Programs
Arts
Cultivating, showcasing, and disseminating the stories of innovative art for social change.
Photo credit: Josué Rivas
About the Art Program
The DR Fund’s Arts program supports arts and culture organizations that are using the arts to amplify social justice movements and/or progressive power-building efforts on a national level. We seek to fund exemplary and inspiring efforts that demonstrate how artistic practice can move beyond a single person or institution, affect much broader communities than a single audience, and advance social, economic, and ecological justice.
We are particularly interested in work that inspires civic engagement; ensures that political and social movements incorporate arts and culture into their strategy; and places the priorities and needs of those historically marginalized at the center of healing processes of communities impacted by environmental/climate injustice, mass incarceration, over-policing, and other forms of racial injustice.
46% of grants supporting new and emerging work
24% of grants advancing power-building strategies
27% applied partnerships with movement and community organizations
Art is important because it expands how we look at and understand the world. It can make us think beyond our own experience, and often, in our appreciation, we find things that link us in a common humanity.
David Rockefeller
Our Grantee Partners
Our Geographical Focus is nationwide.
| Grant Partners | City | Amount Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Abbe Museum | Bar Harbor, ME | $25,000 |
| Brooklyn Arts Exchange (for EmergeNYC) | Brooklyn, NY | $100,000 over 2 years |
| Brooklyn Arts Exchange | Brooklyn, NY | $15,000 |
| Center for Cultural Power | Oakland, CA | $25,000 |
| Grantmakers in the Arts | Bronx, NY | $15,000 over 3 years |
| Urban Bush Women | Brooklyn, NY | $100,000 over 2 years |
| Brave New Films | Culver City, CA | $30000 |
| Center for Artistic Activism | New York, NY | $200,000 over 3 years |
| The Center for Cultural Power | Oakland, CA | $55000 |
| Grantmakers in the Arts | Bronx, NY | $10000 |
| Hi-ARTS | New York, NY | $55,000 |
| Hip Hop Caucus Education Fund | Washington, DC | $50,000 |
| New Venture Fund (for IllumiNative) | Washington, DC | $205,000 over 2 years |
| Brave New Films Action Fund | Culver City, CA | $25000 |
| Brooklyn Arts Exchange | Brooklyn, NY | $100000 over 2 years |
| Center for Artistic Activism | New York, NY | $70000 |
| Grantmakers in the Arts | Bronx, NY | $5000 |
| New York Foundation (for Youth Organizing & Culture Change Fund) | New York, NY | $150000 over 2 years |
| Urban Bush Women | Brooklyn, NY | $100000 over 2 years |
| Americans for the Arts Action Fund | Washington, DC | $25000 |
| Amplifier | Seattle, WA | $50000 |
| Brooklyn Arts Exchange | Brooklyn, NY | $50000 |
| The Center for Cultural Power | Oakland, CA | $100000 over 2 years |
| Hi-ARTS | New York, NY | $100000 over 2 years |
| Hip Hop Caucus Action Fund | Washington, DC | $150000 over 2 years |
| New Venture Fund (for IllumiNative) | Washington, DC | $200000 over 2 years |
| Urban Bush Women | Brooklyn, NY | $50000 |
| A Blade of Grass | Brooklyn, NY | $25000 |
| Americans for the Arts Action Fund | Washington, DC | $75000 |
| Amplifier | Seattle, WA | $50000 |
| Brave New Films Action Fund | Culver City, CA | $50000 over 2 years |
| Community Funds (for Mosaic Network & Fund) | New York, NY | $50000 |
| Cultural Engagement Lab | Oakland, CA | $100000 |
| Cultural Shed | New York, NY | $50000 |
| Fractured Atlas (for Scene City project) | New York, NY | $50000 |
| Gibney Dance | New York, NY | $120000 |
| Girl Be Heard | Brooklyn, NY | $50000 |
| Grantmakers In the Arts | Bronx, NY | $5000 |
