Two art organizations selected for initiative

Two JP-based art organizations, Eliot School of Fine & Applied Arts and A Far Cry, have been selected to participate in the Barr-Klarman Massachusetts Arts Initiative.

A partnership between two Boston-based foundations – Barr and The Klarman Family Foundation – the initiative is a $25 million, six-year investment in 29 arts and cultural organizations from across Massachusetts. Participating organizations receive flexible, multi-year operating support grants, in addition to training and technical assistance from TDC, a nonprofit consulting and research firm. Each organization’s engagement in the initiative begins with two grants totaling $300,000 from Barr and the Klarman Family Foundation over three years, an endorsement of the organization’s work inspiring lifelong learning in craftsmanship and creativity for all.

“We are honored to be chosen for this welcome initiative to strengthen the arts in Massachusetts. We’re in the company of some of the most vibrant arts leaders in the state, and endorsement from the Barr and Klarman Family Foundations is a great honor. We look forward to this great opportunity to strengthen our work bringing excellent instruction in art and artisanship to people from all walks of life,” said Abigail Norman, executive director of the Eliot School.

“Organizations like A Far Cry and the Eliot School are the cultural hearts of their communities,” said San San Wong, director of Arts & Creativity for the Barr Foundation. “They are sites of public assembly and dialogue, often working to foster understanding and connection across cultural differences. It is our privilege to support the Eliot School in this journey to further strengthen its financial health and capacity to adapt to change – that it might deepen and continue this work for years to come.”

“Arts organizations play a critical role in the health of our communities,” said Laura Sherman, director, Greater Boston Grantmaking for The Klarman Family Foundation. “We are committed to strengthening this cohort of 29 arts organizations across the Commonwealth that have the ability to connect and enliven communities through culture, tradition and creative expression, and we are proud to be a part of this initiative.”

Each participant in this initiative will receive multi-year, unrestricted operating grants. Additionally, through a grant to TDC, a nationally recognized nonprofit consulting and research group, organizations will also receive customized training and technical assistance, and be eligible for supplemental funds for targeted research, capacity building, and/or pilot projects. Recently, the foundations made the first set of three-year grants under the new initiative, marking the beginning of what is expected to be a six-year journey of learning, collaboration, and growth.

For more information about the Barr-Klarman Massachusetts Arts Initiative page, including the ideas underlying the effort, key elements of the experience for participating organizations, selection criteria, and evaluation findings, visit bit.ly/2RnN6LZ.

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