TACA Announces Expansion of Pop-Up Grants to Include New Funding for Individual Artists February 1, 2021

March Family Foundation Gift Extends Program Through 2021

Media Contact: Brett Gray, Brett@BrettGrayPR.com, 214.557.6233

DALLAS – TACA – The Arts Community Alliance – announced today an expansion of its Pop-Up Grant program, which debuted in August 2020 as part of the new TACA Resiliency Initiative (TRI).  This expansion includes Artist Bonus funds, a new source of funding for individual artists, providing them financial support while the arts continue to feel the impact of the pandemic, while extending the program through 2021.  The addition of the artist bonus funding is made possible by a generous $180,000 gift from the March Family Foundation.

TACA has distributed Pop-Up Grants since August as small, unrestricted disbursements to arts organizations demonstrating quality short-term programming, exceptional creativity and innovation. These monthly, merit-based awards are designed to increase the awareness of artistic work happening in and around the community. Some recipients of Pop-Up Grants made so far include Cry Havoc Theater Company, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Aurora Dallas and Prism Movement Theater.  A listing of all Pop-Up grantees to-date can be found here.

Arts organizations that receive a TACA Pop-Up Grant are permitted to use them as unrestricted funding for the organization.  Last year, TACA distributed $35,000 in Pop-Up Grants. For 2021, organizations with operating budgets of $5 million or less receiving a Pop-Up Grant will also receive additional Artist Bonus funds, which will be disbursed by the grantee to the “Key Artists” and “Supporting Artists” involved in the awarded Pop-Up Grant program on a 2:1 ratio.  The total Artist Bonus funds distributed are equal to two-times the grantee’s unrestricted Pop-Up Grant (e.g., if a grantee receives an unrestricted Pop-Up Grant of $2,000, the organization will receive additional Artist Bonus funds in the amount of $4,000 to be awarded to the artists).

“Kevin and I have witnessed so many arts organizations and artists struggle during the pandemic,” said Carol March, who is also a member of TACA’s Board of Directors.  “These are groups and individuals who are yearning to work, but due to the pandemic, they can’t practice their craft and make a living.  Many artists have lost jobs as well as the opportunity to perform, so we are making this gift to the Pop-Up Grant program to support them and arts staff at this critical time.  Further, we are hopeful that our gift will be a catalyst for others who wish to support artists.”

January Pop-Up Grants and Artist Bonus

In conjunction with the March Family Foundation gift, TACA’S January Pop-Up Grantees are The Cedars Union, The Cube, Kitchen Dog Theater, Shakespeare Dallas and Soul Rep Theatre Company. They  each will receive unrestricted grants between $500-$2,000 plus Artist Bonus grants between $1,000-$4,000. For more detailed information about each of these grantees, click here.

The Cedars Union
Flesh & Bone

Flesh & Bone is a site-specific collection of works in the historic Boedeker Building created by Cedars Union Community Member, Erika Jaeggli.  The work is the culmination of on-site research made in this Dallas historical landmark during the months of November and December 2020.

The Cube: An Interactive Experience for the Socially-Distanced Era

The Cube: An Interactive Experience for The Socially Distanced Era utilizes projections, lights, music, dance, and live performance in an attempt to blur the lines between the socially-distanced virtual art we have all become accustomed to since March 2020, and the more traditional live theatrical performance we have loved for centuries.

Kitchen Dog Theater
#ENOUGH: Plays to End Gun Violence

In collaboration with SMU/Division of Theatre, Kitchen Dog Theater participated in the nationwide reading of the seven winning plays of #ENOUGH: Plays to End Gun Violence, a national short play competition for middle and high school students. The reading was livestreamed on December 14, 2020 – as an 8-year remembrance of the shootings at Sandy Hook.

Shakespeare Dallas
Shakespeare Decoded

In Shakespeare Dallas’ new podcast series, Shakespeare Decoded, they explore the social issues of William Shakespeare’s day that remain burning issues in today’s global society.  Each episode features panelists from across the country sharing their expertise on themes such as class division, racism, gender, and bias.

Soul Rep Theatre Co.
DO NO HARM

Soul Rep Theatre Company, in partnership with SMU’s Perkins School of Theology, presented the world premiere of Co-Founder, Anyika McMillan-Herod’s newest play DO NO HARM (filmed in a slave cabin at Dallas Heritage Village) in January. The harrowing historical drama was commissioned by Dr. Evelyn Parker (SMU) and the Association of Practical Theology (APT) and explores the story of three enslaved women – Anarcha, Betsey, and Lucy – who were experimented on without anesthesia by Dr. J. Marion Sims, credited as “The Father of Modern Gynecology.”

“We are beyond grateful for the generous gift from the March Family Foundation,” said Terry D. Loftis, Donna Wilhelm Family President & Executive Director.  “Thanks to Carol and Kevin, we’re able to expand the program to include artists, but also extend it through 2021.  Many artists are still reeling from the economic impact of the pandemic, and we’re thankful these bonus funds will recognize the artists who create works recognized by the Pop-Up Grant program.”

A Special Gift

TACA also announced a special $30,000 gift made by the Davis Family Fund in memory of the late SMU Assistant Theater Professor and independent costume designer Rondi Hillstrom Davis, to support the Pop-Up Grant program.  The gift includes contributions made by more than 50 friends to honor Rondi, who had a deep love for the arts and philanthropic community in Dallas, once managing the costume shop for The Dallas Opera and designing costumes for Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s Christmas shows, and a number of feature films and TV productions.

In speaking of the gift honoring his late wife, Joe Davis added, “Rondi had a deep appreciation for the arts and artists in our community. On behalf of our daughters Genevieve and Alice, we are honored to make this gift to TACA to support the arts and artists who’ve been impacted by the pandemic.”

For additional information and guidelines about the TACA Pop-Up Grants, visit https://taca-arts.org/pop-up-grants. To make a gift to TACA, please email development@taca-arts.org or visit https://taca-arts.org/our-programs/taca-resiliency-initiative/donate/.

About TACA
TACA (The Arts Community Alliance) supports excellence and impact in the arts through grant-making, capacity building, and thought leadership. TACA envisions an innovative, inclusive, sustainable cultural sector recognized for its essential contribution to a vibrant, prosperous community. Since its founding in 1967, TACA has worked to establish North Texas’ cultural community as one of the strongest in the nation. TACA’s growing investment in the arts translates to new premieres and productions, impactful residencies and community initiatives, and more opportunities for artists and audiences to connect – all striving to make Dallas a dynamic city and a great place to live and work.

For more information about TACA, call 214-520-3930 or visit taca-arts.org. Connect with TACA on Facebook at facebook.com/tacadallas, Twitter at @TACADallas or on Instagram at @TACADallas.