As Stephen mentioned, the arts fundraising group TACA announced its annual grant recipients last night at the Wyly Theater. What may have been overlooked is that all 41 of those recipients are now eligible to apply for a new grant created specifically to fund new work. And the person who is behind the grant is quite near and dear to us at Art&Seek.
The Donna Wilhelm Family New Works Fund will offer TACA grant recipients the opportunity to apply for an additional grant of up to $100,000 a year to create and stage new work. Donna Wilhelm has donated $200,000, and the TACA board has added an additional $100,000 to support the new funding, which guarantees its existence for at least the next three years.
Wilhelm is the founding funder of the Art&Seek initiative. She’s also a trustee at the Dallas Theater Center and Dallas Fort Worth World Affairs Council.
“I believe that Dallas, with its amazing architecture, contiguous arts district and vibrant urban scene, is on the cusp of a remarkable renaissance,” Wilhelm said in her remarks last night at the Wyly. “And the arts play an important role in that renaissance.”
The 41 arts groups that received TACA grants last night are all eligible to apply for this year’s grant. Guidelines and an application will be online Feb. 10. Applications will be due on March 9. The award will be announced on June 4.
TACA directors who have contributed to date to the fund include: Shannon Brame, Diane and Hal Brierley, Marsha Cameron and Michael Halloran, Nita Clark, Lauren Embrey, Nicholas Even, Tara Lewis, Wolford McCue, Jim Nugent, Karol Omlor and Zannie Giraud Voss.
Press releases on the new fund, and this year’s grant recipients follow.
TACA Announces The Donna Wilhelm Family New Works Fund to Support the Development of New Work in the Area of Performing Arts
DALLAS, Texas, February 1, 2012 – At its annual Grant Awards presentation at the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre on January 30, TACA made an announcement that will be music to the ears of the Dallas performing arts community. In addition to contributing $1 million in grants to support 41 local performing arts organizations, TACA leaders announced the TACA Donna Wilhelm Family New Works Fund, which represents an additional $100,000 in TACA funding available each year for at least the next three years.
TACA Chairman Andy Teller stated, “We are proud to announce The Donna Wilhelm Family New Works Fund, which will be a competitive grant initiative separate from the current annual funding opportunity and will be available to TACA beneficiaries from every discipline within the performing arts. We applaud and thank Donna Wilhelm for her leadership in contributing $200,000 to establish this fund to support the creation and performances of new works in Dallas County. I also thank members of our board of directors who contributed an additional $100,000 to make this Fund a reality.”
New works supported by the Fund may include dance, plays, musical theater, solo and choral vocal works, instrumental performances, spoken word performances or any comparable work presented for an audience. The grants are intended to particularly encourage the creation of innovative and experimental work. Awards will be available to organizations that have otherwise qualified as TACA beneficiaries through TACA’s annual general operating and project grants funding process.
The idea for the New Works Fund arose from TACA’s annual State of the Arts discussions, led by nationally recognized arts leaders each fall. Donna Wilhelm, in whose name the fund is established said, “I believe that Dallas, with its amazing architecture, contiguous arts district and vibrant urban scene, is on the cusp of a remarkable renaissance. And the arts play an important role in that renaissance.”
Wilhelm is the founding donor of Art & Seek at KERA North Texas Public Broadcasting, a trustee of the Dallas Theater Center and Dallas Fort Worth World Affairs Council, and a partner and friend to performing artists throughout the community.
Wilhelm added, “Creating new work means taking risks. And in this economic climate, that’s difficult for many arts groups. This Fund will make it possible for more organizations to take those risks and create original work with the potential for national and international impact.”
In addition to Wilhelm’s $200,000 gift for two years, TACA secured $100,000 from its board of directors. TACA directors who have contributed to date include: Shannon Brame, Diane and Hal Brierley, Marsha Cameron and Michael Halloran, Nita Clark, Lauren Embrey, Nicholas Even, Tara Lewis, Wolford McCue, Jim Nugent, Karol Omlor and Zannie Giraud Voss. For those interested in supporting this Fund, contact TACA’s President and Executive Director Becky Young at 214.855.0400.
Any winner(s) of a New Work Grant will be chosen from among organizations selected to receive annual funding from TACA during the same application/funding cycle. Guidelines and applications for a 2012 grant will be available online beginning February 10 and will be due in the TACA office by March 9. Awards will be announced on June 4.
Wilhelm concluded, “In the world of art, I envision new work as the metaphorical equivalent of the fountain of youth. New work puts forth new ideas, inspires innovation, leads to new ways of thinking, living and universal human connection.”
