Ava DuVernay’s Non-Profit Foundation Launches $250,000 ARRAY Grants Initiative to Support Arts Organizations Centering People of Color and Women of All Kinds

Ava DuVernay’s non-profit foundation ARRAY Alliance has launched a $250,000 funding initiative, ARRAY GRANTS, for organizations and individuals dedicated to narrative change by people of color and women of all kinds. ARRAY Grants recognizes regional film festivals and screening series, as well as arts advocates, filmmakers, creators and journalists. The goal of ARRAY Grants is to provide vital financial support to grassroots entities that serve as a cultural catalyst for narrative change. Unrestricted ARRAY Grants of $10,000 have been awarded to the following 14 inauguralhonorees that serve African-American, Latinx, Asian-American, Native- American, multiethnic and women-centric film communities: BronzeLens Film Festival, Cine Latino Film Festival, IllumiNative, Sankofa Film Society, Gary International Black Film Festival, UrbanWorld Festival, Cinema Sala, Lumbee Film Festival, Indigenous Film Festival, Black Femme Supremacy Film Festival, Visual Communications, ImageNation, Cinema Detroit and the Houston Museum of African American Culture. Additional ARRAY Grants were also presented to The Sarah Jones Film Foundation and to Wilson Morales of BlackFilm.com.

In addition to financial support, ARRAY convened 14 grantees for its inaugural skills- building summit, ARRAY Ascend, at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. ARRAY also awarded consultation grants and commissioned Bridge Philanthropy to provide ongoing strategic mentorship addressing the more urgent needs of the organizations. “Establishing ARRAY Grants furthers ARRAY’s mission to support arts advocates around the country that are cultural necessities in their communities. With more content from creators of color and women being made, it’s crucial to support the organizations that nurture and nourish these voices,” said Regina Miller, ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Director. “In just the last few weeks, we’ve all gained a new appreciation for the value of human connection and the simple comfort of being together, sharing stories, in a place that feels safe and welcoming. Every community deserves that.” “The major impact of the grant is that we are able to survive without permanently closing due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Paula Guthat, co-founder, Cinema Detroit. “We are committed to keeping the movie-going experience accessible to as many people in our community as possible. However, unlike many other arts organizations, we do not have financial reserves. I never would have known how to go about finding funding sources without the consulting advisement that came with the financial support from ARRAY Grants. We have almost no experience navigating the nonprofit world, but now Cinema Detroit has a chance to survive.” The grantees are determined by nomination only. An independent committee comprised of leaders from the philanthropic, entertainment and academic sectors draw on their expertise and networks to identify extraordinary candidates.

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