Coronavirus: Dayton Contemporary Dance Company awarded resilience grant

COLUMBUS — The Dayton Contemporary Dance Company is one of four organizations in Ohio to have been awarded U.S. Regional Resilience Fund grants, the Ohio Arts Council announced Thursday.

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The Resilience Fund’s goal is to invest in historically under-resourced arts and culture organizations across the United States as they work to weather the COVID-19 pandemic. Twenty-two of the funded organizations are led by and serving people of color and/or Indigenous communities, and 11 are based in rural areas.

The 30 selected organizations will each receive $50,000 to $55,000 as a one-time investment with no matching funds required.

Recipients may direct fund grants to their most pressing needs and opportunities, from response activities to investments that build resiliency and sustainability.

Here are the grant recipients and the amounts:

• Dayton Contemporary Dance Company - $55,000
• Cleveland Public Theatre - $50,000
• Karamu House (Cleveland) - $50,000
• Stuart’s Opera House (Nelsonville) - $50,000

The impact of COVID-19 has created incredible financial obstacles for the arts, with Americans for the Arts estimating current losses for the creative sector at more than $12.5 billion and counting, according to the arts council.

“We know so many of our colleagues in the arts are facing unprecedented challenges and uncertainties in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, especially those serving under-resourced communities,” Donna S. Collins, Ohio Arts Council executive director, said in a prepared statement. “We commend their strength, innovation, and perseverance as they continue to work each day to provide transformative arts experiences accessible to all audiences.”

Cox Media Group