ABOUT TACA:
Founded in 1966, TACA’s (The Arts Community Alliance) mission is to provide financial support and services and to increase public awareness and participation in the performing arts of North Texas, which improve the quality of life for citizens of all economic, social and ethnic backgrounds. Since its inception, TACA has distributed more than $20.3 million to emerging and established performing arts organizations with budgets as small as $37,000 to as large as $30 million. Funds are raised through three signature events: the TACA Silver Cup Award Luncheon, which honors one man and woman each year for outstanding volunteer support of the arts, TACA Party on the Green and the TACA Custom Auction Gala. In addition, TACA receives strong support from its Board of Governors, Founders Circle and Corporate Council. More information can be found at www.taca-arts.org or by calling 214.520.3930.
TACA’s Grant Awards Presentation Marks
Fifth Year for TACA to Distribute $1 Million to
North Texas Performing Arts Organizations
Dallas’ premier umbrella arts organization TACA, The Arts Community Alliance, distributed a fifth consecutive $1 million in grants to 41 diverse and deserving North Texas performing arts organizations. The grants were distributed on January 30 at the annual TACA Grant Awards Presentation, held at the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre.
Jonathan Moscone, Artistic Director of California Shakespeare Theater and former Artistic Associate of the Dallas Theater Center is this year’s special guest. Mr. Moscone was awarded the inaugural Zelda Fichandler Award by the Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation in 2009 for “transforming the American theatre through his unique and creative work.” When he was Associate Director for the Dallas Theater Center from 1993 to 1999, his credits include the Leon Rabin Award-wining production of How I learned To Drive, An Ideal Husband, Dancing at Lughnasa and several productions of A Christmas Carol that he co-adapted especially for the DTC.
“We are so pleased to have met our goal,” said Andrew Teller, Jr., Chairman of TACA’s Board of Directors and Sr. Managing Partner, RBC Wealth Management. “This accomplishment is indicative of the extraordinary commitment the many individuals, companies and foundations have toward our performing arts community.”
“Hitting the $1 million mark five years running demonstrates that TACA and its supporters remain steadfast to the mission of sustaining a vibrant performing arts community for North Texas,” Teller continued.
TACA’s grants awarded this cycle will help support more than 4,874 performances that approximately 1.2 million people will attend. Ranging from $5,000 to $100,000, TACA grants are being awarded to a varied group of North Texas’ performing arts organizations, from the very large and established to the newly emerging.
Also on this occasion, TACA announced a new grants opportunity, the TACA Donna Wilhelm Family New Works Fund, which will make available up to $100,000 annually for three years, beginning this year, to support the creation of new work.
“I believe that Dallas is on the cusp of a remarkable renaissance and that the arts will play an important role,” noted Donna Wilhelm. “When we move the arts forward, we move Dallas forward, too.”
“In the world of art,” Wilhelm continued, “ I envision new work as the metaphorical equivalent of the fountain of youth. New work puts forth new ideas, inspires innovation, and leads to new ways of thinking and living.”
Performing arts organizations who received TACA grants this funding cycle will be eligible to apply for a grant from the TACA Donna Wilhelm Family New Works Fund. Applications will be available February 10th.
2012 TACA Grant Award Recipients:
$5,000
Arts District Chorale
Dallas Festival of Modern Music
ENVISO
Garland Summer Musicals
Irving Chorale
Meadows School of the Arts, SMU
One Thirty Productions Matinee Series
Project X
Turtle Creek Chorale
$6,000
African-American Repertory Theater
Lone Star Wind Orchestra
Teatro Dallas
$7,000
Dallas Chamber Music Society
Voices of Change
$8,000
Cara Mia Theatre Company
$9,000
Dallas Bach Society
Sammons Jazz
$10,000
Orchestra of New Spain
Second Thought Theatre
$11,000
Echo Theatre
$12,000
Chamber Music International
$15,000
Undermain Theatre
$16,000
Uptown Players
$18,000
Orpheus Chamber Singers
Fine Arts Chamber Players
$20,000
Kitchen Dog Theater
$27,000
Junior Players
$30,000
Children’s Chorus of Greater Dallas
Shakespeare Dallas
TITAS
$34,000
Dallas Wind Symphony
$35,000
Lyric Stage
Theatre Three
$36,000
Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra
$40,000
Texas Ballet Theater
WaterTower Theatre
$60,000
Dallas Black Dance Theatre
$70,000
Dallas Children’s Theater
$100,000
Dallas Opera
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Dallas Theater Center
ABOUT TACA:
Founded in 1966, TACA’s (The Arts Community Alliance) mission is to provide financial support and services and to increase public awareness and participation in the performing arts of North Texas, which improve the quality of life for citizens of all economic, social and ethnic backgrounds. Since its inception, TACA has distributed more than $20.3 million to emerging and established performing arts organizations with budgets as small as $27,000 to as large as $30 million. Funds are raised through three signature events: the TACA Silver Cup Award Luncheon, which honors one man and woman each year for outstanding volunteer support of the arts, TACA Party on the Green and the TACA Custom Auction Gala. In addition, TACA receives strong support from its Board of Governors, Founders Circle and Corporate Council. More information can be found at www.taca-arts.org or by calling 214.520.3930.
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