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Arts and Creativity
Arts and Culture are essential to our region’s quality of life. Arts are not a “nice to have” but rather a “must-have“ as a social and economic driver for our region. We are proud to invest in art and culturally focused nonprofits that are community-based and use the arts to challenge, inspire, and change lives.
Our Creative SouthCoast Initiative, which began in 2017, specifically focuses on Fall River and New Bedford attracting and motivating local philanthropy to prioritize the arts. The work of the initiative has included support for city-wide initiatives, public art, capacity building for small nonprofits, increased access for youth, and the celebration and elevation of culturally diverse creativity.
BUILDING BLOCK COHORT
The SouthCoast Community Foundation focuses on capacity building through a working group we call “Building Blocks.” The Cohort is comprised of 12 local arts organizations from the New Bedford and Fall River area whose annual revenue are $250,000 or less. Bolstering these smaller nonprofits was based on their fiscal standing but also on their plans to revitalize the area with visual and performing arts and art therapy, bringing culturally diverse creativity into these communities, and increasing access for youth. Through workshops, convening, technical assistance, and grantmaking, we have seen these organizations evolve. By deepening financial support and forming a learning community where successes and challenges are shared, the capacity of each participating cohort member is continually enhanced. 3rd Eye Youth Empowerment Cape Verdean Association NB DATMA FR MoCA Gallery X Gnome Surf Greater Fall River Art Association New Bedford Ballet Foundation New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center Seaglass Theater YEAH! Corps Your Theater
FALL RIVER CULTURAL PLAN The Fall River Arts and Culture Coalition (FRACC), is committed to improving the lives of the people that live and work in the Fall River area. In late 2021, the Coalition launched the city’s first Arts & Culture Plan, which was sponsored by the One SouthCoast Chamber with support from the Community Foundation. This multi-year plan fosters a vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable creative economy in the city that is activating creative artists and arts organizations to rebuild the downtown in Fall River.
GET OUT AND ART
This was the third summer of our GET OUT AND ART program, partnering with the New Bedford Housing Authority as part of our Creative SouthCoast Initiative to bring community arts programs into residential neighborhoods. Three programs, run by the New Bedford Art Museum, Dream Out Loud, and NB Creative with Rhonda Fazio, made a lot of art with a lot of young people this summer.
GRANTEE STORY: Keri Cox, President of 3rdEyE Youth Unlimited
POISED TO REORGANIZE AND REBUILD THROUGH CAPACITY BUILDING
Being the president of a small nonprofit made up entirely of volunteers can sometimes be daunting. Moving the organization forward, securing program funding, and ensuring dayto-day operations run smoothly rests on their shoulders. That’s why Keri Cox found participating in the Building Blocks Cohort, a program of our Creative SouthCoast Initiative, rewarding and critical for the continued success of her organization, 3rd EyE Unlimited.
As its president, Keri has represented the organization in the cohort for the last three years and engaged in the breadth of financial support, community building, mentoring, and resources we made available to help strengthen her skillset and, ultimately, the infrastructure of 3rd EyE.
Last year was a turning point for the organization. Known for its youth empowerment programming through hip-hop, the team knew that it had to make some changes to survive the pandemic. A new strategic plan was developed to keep the nonprofit sustainable. Cox knew that to help bring the organization to the next level and make their new strategy actionable, she needed to dedicate her time to the plan instead of the day-to-day operations. She also needed some coaching since the process was new territory. The tight-knit 3rd Eye team was able to support Keri and take on many of her responsibilities and the Community Foundation matched Keri up with strategist and consultant Jay Vogt. Through Jay’s organized and thoughtful mentoring approach, Keri moved forward with their new strategy, developed action plans, and funded several new project hires enabling core team members to focus on priorities instead of being spread too thin. Today, thanks to her team, Keri’s hard work, and Jay’s guidance they are poised to reorganize, rebuild, and invest in their operation, allowing them to stay relevant to the New Bedford youth they serve, the very heart of the organization.
