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For Immediate Release
July 6, 2015

Information: Sarah Sidman | 206-788-3051 | sarahsidman@artsfund.org

ArtsFund, Director of Strategic Initiatives & Communications

ARTSFUND ANNOUNCES 2015 AWARDS OVER $2.4 MILLION

Seattle, WA –  ArtsFund announced today that it has concluded its 2015 annual fundraising campaign and will distribute $2,420,680 in grants to 55 nonprofit arts groups in King and Pierce Counties.  With this allocation of the 2015 grants, the combined total of ArtsFund’s grant making since inception in 1969, inclusive of both allocations and power2give.org/PugetSound funds distributed, surpassed $73.8 Million.

Mari Horita, ArtsFund President and CEO, stated, “The strength of the region’s arts and cultural sector is a key factor in its economic, civic and creative vibrancy.  Over the past 46 years, ArtsFund has provided more than $73 Million in grants for unrestricted operating funds to arts organizations of all sizes and disciplines. By providing support to such a wide range of arts organizations, ArtsFund improves the stability of the region’s arts sector as a whole and helps ensure arts experiences are available throughout the community.”

In 2014, ArtsFund helped 55 arts organizations mount over 10,140 exhibitions and productions, provide arts access and arts education to 785,880 students, offer 1,388,346 free or discounted tickets, and attract 7,092,530 visits.

Sandy McDade, ArtsFund Board Chair, added, “ArtsFund raises millions of dollars each year to invest in a large and diverse group of regional arts organizations through a rigorous allocations process. For many of these organizations, ArtsFund support is the largest unrestricted gift they receive each year. We are deeply grateful to the businesses, foundations, and individuals who contributed to this year’s campaign, enabling ArtsFund to maintain this critical investment in our community.”

Thanks to a generous contribution from Classical KING-FM, ArtsFund added a new special grants category in 2015, the ArtsFund/KING FM Next Generation Award with $5,000 each awarded to the 5th Avenue Theatre, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Spectrum Dance Theatre, UW World Series at Meany Hall, and Broadway Center for the Performing Arts.

The 2015 King County Allocations Committee was led by Co-Chairs Sue Coliton, Washington State Arts Commission, and Mark Dederer, Sr. Vice President, Community Affairs Program, Wells Fargo Foundation.  In Pierce County, Mari Horita, President and CEO, ArtsFund, served as Allocations Committee Chair. 

In complement to ArtsFund’s annual allocations process, ArtsFund newest funding initiative, power2give.org/PugetSound, is a year-round project-based regional arts crowdfunding platform.  Since ArtsFund launched the site on October 1, 2013, project contributions have been made by over 2800 donors and thanks to matching fund sponsors and donors, ArtsFund has matched all individual contributions 1:1.  As of July 1st, 2015, ArtsFund has distributed $750,596 to 148 completed projects in King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties, with new projects posting on the site monthly.

For more information on ArtsFund grant recipients, visit:  https://www.artsfund.org/about-arts-fund/arts-groups-we-support

For more information about ArtsFund, visit: https://www.artsfund.org/about-arts-fund

2015 ArtsFund Grants
Charter Members
King County

5th Avenue Theatre $142,450
ACT Theatre $97,310
Henry Art Gallery $127,710
Pacific Northwest Ballet $205,480
Seattle Art Museum $222,385
Seattle Children’s Theatre $101,470
Seattle Opera $193,160
Seattle Repertory Theatre $124,490
Seattle Symphony $189,800
Village Theatre $90,660
King County Subtotal $1,494,915

Pierce County
Broadway Center for the Performing Arts $70,510
Northwest Sinfonietta $5,975
Tacoma Art Museum $52,585
Tacoma Opera $6,910
Tacoma Symphony Orchestra $18,265
Pierce County Subtotal $154,245
Total Charter Members Grants $1,649,160

Continuing Members & Members

King County
Artist Trust $20,000
Auburn Symphony Orchestra $1,520
Bellevue Arts Museum $8,450
Book-It Repertory Theatre $32,295
Burke Museum $8,740
Central District Forum for Arts & Ideas $5,140
Early Music Guild of Seattle $10,160
Earshot Jazz Society of Seattle $20,270
EMP Museum $32,765
Frye Art Museum $13,740
Intiman Theatre $3,060
Jack Straw Productions $13,210
Jet City Improv $3,140
Nordic Heritage Museum $17,190
Northwest African American Museum $7,720
Northwest Film Forum $7,650
On the Boards $30,850
Richard Hugo House $16,995
Seattle Arts & Lectures $10,760
Seattle Chamber Music Society $15,630
Seattle Men’s Chorus/Seattle Women’s Chorus $12,710
Seattle Pro Musica $7,200
Seattle Public Theater $3,580
Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra $16,100
Seattle Shakespeare Company $45,820
Seattle Theatre Group $59,605
SIFF $16,520
Spectrum Dance Theater $26,100
Taproot Theatre Company $8,140
Three Dollar Bill Cinema $5,690
Town Hall Association $25,750
UW World Series at Meany Hall $17,770
Vashon Allied Arts $5,760
Velocity Dance Center $9,750
The Vera Project $5,130
Whim W’Him $3,670
Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience $35,820
King County Subtotal $584,400

Pierce County
Museum of Glass $7,500
Tacoma Musical Playhouse $12,840
Pierce County Subtotal $20,340
Total Continuing Members & Members Grants $604,740

Special Grants

ArtsFund Plestcheeff Design and Decorative Arts Grants
Museum of History & Industry $10,000
Seattle Art Museum $15,000
Tacoma Art Museum $5,000
Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience $10,000
Subtotal $40,000

Kreielsheimer Remainder Foundation Grants $66,100

Designated Workplace Giving Funds $60,680

Grand Total 2015 ArtsFund Grants $2,420,680

King County 2015 Allocations Committee

Sue Coliton, Co-Chair,
Washington State Arts Commission

Mark Dederer, Co-Chair, Sr. Vice President, Community Affairs Program
Wells Fargo Foundation

Gemma Aronchick, Corporate Citizenship & Public Affairs
Microsoft Corporation

Erin Combs, Manager, Community Partnerships
Starbucks Coffee Company

Jane Broom Davidson, Community Affairs Manager
Microsoft Corporation

Paul Hollie, Community Relations
Safeco Insurance

Mari Horita, President & CEO
ArtsFund

Anne Leyva, Program Manager Corporate Giving – CSR
Weyerhaeuser Company

Erika Nesholm, Executive Director
Nesholm Family Foundation

Tim Otani, Vice President, External Affairs Manager – NW
Union Bank

Christopher Wiggins, Community Relations
Safeco Insurance Foundation

Pierce County 2015 Allocations Committee

Mari Horita, Chair, President & CEO
ArtsFund

Kim Cacace, Senior Director, Fiduciary Services
BNY Mellon Wealth Management

Mark Dederer, Sr. Vice President, Community Affairs Program
Wells Fargo Foundation

Robert T. Hall, Vice President, Senior Investment Strategist
Wells Fargo Private Bank

Terry Jones, Market President-South Sound, Commercial Banking
U.S. Bank

Karla McLane, Vice President
Kitsap Bank

Trevor Park, Vice President
Community Involvement & Marketing Specialist
Marketing Department
Columbia Bank

Natalie Whitcomb, Senior Vice President
Brown & Brown of Washington

About ArtsFund:

ArtsFund’s Mission: ArtsFund strengthens the community by supporting the arts through leadership, advocacy and grant making.

ArtsFund’s Vision: A community with a dynamic and world-class arts and cultural sector where the arts are accessible to all and valued as a central and critical component to a healthy society.

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