Austin Creative Alliance, working with the Austin Justice Coalition, has launched #BlackArtMattersATX, a new initiative that will offer financial support for visual, musical, performance, literary and cinematic art by Black artists living in Austin.
Dewy Brooks, board chair of the Austin Creative Alliance (ACA), said that #BlackArtMattersATX had $5,000 already budgeted for its regular community outreach efforts and that the board decided to redirect the money to create #BlackArtMattersATX.
“We didn’t want to just put out a solidarity statement like other organizations were. We wanted to do something proactive immediately,” said Brooks. “The question we asked ourselves was, what can we do right now?”
A website for #BlackArtMattersATX has already launched and applications are already begun accepting applications.
However Brooks said that much about #BlackArtMattersATX is still to be finalized. A five person curatorial panel currently has two members: Brooks, and musician SaulPaul, also a ACA board member. Ishia Lynette from Austin Justice Coalition will also be joining the curatorial panel, Brooks said.
And while no grants have been made yet, Brooks said he anticipates that to start, #BlackArtMattersATX awards might be $250 to $500 for project assistance. Brooks added that ACA will be looking to raise money to grow the #BlackArtMattersATX budget.
Also, Brooks said that ACA will in the future work with Austin Justice Coalition to produce its #BlackArtMattersATX fundraiser, an art show and fundraiser for the coalition.
For to submit an application or sign-up to receive updates go to blackartmattersatx.org
