The Lower Manhattan Cultural Council has just announced there will be at least $6 million to help smaller arts organizations move and remain in Lower Manhattan.
One of the last grants the September 11th Fund awarded is $5 million to the L.M.C.C. The post-9/11 charity raised over $500 million for victims’ families and other projects.
The arts umbrella organization used to have offices at One World Trade Center and lost an artist Sept. 11, 2001. Tom Healy, president of the L.M.C.C., said they will use some of the grant to train arts organizations in marketing and promotion and to help Downtown arts organizations survive.
The L.M.C.C. will also use some September 11th money and some of its own to combine with $1 million from the Downtown Alliance for the $2 million Cultural Capital Grant Program to encourage arts organizations to move or stay within Lower Manhattan.
Healy said many smaller arts organizations are struggling, particularly Downtown. He said they also have a fear that large cultural buildings planned for the World Trade Center site will hurt their fundraising efforts.
“I think a rising tide lifts all boats,” Healy said. “I happen to think that the attention reflects well on the rebirth of Downtown and people are more likely to spend their money if there is a sense of optimism about Downtown.”
He said there is already a lot of interest in the grants.
The Alliance’s Sigrid Peterson said small and medium sized arts organizations that are at least three years old are eligible for up to $50,000 to study the feasibility of moving into Lower Manhattan and up to $225,000 in capital grants. The capital grant require a 2:1 cash match.
The organizations must send a letter of interest by Jan. 24, 2005. For more information, contact Sigrid Peterson at 212-835-2753 or visit www.downtownny.com or www.lmcc.net.
—Josh Rogers
WWW Downtown Express