| Hi-ARTS | New York, NY | $75000 |
| Hip Hop Caucus Action Fund | Washington, DC | $100000 |
| Laundromat Project | Brooklyn, NY | $75000 |
| National Black Theatre | Harlem, NY | $75000 |
| New Venture Fund (for IllumiNative) | Washington, DC | $100000 |
| The Public Theater | New York, NY | $100000 |
| Swiss Institute | New York, NY | $50000 |
| Theatre of the Oppressed NYC | New York, NY | $50000 |
| YEARS Project | New York, NY | $50000 |
| Americans for the Arts Action Fund | Washington, DC | $38000 |
| Amplifier | Seattle, WA | $15000 |
| Brave New Films | Culver City, CA | $25000 |
| Cultural Shed | New York, NY | $50000 |
| Fountain House | New York, NY | $50000 over 2 years |
| Fractured Atlas (for Climate Chores project) | New York, NY | $25000 |
| Girl Be Heard | Brooklyn, NY | $20000 |
| Grantmakers In the Arts | Bronx, NY | $27000 |
| Hip Hop Caucus | Washington, DC | $20000 |
| Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (for Upstart Co-Lab) | New York, NY | $75000 over 3 years |
| Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey (for Rikers Public Memory Project) | Newark, NJ | $15000 |
| Sheherazade Initiatives | New York, NY | $50000 over 2 years |
| Tribeca Film Institute | New York, NY | $25000 |
| Victory Gardens Theater | Chicago, IL | $40000 |
| YEARS Project | New York, NY | $25000 |
| A Blade of Grass | Brooklyn, NY | $25000 |
| Amplifier | Seattle, WA | $25000 |
| Brave New Films | Culver City, CA | $25000 |
| Chashama | New York, NY | $50000 over 2 years |
| Gibney Dance | New York, NY | $50000 over 2 years |
| Grantmakers In the Arts | Bronx, NY | $1000 |
| Hip Hop Caucus | Washington, DC | $20000 |
| Just Detention International | Los Angeles, CA | $25000 |
| The Public Theater | New York, NY | $20000 |
| Theatre of the Oppressed NYC | New York, NY | $20000 |
| Tides Foundation (for YEARS Project) | San Francisco, CA | $25000 |
| United Workers Association | Baltimore, MD | $20000 |
| Victory Gardens Theater | Chicago, IL | $40000 |
| Amplifier | Seattle, WA | $25000 |
| Center for Artistic Activism | Beacon, NY | $25000 |
| Fountain House | New York, NY | $50000 over 2 years |
| Girl Be Heard | Brooklyn, NY | $60000 over 2 years |
| Grantmakers In the Arts | New York, NY | $1000 |
| John Howard Society (for Pros and Cons) | Kingston, ON | $50000 over 2 years |
| The Listen Charity USA | Los Angeles, CA | $50000 over 2 years |
| The Public Theater | New York, NY | $20000 |
| Theatre of the Oppressed NYC | New York, NY | $50000 |
| United Workers Association | Baltimore, MD | $30000 |
| Victory Gardens Theater | Chicago, IL | $30000 |
| A Blade of Grass | New York, NY | $150000 over 3 years |
| Center for Urban Pedagogy | Brooklyn, NY | $25000 |
| Chashama | New York, NY | $25000 |
| Fortune Society | Queens, NY | $20000 |
| Girl Be Heard | Brooklyn, NY | $25000 |
| Issue One | Washington, DC | $12500 |
| John Howard Society (for Pros and Cons) | Kingston, ON | $25000 |
| MAPP International Productions | New York, NY | $25000 |
| Theatre of the Oppressed | Brooklyn, NY | $25000 |
| United Workers Association | Baltimore, MD | $30000 |
| The Watershed Center (for People's Collective Arts) | Millerton, NY | $17500 |
| A Blade of Grass | New York, NY | $50000 |
| Center for Urban Pedagogy | Brooklyn, NY | $25000 |
| Fortune Society | Queens, NY | $20000 |
| Gibney Dance | New York, NY | $50000 over 2 years |
| Groundswell | Brooklyn, NY | $20000 |
| Laundromat Project | New York, NY | $20000 |
| Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City (for Mayor's Office of Veterans' Affairs Artist-in-Residence) | New York, NY | $25000 |
| Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Art | Brooklyn, NY | $25000 |
