The City of Austin Economic Development Department announces more than $3.9 million in funds awarded to 36 local arts non-profit organizations through the Thrive grant. These grant awards, ranging from $85,000 - $150,000, provides focused investment to sustain and grow arts organizations that are deeply rooted in and reflective of Austin’s diverse cultures. Recipients will use their funds for arts activities open to and marketed to tourists.
“Thrive will help sustain and grow our creative economy through operating grants and access to a supportive peer cohort with networking and learning opportunities” explains Sylnovia Holt-Rabb, Director of the Economic Development Department. “This program addresses the historical under-funding and cultural displacement of communities within Austin by offering transformative funding for these organizations to invest in their own future.”
The Austin City Council approved the Thrive awardees on February 23, 2023 through Resolution No. 20230223-012. Thrive is only open to 501c arts organizations who have at least a 5-year history in Austin. This program prioritizes organizations that have not yet reached institutional status (access to large cash reserves, endowments, etc.). Thrive includes a supportive cohort learning model, leveraging expertise from within the cultural sector to guide professional development and taking advantage of learning opportunities within the Economic Development Department and other City programs. Below is the full list of 2023 grantees:
| Organization Name | Award |
|---|---|
| allgo | $150,000 |
| Austin Asian American Film Festival | $100,000 |
| Austin Chinese-American Network or ACAN | $85,000 |
| Austin International Drag Foundation, Inc. | $100,000 |
| AZTLAN DANCE COMPANY | $100,000 |
| Ballet East Dance Company | $85,000 |
| Capitol View Arts | $150,000 |
| Cine Las Americas | $150,000 |
| Color Arc Productions | $85,000 |
| Dance Africa Fest | $85,000 |
| DAWA (Diversity Awareness and Wellness in Action) | $100,000 |
| E4 Youth, Inc | $85,000 |
| Esquina Tango | $100,000 |
| Glass Half Full Theatre | $85,000 |
| Great Promise for American Indians | $150,000 |
| ICMCA | $85,000 |
| Imagine Art | $85,000 |
| India Fine Arts, Inc | $100,000 |
| Indie Meme | $85,000 |
| Jump On It | $100,000 |
| LA PENA | $150,000 |
| Lannaya West African Drum and Dance Ensemble | $100,000 |
| Latinas Unidas Por El Arte (LUPE Arte) | $100,000 |
| LATINITAS, LATINITAS, INC. | $100,000 |
| Mexic‐Arte Museum | $100,000 |
| MoHA | $150,000 |
| Oliver Rajamani DBA Taranada | $85,000 |
| Outreach Productions | $100,000 |
| OUTsider Film & Arts Festival | $100,000 |
| PUERTO RICAN FOLKLORIC DANCE INC aka Puerto Rican Cultural Center | $150,000 |
| Red Salmon Arts | $100,000 |
| Roy Lozano's Ballet Folklorico de Texas | $100,000 |
| The VORTEX | $150,000 |
| Torch Literary Arts | $150,000 |
| WhatsintheMirror | $85,000 |
| Women in Jazz Association | $150,000 |
View a summary dashboard of demographics for 2023 Thrive Grant applicants and awardees.
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97% of grantees identify their leadership as majority diverse race/ethnicity
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67% of grantees identify their leadership as majority female or non-binary
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183 people employed by the 36 grantee organizations
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22 median years of operation of grantees
Funding for the Thrive Grant, which is managed by the Economic Development Department’s Cultural Arts Division, comes from 15% of the annual Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) allocations for the Cultural Arts Fund. Thrive is the first arts focused program developed from new criteria informed by the 2022 Cultural Funding Review Process by the Economic Development Department, which was a three-year public process to center equity and inclusion in the City’s HOT investments in arts, heritage, and music. The Economic Development Department acknowledges the extraordinary cultural and creative talent that exists in the city contributing to Austin’s economic success and to the city’s identity.
One awardee, the Cine Las Americas Board, Gabriel Ornelas and the entire Cine staff, stated, “With a history of 25 years, this Thrive award and the amount will provide us with the opportunity and critical support to focus on the next years and develop as a self-sustaining cultural institution. To serve, collaborate and engage not only our current communities, but diverse groups throughout Austin. And, to continue to introduce everyone to the talented, important and beautiful stories and voices of the filmmakers we represent.”
In upcoming months, additional programs will launch to support arts & culture in the Austin surrounding area including Live Music Fund Event Program, Elevate, Nexus, and Heritage Preservation Grant. These new funding programs are structured to encourage new talent, support established cultural producers, and invest in the development of diverse cultural institutions that are rooted in and representative of the communities they serve.
For more information on the Thrive Grant and other cultural funding opportunities, visit www.austintexas.gov/department/cultural-funding
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About the City of Austin Economic Development Department
The City of Austin Economic Development Department supports business growth, creative industries, and local communities. These programs build an equitable, sustainable economy to improve the lives of all Austin residents. To learn more about helpful resources, visit www.austintexas.gov/edd and subscribe to our newsletter. Connect with us @AustinEconDev on Facebook, @AustinEconDev on Twitter, and @AustinEconDev on YouTube.