June 10 is deadline to apply for CreARTE, Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation $1 million open-call grant program.

You might be thinking that’s a misspelling in the headline but it’s not. The name is a blend of the Spanish words “Crear Arte,” and the name really speaks to and is aligned with the program’s goal which is the process and the education of art.

“The vision of the Family Foundation was to create the grant program as a way to continue Miami’s arts evolution by identifying and supporting organizations that are expanding access to the arts,” said Belissa Alvarez, director of the Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation.

Still in its pre-proposal phase, the program was developed in partnership with The Miami Foundation, a collaboration that began four years ago when the family decided they wanted to formalize and elevate their philanthropy. From there grew the CreARTE grant program, which began in 2019.

They identified three focus areas to fill various needs in the creative community:

• Artist Fellowships and Residences to support the creation and expansion of artist residency programs
• Arts Education and Access to support high-performing, innovative organizations in Greater Miami that aim to increase youth access to the arts
• Spaces for Creation to support arts incubation and collaboration spaces

Specifically, the program’s focus is on providing funding to talented artists and spaces and truly “give them the opportunity to access the arts and learn about them, all of which will help continue fostering the arts ecosystem which is important as we are a great arts city,” said Alvarez.

Casting a wide net is the goal as the entire Pérez Family wants to support the arts as a whole, thereby looking to provide funding throughout the different arts disciplines. In 2018 the Pérez Family Foundation funded 20 arts organizations, eight of which focused on the arts.

Following the pre-proposal phase, of which the deadline is June 10, they move on to the proposal phase which will open in July when organizations will be notified, they’ve been selected to the full proposal phase. They then hope to notify winners in October.

The family is going to engage an external review committee who will advise and make recommendations with regards to the decisions of the grant winners. “We want to make sure we engage experts in each of the categories/areas” said Alvarez.

Remaining passionate about the arts and committed to fostering its growth is key for Pérez, who expresses this best by saying, “As Related enters its 40th year, my family and I strive to build a long-lasting legacy of philanthropy. Through the CreARTE grants program, we’ll be able to accomplish our long-term goal of making Miami a world-class arts community. Through our family foundation and in partnership with The Miami Foundation, we are dedicated to making South Florida a more vibrant and colorful place to live.”

Learn about the CreARTE Grant Program and the guidelines for applying here.

Photo: Jorge and Darlene Perez in their home admiring one of the many pieces in their art collection. Courtesy of The Related Group.

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