(Bronx, NY – May 31, 2022) The Bronx Council on the Arts (BCA), is proud to announce the winners of its 2022 Community Engagement Grants (CEG’s). BCA distributed 72 grants totaling over $300,000 ($313,315) to through these regrant programs, supported by funding from the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA). All funded projects are representative of the diverse communities that make up The Bronx and stand as a testament to BCA’s commitment to supporting the work of artists and arts organizations in the borough.

The celebration for the 2022 grantees and their community projects took place on Wednesday, May 11th at Bronx River Art Center (BRAC). Together for the first time since the onset of the pandemic, BCA welcomed more than half of our grantees for a night of celebration, featuring performances from the Bangladesh Academy of Fine Arts (BAFA).

Each year, the Bronx Council on the Arts provides individual artists and organizations the opportunity to apply for funds to support grassroots and organizational community-centered arts and culture initiatives and projects. Through these three distinct CEG grant programs, BCA fosters the continued development of local artists and cultural resources, and persists in its responsiveness to community needs.

New Work invites individual Bronx-based artists to apply for a commissioning grant for the creation of a new work in a community setting and is designed to increase support for local artist-initiated activity, highlighting the role of artists as important members of the community. Four individual artists are selected each year. This grant is made possible through support from the New York State Council on the Arts.

Arts Fund aims to develop Bronx artists, artist collectives and small arts organizations through its support of high-quality arts projects that engage Bronx audiences in an array of artistic works across all disciplines, genres, and styles. This grant is made possible through support from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

Community Arts supports local arts projects and activities by Bronx-based artists and nonprofit organizations, enabling Bronx communities to experience and engage with the performing, literary, media, and visual arts. This grant is made possible through support from the New York State Council on the Arts.

Please see a list of 2022 funded projects attached. Applications for the 2023 grant cycle will be available from BCA this summer. More information on BCA and its grant programs are available on our website (www.bronxarts.org).

BCA encourages artists to submit applications regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, age, socio-economic status, national origin, sexual orientation, physical ability, or religion.

Founded by visionary community leaders in 1962, the Bronx Council on the Arts (BCA) is a pioneer in advancing cultural equity in The Bronx. From our early beginnings as a presenter of affordable arts programming in select Bronx neighborhoods, we have grown into a cultural hub that serves the entire creative ecosystem of the borough. Our programs serve artists, the public, and the field at large by building connections, providing resources, and advocating for equitable practices. Then as now, we focus on supporting the work of underrepresented groups – especially artists of color, women, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Through this lens we offer affordable programs for seniors and youth, and provide direct services to over 1,500 artists and 250 community-based arts groups each year.

The Bronx Council on the Arts is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council; New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature; Arts Midwest and the National Endowment for the Arts; the Coalition of Theaters of Color; the Cultural Immigrant Initiative; City Councilmember Eric Dinowitz and former Councilwoman Vanessa Gibson; NYS Assemblymember Michael Benedetto and the NYS Division of Criminal Justice; and the Hispanic Federation, the City of New York, and the Department of Youth and Community Development. Also supported in part by the New Yankee Stadium Community Benefits Fund, Con Edison, the Howard Gilman Foundation, the Mertz Gilmore Foundation, the Lilly Auchincloss Foundation, and Amazon. Special thanks to Hostos Community College and the Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture for their support.

List of Funded Projects

Word Document Version