The Flamboyan Foundation’s Arts Fund launched “En Foco: Proyecto de Visibilización Cultural,” an open call for proposals to fund individuals and organizations that present creative and innovative projects aimed at amplifying the arts and culture in Puerto Rico.

With a $500,000 budget, “En Foco: Proyecto de Visibilización Cultural” will grant between $50,000 and $100,000 to artists and organizations to develop and showcase their work within a two-year period.  The deadline for organizations, individuals, or collectives to apply is Feb. 13.

Grantees from the Flamboyan Arts Fund, all artists and art organizations, convened to design, develop, and direct this initiative using participatory grantmaking as a model, the nonprofit stated.

During this process, stakeholders from the arts sector had the opportunity to identify the main priority for using these funds and establish the general parameters that guide the open call.  A steering committee was formed, which will evaluate the proposals and select the new grantees.

From conception to implementation, every step has been developed and implemented by artists to support other artists. After the initiative concludes, it will be presented as a case study on innovative and participatory models that can be replicated within the philanthropic sector of Puerto Rico.

Flamboyan Foundation officials stated the nonprofit “is grateful to the Ford Foundation for providing financial support to this initiative so that together we can continue to preserve, amplify, and strengthen the arts sector in Puerto Rico.”

“We’re very excited to continue supporting the arts and culture of Puerto Rico through this new grant. The participatory model that this initiative follows is part of our efforts to strengthen the Puerto Rican artistic and cultural sector,” said Carlos Rodríguez-Silvestre, executive director of the Flamboyan Foundation in Puerto Rico.

“The grant not only provides the opportunity for future recipients to develop their projects but also empowers and opens the space so that it is the community itself that holds the reins in these processes,” he said.

Meanwhile, Rocío Aranda-Alvarado, program officer for Creativity and Free Expression at the Ford Foundation, said “arts and culture are powerful weapons against inequity and injustice. At Ford, we work hard to support sectors that fight for social change, and his model of awarding funds through a participatory process echoes our mission to center the needs of those most impacted. We’ve been allies of Puerto Rico and its people for years, and we are proud to be part of this initiative.”

This story was written by our staff based on a press release.