| New York Community Trust (for New York City Cultural Agenda Fund) | New York, NY | $25000 |
| The Public Theater | New York, NY | $20000 |
| Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture | New York, NY | $25000 |
| Socrates Sculpture Park | Queens, NY | $50000 |
| A Blade of Grass | New York, NY | $30000 |
| Center for Urban Pedagogy | Brooklyn, NY | $25000 |
| Gibney Dance | New York, NY | $25000 |
| Groundswell | Brooklyn, NY | $25000 |
| Laundromat Project | New York, NY | $20000 |
| Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Art | Brooklyn, NY | $25000 |
| New York Community Trust (for Hive Digital Media Learning Fund) | New York, NY | $25000 |
| New York Community Trust (for New York City Cultural Agenda Fund) | New York, NY | $25000 |
| The Public Theater | New York, NY | $25000 |
| Queens Museum of Art | Queens, NY | $25000 |
| Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture | New York, NY | $25000 |
| Bronx Museum | Bronx, NY | $25000 |
| Center for Urban Pedagogy | Brooklyn, NY | $25000 |
| Fund for Public Schools (for Summer Arts Institute) | New York, NY | $15000 |
| Laundromat Project | New York, NY | $15000 |
| Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City (for New York City Housing Authority Youth Chorus) | New York, NY | $15000 |
| New York Community Trust (for Hive Digital Media Learning Fund) | New York, NY | $25000 |
| The Public Theater | New York, NY | $25000 |
| Queens Museum of Art | Queens, NY | $25000 |
| Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture | New York, NY | $25000 |
| Apple Arts | New York NY | $15000 |
| Artists Striving to End Poverty | New York, NY | $15000 |
| Bronx Museum of the Arts | Bronx NY | $25000 |
| Brooklyn Academy of Music | Brooklyn, NY | $50000 over 2 years |
| Carter Burden Center for the Aging | New York, NY | $10000 |
| Fund for Public Schools (for Summer Arts Institute) | New York, NY | $20000 |
| Groove With Me | New York, NY | $15000 |
| Groundswell Community Mural Project | Brooklyn, NY | $40000 over 2 years |
| Laundromat Project | New York, NY | $15000 |
| Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City (for New York City Housing Authority Youth Chorus) | New York, NY | $20000 |
| Metropolis Ensemble | Brooklyn, NY | $20000 over 2 years |
| New York Community Trust (for Hive Digital Media Learning Fund) | New York, NY | $25000 |
| Queens Museum of Art | Queens, NY | $30000 |
| Apple Arts | New York NY | $15000 |
| Artists Striving to End Poverty | New York, NY | $15000 |
| Bronx Museum of the Arts | Bronx, NY | $25000 |
| Brooklyn Academy of Music | Brooklyn, NY | $25000 |
| Fund for Public Schools (for Summer Arts Institute) | New York, NY | $20000 |
| Groove With Me | New York, NY | $20000 |
| Groundswell | Brooklyn, NY | $40000 |
| Laundromat Project | New York, NY | $10000 |
| Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City (for Spaceworks) | New York, NY | $80000 over 2 years |
| New York University Tisch School of the Arts | New York NY | $15000 |
| Queens Museum of Art | Queens, NY | $40000 |
| Studio Museum | Harlem Bronx, NY | $25000 |
| Apple Arts NYC | New York, NY | $10000 |
| El Barrio's Artspace (PS109) | New York, NY | $25000 |
| Casita Maria | Bronx, NY | $15000 |
| Fund for Public Schools (fpr Summer Arts Institute) | New York, NY | $20000 |
| Groove With Me | East Harlem, NY | $15000 |
| Groundswell Community Mural Project | New York, NY | $20000 |
| Hip Hop Theater Festival | New York, NY | $15000 |
| Joyce Theater | New York, NY | $15000 |
| New York University Tisch School of the Arts | New York, NY | $15000 |
| Queens Museum of Art | Queens, NY | $40000 |
| Studio Museum | New York, NY | $20000 |