans, who received $6,500 and is the founder of the African American Playwright’s Group, will use her funding to support the production of her play "The Gift," which highlights the Black experience.

UNC Charlotte alumna Meadows received $2,000 to support “Subtle Oppression,” which uses a series of natural braiding hair and twists to address her frustration with how society treats Black hair. She mounts them on felt 2-foot-by-3-foot panels and bonds them with black glue. Panels include symbols representing Black culture and history, such as Underground Railroad patterns like the “Shoofly” and “Crossroad,” which were styled into women’s hair and offered messages of safety. She also created her own symbols to highlight contemporary struggles faced by the Black community.

Organizations also received funding, such as Charlotte Museum of History’s $6,250 grant to support the annual African American Heritage Festival and Indigenous Peoples Celebration.

CineOdyssey Film Festival received $8,250 to support its work celebrating and giving voice to filmmakers of color from the African, Caribbean, Latin-a/o/x/e, Asian and Native American diasporas.

Lorien Academy of the Arts received $8,250 to help fund an eight-week Summer Art Academy for youth from low-income families. QC Family Tree’s $8,250 will support a community-engaged artist residency this fall at their location west Charlotte.

Queen City Art Fest’s $5,000 will help fund economic empowerment, increased awareness, significance of and need for African diaspora art and culture. Queen City New Play Initiative received $7,500 to help the commissioning and sharing of micro-plays about Charlotte’s artistically underserved communities. The project is called “Remember When …”
For the list of grant recipients, visit artsandscience.org.

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