ARTSmemphis Reaches Milestone
The Mid-South’s arts funder announces its distribution of $100 million since its founding.
The Mid-South’s primary arts funder, ARTSmemphis, announced Wednesday that it reached a historic milestone, having distributed $100 million in grant dollars to local artists and arts organizations since its founding in 1963.
“Not only are we celebrating our historic work, but we’re continually setting the stage for future growth,” said Elizabeth Rouse, ARTSmemphis president and CEO, in a press release. “To reach the $100 million mark is affirming on so many levels, but our mission continues — as we partner with contributors to elevate our support and make more possible for Memphis through the arts.”
In the past year, ARTSmemphis has invested $3.4 million into the local arts community through 187 grants to 66 organizations and 24 individual artists based in Shelby County. The nonprofit also launched, in partnership with Music Export Memphis, a new Artist Emergency Fund for local artists and brought back its ARTSassist program, the only unrestricted grant program of its kind in Shelby County. Meanwhile, its Arts Build Communities grant program, in partnership with the Tennessee Arts Commission, increased its maximum grants from $3,500 to $5,000 per organization.
The fiscal year ending on June 30th was also one of the most successful fundraising years on record for the nonprofit, the second highest revenue-generating year in recent history since 2021, when ARTSmemphis received a $500,000 American Rescue Plan grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) following the pandemic. In January, it received a new $50,000 award by the NEA to provide capacity building grants to Memphis arts organizations, prioritizing those with budgets under $500,000 and those that are led by or prioritize people of color.
ARTSmemphis has also been instrumental in establishing the Office of Culture & Creative Economy for the City of Memphis, announced in October.
To celebrate its milestone, the organization will bring back its fundraiser ARTrageous, last celebrated in 2005. “ARTrageous is more than just a party,” said Rouse. “It’s a tribute to the power of the arts and the community that fuels it.”
Taking place this November 13th at Crosstown Arts, the event will have “live music, interactive art, captivating performances, and unforgettable surprises,” says the description on ARTSmemphis’ website. Tickets are on sale now.