Paint Love pushes forward despite NEA cuts, thanks to emergency philanthropic support

In a year marked by federal funding cuts and political reshuffling various of Atlanta s arts nonprofits are preparing for the ripple effects on staffing services and public access But amid the uncertainty one local organization Paint Love is sustaining its mission thanks to timely philanthropic intervention Paint Love has been evolving in Atlanta s creative ecosystem since delivering trauma-informed arts initiatives to more than young people across the metro area Its work centers on youth facing poverty displacement or grief kids who often have the least access to creative outlets but the largest part to gain from them Art is our car says Robin Deutsch Edwards Paint Love s Director of Philanthropy and Communication But the soul of our work is showing children that their voice matters their ideas are essential and their actions can make a difference in shaping the future The NEA Pulls BackThis spring Paint Love was among organizations nationwide impacted by the suspension of the National Endowment for the Arts NEA Challenge America grants These awards are typically earmarked for small and mid-sized organizations serving underserved communities For Paint Love the grant was set to fund one-third of the budget for its Emerging Artist Cohort a professional expansion effort that trains Atlanta-based artists to lead trauma-informed arts programs for youth The NEA s decision to cancel previously awarded grants comes on the heels of two other major blows to inhabitants arts funding Fulton County slashing its arts budget in half and the loss of COVID- relief funds that provide roughly percent of Georgia s available residents funds for arts organizations for the past three years As Paint Love continues to handle the challenges of fluctuating funding the organization remains committed to its mission We rely on our society from financial backing to volunteer time to expand our reach and sustain our mission stated Shaw In uncertain times art connects us fostering healing and hope Together we can continue making the arts accessible across Metro Atlanta Philanthropy Strategies UpJust as the Emerging Artist Cohort activity faced an uncertain future the Andy Warhol Foundation and the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation stepped in with urgency funding Together they committed to backing the organizations affected by the NEA cuts For Paint Love this lifeline arrived just in time Without this aid emerging artists in our cohort might struggle to develop and implement their projects and our nonprofit partners could lose access to the creative activities that helps young people process emotions build confidence and envision new possibilities Edwards explains Building a Pipeline of Creative LeadersLaunched in the Emerging Artist Cohort is more than a training campaign It s a field-building effort aimed at equipping artists with the skills to lead in trauma-informed spaces Over months cohort members receive training in Paint Love s trauma-informed model learn new skills and receive expert guidance from Atlanta professionals on effectively engaging and creating deeper more meaningful experiences for young people In cohort members served nearly kids through partnerships with organizations like Camp PEACE Catholic Charities at Indian Creek Elementary Los Ni os Primero New American Pathways Global Village Project Kate s Club Trellis Horticultural Therapy Alliance Wellspring Living and Wilderness Works The cohort which began in January includes six new artists who are already leading programs and mentoring high school students at Duluth High School on a STEAM project to design and paint murals on six storm water drains A Call for Sustained SupportWhile emergency grants have provided a temporary reprieve Paint Love s leadership emphasizes the need for more sustainable funding models Various grants are project-based and majority funding is short-term stated Paint Love Executive Director Laura Shaw Particular local foundations have recognized the need for multi-year funding and give multi-year grants which is so helpful for organizations like us who have extremely limited staff ceiling Shaw also highlighted the importance of general operating sponsorship which allows organizations to invest in internal limit and staff well-being Funding aid in large amounts or multi-year funding have been the bulk impactful she says These larger gifts supported general operating rather than restricted funding which allowed us to invest in our unit and internal maximum The Road AheadThis summer Paint Love is expanding its reach by providing arts initiatives for Atlanta-area nonprofit organizations including Los Ni os Primero and the Women s Source Center to End Domestic Violence Additionally Paint Love is partnering with the Museum of Design Atlanta MODA to host two arts-centric camps where young artists will explore design storytelling and hands-on creative projects The post Paint Love pushes forward despite NEA cuts thanks to crisis philanthropic patronage appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta