Wish Granted
Texas Women for the Arts champions 5 Austin organizations with annual grants
On Monday, June 6, Texas Women for the Arts revealed the 2022 recipients of its annual grant program, which will distribute more than $170,000 to 33 arts programs statewide, including five in Austin and two in San Antonio.
The more than 200-member giving circle selected candidates centering around youth arts education, supporting its mission “to awaken and nurture the artist in every Texas child.”
“Since its inception in 2005, Texas Women for the Arts has awarded 318 grants, totaling nearly $3.7 million to arts programs across the state of Texas, and we are honored to continue this legacy in 2022,” said Heidi Marquez Smith, executive director of TWA’s parent organization, the Texas Cultural Trust.
This year's grant recipients in Austin and San Antonio are:
Austin:
The Kindness Campaign
This campaign addresses high teen suicide rates with emotional health curriculum in schools, based on “self-image, emotional awareness, empathy, and community.”
Zachary Scott Theatre Center
Alongside its professional theater company programming, Zach Theater offers musical theater camps, live and virtual classes, and a rigorous school-year training program.
Austin Classical Guitar
Focusing on lifelong learning, this organization started the ACG Youth Orchestra and ACG Education, which aims to improve guitar instruction in for-credit classes within the Austin school system.
Texas Book Festival
An event most Austinites have at least walked past, this festival is full of youth opportunities, including a program that places well-known authors in classrooms to give presentations and books to take home.
Ballet Austin Incorporated
This professional dance company emphasizes dance for all ages and skill levels, and offers several youth programs including a prestigious dance academy that funnels into the local ballet.
San Antonio:
Artpace San Antonio
As an offshoot of the regular residency program, the Artpace Teen Council provides paid collaborative work experience to high schoolers who want to champion contemporary art.
Magik Theatre
Everything at Magik Theatre is about the kids, with child-centric season programming, camps, classes, and field trips. The company also brings its shows on tour to schools.
A map on the website shows a hot spot of grants in Central Texas, with more than 20 grants each in Austin and San Antonio given since TWA’s inception. Last year’s grant recipients included Zach Theater, as well as Austin Film Festival, Capitol Broadcasting Association, Inc., Forklift Danceworks, Foundation Communities, and Austin Bat Cave in Austin; and Blue Star Contemporary, Somos Cultura y Más, and the Ecumenical Center in San Antonio.
Applications for next year’s funding will be open from October 1 through December 1, and can be submitted at txculturaltrust.org.