Recent Grants Support Mission of WBTT

September 4, 2024 | Sarasota

Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe (WBTT) was recently thrilled to receive a handful of significant grants, totaling $164,000, in support of its mission. This funding will bolster its upcoming 25th Anniversary Celebration and theatre season, major fundraising events, and education programs.

WBTT received an Empowering Arts Grant of $50,000 from Gulf Coast Community Foundation in support of its 2024-2025 theatre season; its 25th Anniversary Celebration (November 14, 2024) and April Fools Fête (March 31, 2025); and education programs including Stage of Discovery, the free summer musical theatre intensive for students ages 8-18, and Jazzlinks, WBTT’s in-school integrated arts experience to help illustrate – through music and theatre – the role, struggles and contributions of African Americans in U.S. history..

Gulf Coast rebranded its former Arts Appreciation Grants, aimed to not just appreciate but to empower the community’s world-class arts and cultural organizations to meet their full potential. WBTT was one of 13 Empowering Arts recipients this year; this is the eighth year WBTT has received this support, totaling $265,000. This year’s grant is made possible through the Helen Hamilton Fund at Gulf Coast Community Foundation.

The Community Foundation of Sarasota County has awarded a Strategic Partnership grant of $51,000 to WBTT in support of the following: $20,000 for Stage of Discovery and other education programs, $10,000 for the annual Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., $10,000 for the 25th Anniversary Celebration, $5,000 for the April Fools Fête, $5,000 for this past summer’s Juneteenth Arts Festival, and $1,000 for the nationwide Give 8/28 philanthropic effort.

Three funds at the Community Foundation supported this year’s total Strategic Partnership grant: the Zella I. and Junius F. Allen Fund, Allen Wirtz Nobbe and Jo Bowen Nobbe Fund, and Leslie and Margaret Weller Fund.

The Shubert Foundation awarded a grant of $30,000 to support WBTT’s 2024-2025 theatre season. This is the fifth year WBTT has received grant support from the Shubert Foundation, which is the largest funder of unrestricted grants to US-based not-for-profit dance companies, and theaters. The foundation’s grants are intended to support the artistic process by providing general operating support to organizations with a history of fiscal responsibility and an established track record.

WBTT received two grants from The Exchange this year: $30,000 to support WBTT’s 2024-2025 mainstage season, and a $3,000 Elizabeth Lindsay Arts in Education grant to support Jazzlinks. WBTT has been the grateful beneficiary of grants from The Exchange – which proudly supports projects with artistic and cultural value as well as scholarships for local high school and college students pursuing a higher education in the visual and performing arts – since 2012.

“We are so fortunate to enjoy this significant support from such distinguished funders – it serves as affirmation of our important work, which ensures greater diversity in professional theatre offerings, training and performance opportunities for rising artists of color, and education outreach programs for students and adults,” said WBTT Executive Director Julie Leach. “Without these types of grants, we could not fully achieve our mission. Many thanks to Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Community Foundation of Sarasota County, the Shubert Foundation, and The Exchange for their ongoing generous support.”

Subscriptions and individual tickets for WBTT’s 2024-2025 season are now on sale. Visit westcoastblacktheatre.org or call 941-366-1505.