Grant from Masala Giving Circle for its “Art in Black”
The $10,000 grant supports an arts education program created to engage and mentor regional middle and high school students of color to explore their creative talents.
(June 14, 2022) Michéle Des Verney Redwine, the founder of the Suncoast Black Arts Collaborative (SBAC), announced that the nonprofit was recently awarded a $10,000 grant from the Masala Giving Circle for its “Art in Black” initiative. According to Redwine, the program was created to help students of color at Booker Middle and High schools explore their creative talents. The program features artist visits to the schools and exhibitions of the students’ works.
“Since the organization’s inception in 2018, Suncoast Black Arts Collaborative has been instrumental in promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in educational settings throughout the Sarasota-Manatee region,” says Redwine. “The overarching goal is to ignite greater interest in art by artists of African descent and engage our school systems on proactive paths to work with students from underrepresented communities. ‘Art in Black’ was created to spread this level of interest, advocacy, and education to the next generation in our public school systems. Due to the Masala Giving Circle’s belief in our work, we will continue to build a stronger community of students of color to engage in the arts and demonstrate their creative talents. We are honored and humbled to be chosen for this generous grant.”
Masala Giving Circle’s vision is to enhance culturally vibrant and thriving African American/Black communities. Its mission is to promote economic and personal empowerment through financial support for programs and initiatives that benefit African American/Black communities in Sarasota and Manatee counties. For more information, visit www.masalagivingcircle.org.
Photo caption: (Left to right): Dr. Caryl J. Sheffield, president, Masala Giving Circle; Michele D. Redwine, executive director, Suncoast Black Arts Collaborative; Dr. Francine Brown, board secretary, Suncoast Black Arts Collaborative.