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Allen Family Philanthropies Announces Nearly $7 Million in Funding for Arts and Culture Organizations at Seattle Center

businesswire.com
MSFT Microsoft is mentioned as the former employer of Paul G. Allen, co-founder of Allen Family Philanthropies. There is no direct impact on Microsoft's stock performance mentioned in the article.

SEATTLE--( BUSINESS WIRE)-- Allen Family Philanthropies is providing nearly $7 million in funding for nonprofits leading eight projects at the Seattle Center campus, the city’s treasured destination for arts and culture. Projects will increase exposure to and participation in the arts among young people by growing opportunities for diverse creators, increasing access to arts programming and engagement, and reimagining spaces.

The assortment of grants focuses on empowering the next generation of artists and audiences. Recent research from ArtsFund finds significant correlations between an accessible and well-funded arts and culture landscape and a vibrant community overall.

“By investing in arts organizations that engage young people, we invest in the creators, audiences, and advocates who will contribute to and sustain a vibrant arts and culture sector in Seattle for years to come,” said Anh Nguyen, director of arts, youth and community for Allen Family Philanthropies. “These organizations excel at engaging young artists and young audiences – and know how to ignite curiosity. The grants will ensure youth arts and culture programming can continue to grow and evolve to meet community needs.”

Projects are led by KEXP, Museum of Pop Culture, National Film Festival for Talented Youth (NFFTY, a program of SIFF), Pacific Northwest Ballet, Pacific Science Center, Seattle Repertory Theatre & Seattle Children’s Theatre, TeenTix, and The Vera Project.

All organizations operate on the Seattle Center campus. For over 60 years, Seattle Center has been Seattle’s hub for arts, culture, and entertainment – home to some of the nation’s most prestigious arts and culture institutions. With over 12 million visitors annually, Seattle Center is the most visited arts and cultural destination in the Pacific Northwest.

“Seattle Center is a place where many young Seattleites engage in the arts and learn about community building,” said Nguyen. “Campus organizations and their programs create varied spaces for young people and families from across the region to engage in arts and culture as a tool to build a community that is rooted in creativity, expression, and collaboration."

Funding for the suite of grants totals $6,868,990 over three years. Grantees, and their respective projects, include:

Allen Family Philanthropies recognizes that arts and culture contribute to a deeper understanding of ourselves and others, helping to foster connection and strengthen communities.

The funding for Seattle Center organizations follows previous arts investments from the foundation locally – including $9 million to eight downtown arts organizations to support nearly 1,200 public events that have drawn an estimated 230,000 attendees in the past year alone – and the Community Accelerator Grant Program administered by ArtsFund, which has awarded $30 million in funding to more than 1,000 arts and culture organizations across Washington state over the last three years.

About Allen Family Philanthropies:

Founded in 1988 by Jody Allen and the late Paul G. Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, Allen Family Philanthropies (formerly known as the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation) invests in communities across the Pacific Northwest and beyond to strengthen arts and culture, empower the next generation of changemakers, and support a global network of partners working to advance biodiversity and human well-being. Learn more at www.allenphilanthropies.org.