ELLIS MARSALIS CENTER FOR MUSIC ELECTED AS A GRANTEE OF BLOOMBERG PHILANTHROPIES’ ARTS INNOVATION AND MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
Ellis Marsalis Center will participate in $43 million program
New Orleans, LA— August 30, 2018— The Ellis Marsalis Center for Music today announced that it is a grantee recipient of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Arts Innovation and Management (AIM) program. The invitation-only program seeks to strengthen the organizational capacity and programming of small and mid-size cultural organizations within Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Denver, New Orleans, Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C. Through the $43 million multi-year initiative, Bloomberg Philanthropies will provide unrestricted general operating support as well as arts management training in areas that include fundraising, strategic planning, marketing and board development.
“We are thrilled to be selected as a recipient of this generous grant and look forward to collaborating with Bloomberg Philanthropies to make our organization and programs stronger” said Michele Brierre, Executive Director of the Center. “And we want to express our deepest gratitude to Bloomberg for this support on behalf of the population we serve, our students, musicians, and surrounding community.”
AIM targets arts non-profits because of the vital role that they play in building communities, driving local economies and supporting artists. “The arts inspire people, provide jobs, and strengthen communities,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies. “This program is aimed at helping some of the country's most exciting cultural organizations reach new audiences and expand their impact.”
Bloomberg Philanthropies will develop curricula and conduct seminars for the program in partnership with leading experts, including the DeVos Institute of Arts Management at the University of Maryland, led by Institute Chairman Michael M. Kaiser and President Brett Egan. AIM organizations will engage in activities that strengthen their long-term health and goals, and will receive one-on-one consultations and implementation support for organization leaders and their boards.
All organizations invited to participate in the 2018 expansion of the AIM program are nonprofits that have been in existence for at least two years. Participating organizations will be required to secure 20% of their AIM grant in matching dollars; reach 100% board participation in fundraising; and maintain up-to-date information in DataArts, an online management tool that assists arts organizations across the country in collecting, learning from, and using data effectively. The grants will be unrestricted to allow recipients to utilize the funds to address their greatest needs.
Since 2011, AIM has helped more than 500 small and mid-sized organizations in all creative disciplines, including theater, visual arts, music, film, literature and dance. Participating organizations reported significant improvements in board development, fundraising and overall income over the two-year program. Watch this video for an overview of the Arts Innovation and Management program: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KJy8DgjRDg&feature=youtu.be.
About the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music
The Ellis Marsalis Center for Music creates, expands and sustains opportunities for New Orleans’ underserved children and adults. Via innovative music education-based programming for children ages seven to 18, the Center provides a safe, positive environment where youth develop musically, academically and socially. In addition, the Center provides support services for New Orleans’ low-income adult musicians and residents of the Musicians’ Village, a multi-generational residential community located adjacent to the Center’s campus. In a neighborhood where poverty levels are 40 percent greater than the concentrated poverty rates elsewhere in New Orleans, the Center serves as a critical lifeline for the children and youth in our surrounding community. The 19,000-square foot Center includes a 170-seat performance hall with state-of-the-art lighting and sound; recording facilities; computer center; listening library; dance studio; classrooms and music and homework-help teaching facilities for individual and group instruction. The Center also serves as a gathering place for the community.
Contacts:
Michele Brierre, Executive Director, 504-940-3400 or mbrierre@ellismarsaliscenter.org
About Bloomberg Philanthropies
Bloomberg Philanthropies works inover 480 cities in more than 120 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization focuses on five key areas for creating lasting change: Arts, Education, Environment, Government Innovation, and Public Health. Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg’s charitable activities, including his foundation and his personal giving. In 2017, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed $702 million. Formore information, please visit www.bloomberg.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter.
Media Contact
Bloomberg Philanthropies, Rebecca Carriero +1 -212-205-0182 or rebeccac@bloomberg.org