Suncoast Black Arts Collaborative Receives Grant from Community Foundation of Sarasota County

November 27, 2023 – Sarasota

Michéle Des Verney Redwine, the founder and executive director of the Suncoast Black Arts Collaborative (SBAC), announced that the nonprofit was recently awarded a $10,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County to help support hiring a grant and fundraising consultant for one year.

“The Suncoast Black Arts Collaborative is especially grateful for the Community Foundation of Sarasota County’s recognition that capacity building efforts are essential for the long-term growth and viability of nonprofits,” says Redwine. “This generous grant will fund the hiring of a fundraising specialist, who will work with staff to create a comprehensive development plan for increased sustainability and diversified sources of income. In addition to exploring new grant sources, we can investigate purchasing new tools to help us, including a state-of-the-art donor database.”

Redwine adds that funding stability will enable SBAC to broaden its “remarkable work and develop deeper programs for advocacy, education, and collaboration.”

SBAC’s programs include:

• The Syllabus of Color initiative engages families and community partners to promote the principles of diversity and inclusion in art education for under-represented middle and high school students in Sarasota’s Newtown community.
• The Cultural Arts in Motion program is a collaborative initiative with the Sarasota Housing Authority. The event showcases the talent of young artists with Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, Sarasota Art Museum, Florida Studio Theatre, and Choral Artists of Sarasota. Parents and youth will participate in a day of creative expression at an Art Block Party, on January 13, 2024.
• The Arts and Racial Justice Discovery is a series that brings arts and civic leaders together for courageous conversations about inclusion and diversity in the arts.
• The Beyond Boundaries initiative nurtures and promotes artists of color through pop-up exhibitions from Tampa to Sarasota. The program also offers workshops on art and business, professional skill development and public speaking. The program is collaborating with the Tampa Art Museum, James Museum, Sarasota Art Museum and with arts and cultural alliances in Sarasota and St. Petersburg.

“Since the organization’s inception in 2018, Suncoast Black Arts Collaborative has been instrumental in promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in educational settings throughout the Sarasota-Manatee region,” says Redwine. “The overarching goal is to ignite greater interest in art by artists of African descent and provide students from underrepresented communities opportunities to discover the arts. We are thrilled the Community Foundation supports these endeavors.”

For more information about the Suncoast Black Arts Collaborative, visit www.suncoastblackartscollaborative.org.