Thirteen Grantees Awarded Charles E. Culpeper Arts & Culture Grants

The recent economic downturn has had a major impact on one of New York City's essential identities—its arts and cultural organizations. Now more than ever, the nonprofit arts sector is in need of support, which was made apparent with the dramatic spike in letters of inquiry for this year's Charles E. Culpeper Arts & Culture Grants.

The Rockefeller Brothers Fund awarded 13 organizations with Culpeper grants in June. These grants seek to strengthen New York City's arts and cultural organizations by helping to build capacity and support the creative process. All of the selected organizations are small to mid-sized New York City-based cultural organizations, which have achieved a high degree of artistic excellence and program quality, and have clearly articulated their priorities in their need for funds. Grantees work in numerous genres and serve a broad range of artists and audiences.

Even as longtime funders have been limiting their giving or shutting down, many of New York City's arts organizations continue to persevere. "It's crucial we do all we can to continue to support the city's artists and cultural groups," said RBF New York City Program Director Ben Rodriguez-Cubeñas. "These individuals and organizations are key contributors to their neighborhood's cultural, social, and economic vitality."

Listed below are the arts and culture grant recipients of 2010.

THE AFRO LATIN JAZZ ALLIANCE, INC.
Brooklyn, New York

BALLET HISPANICO OF NEW YORK
New York, New York http://www.ballethispanico.org/

BYRD HOFFMAN WATERMILL FOUNDATION
Brooklyn, New York http://www.watermillcenter.org

CUBAN ARTISTS FUND, INC.
New York, New York http://www.cubanartistsfund.org

FIJI THEATER COMPANY, INC.
New York, New York http://www.pingchong.org

JOYCE THEATRE FOUNDATION, INC.
New York, New York http://www.joyce.org

KINGS MAJESTIC CORPORATION
Brooklyn, New York http://purpose.651arts.org/

LARK THEATRE COMPANY, INC.
New York, New York http://www.larktheatre.org

MUSEUM FOR AFRICAN ART
Long Island City, New York

PERFORMANCE ZONE, INC.
New York, New York http://www.thefield.org

POETS & WRITERS
New York, New York http://www.pw.org

SIGNATURE THEATRE COMPANY, INC.
New York, New York http://www.signaturetheatre.org

WORKS AND PROCESS, INC.
New York, New York http://www.worksandprocess.org