Now in its fifth year, the is awarding $450,000 to 52 small arts organizations in Dallas, a record dollar figure for the grant-making arm of the Galveston-based Moody Foundation.
The arts organizations, ranging from a to a to the small publishing house , received grants of up to $12,000. Six of the groups 鈥� Arts Mission Oak Cliff, Asian Film Foundation of Dallas, Indique Dance Company, kNOwBOX Dance, No Limits Arts Theatre and Ollimpaxqui Ballet Company 鈥� were first-time grant recipients.
鈥淲e set out to create a unique endowment that would support the growing, diverse and vibrant small arts community in Dallas,鈥� said Frances Moody-Dahlberg, the executive director and chairman of the Moody Foundation, in a press release. 鈥淲e wanted to help these organizations realize their creative vision with projects and programs across our city. After five years, we are beyond pleased by the results, and excited at what鈥檚 ahead.鈥�
Last year, amid the throes of the pandemic and its , the Moody Foundation . Grant amounts in response to the pandemic, and the fund (which is run by the AT&T Performing Arts Center) implemented an expedited review process.
鈥淭he arts are essential to Dallas,鈥� said Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson in the press release. 鈥淎nd during an extraordinarily challenging time, the Moody Fund for the Arts provided a lifeline to many of our small arts organizations that fuel our city鈥檚 culture of creativity.鈥�
All organizations go through a two-stage review process in order to qualify for grants. This year, the advisory review panel, which conducts the first level, included Wolford McCue, the former president and executive director of The Arts Community Alliance, known as TACA; Katie McGuinness of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra; Artie Olaisen of Dallas Children鈥檚 Theater; Nycole Ray of Dallas Black Dance Theatre; and Priscilla Rice of the city鈥檚 Arts and Culture Advisory Commission.
The second stage of review was conducted by the Moody Fund鈥檚 executive committee, made up of Benjamin Espino, the interim director of the Office of Arts and Culture; philanthropist Gwen Echols; and philanthropist Tracey Nash-Huntley.
The Moody Foundation created , endowing it with $10 million to grant annually to nonprofit arts organizations that are supported by the city鈥檚 Office of Arts and Culture and have budgets of less than $1 million. In exchange for this 鈥� and for the Moody Foundation putting up $12 million toward paying down the AT&T Performing Arts Center鈥檚 capital debt 鈥� the city renamed the Dallas City Performance Hall in the Arts District to the Moody Performance Hall.
To date, the fund has awarded $1,530,000 to 79 organizations.
Dana Gerber is a staff writer at The Dallas Morning News.
This story is part of an arts journalism collaboration between The Dallas Morning News and 四虎影院. A version also appears at Dallasnews.com.
