Live Arts Boston

As part of the Boston Foundation’s efforts to support the performing arts—a vital component of the vibrant cultural scene in our city—the Boston Foundation and Barr Foundation have just announced the second cycle of grants made through Live Arts Boston (LAB). The first round of grants in March of 2017 totaled $750,000; this year’s total is even higher at $785,501. The program supports individuals and small performing arts groups—a first in Boston.

The results of the 2016 grants cycle show the remarkable reach of the funding. More than 880 artists participated in 358 LAB-funded events, including performances, workshops and festivals, generating $400,364 in income for the artists. Ninety-five percent of the artists were performing new work and virtually all of them reported taking artistic risks—one of the primary reasons the LAB program was created.

More than 70 percent of the recipients of the second cycle grants are artists of color, the result of an ambitious outreach strategy by the Boston Foundation that included 14 separate events and engaged nearly 250 people. A total of 361 applications were submitted from small organizations and unincorporated groups, with the majority—52 percent—coming from individual artists. A total of 65 grants were awarded.

Boston Art & Music Soul (BAMS) Fest, which presents local musicians of color to diverse audiences, received a grant in both cycles. BAMS Fest founder Catherine Morris, says, “Live Arts Boston grants are living proof that organizations such as the Boston Foundation and Barr Foundation believe in the healing power, community impact and shared experiences of music and live performances.”