INVERTIGO DANCE THEATRE SELECTED AS A GRANTEE OF BLOOMBERG PHILANTHROPIES’ ARTS INNOVATION AND MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
CULVER CITY, CA — SEPTEMBER 15, 2015 — Invertigo Dance Theatre today announced that it is a grantee recipient of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Arts Innovation and Management (AIM) program. Through the two-year initiative, Bloomberg Philanthropies is providing $30 million across 262 small and mid-sized nonprofit cultural organizations around the country to help strengthen their operational and programming efforts, including training in fundraising, audience development and board member engagement.
Invertigo’s Executive Director, Tara Aesquivel looks forward to the benefits of participating: “The DeVos Institute is a highly-regarded institution and we are honored to be included in a group of exciting and dynamic Los Angeles organizations. The timing couldn’t be better; Invertigo is growing across all programmatic areas and we are excited to have the expertise and training of the AIM program to support this growth.”
The invitation-only program supports nonprofit cultural organizations based in six cities: Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles and San Francisco. All organizations are locally or internationally recognized nonprofits that have been in existence for at least two years. The grantees are required to participate in a management training program; secure matching funds; ensure 100% board participation in fundraising; and maintain up-to-date information in the Cultural Data Project, an online financial & data collection platform that assists arts organizations across the country to collect, learn from, and use data effectively. The grants are unrestricted so that recipients can use them to address their greatest needs.
Invertigo will utilize the AIM program to strengthen organizational practices and lay the groundwork for big plans in coming years. The organization is expanding across all programmatic areas, as new performance opportunities are explored, the Invert/ED youth education program reaches additional schools, and Dancing Through Parkinson’s establishes more locations for ongoing classes.
Bloomberg Philanthropies is partnering with the DeVos Institute of Arts Management at the University of Maryland to develop curricula and conduct trainings for the AIM program in each city. The comprehensive workshops engage organizations around activities that strengthen their long-term health and goals and include consultations and implementation support for arts managers and their boards.
First piloted in New York City, Bloomberg Philanthropies supported 245 grantees through AIM from 2011-2013. Participating organizations reported improvements in audience development, board engagement and fundraising over the two-year program.
About Invertigo Dance Theatre
Invertigo Dance Theatre creates thought-provoking programming that tells compelling stories, promotes artistic and physical empowerment, utilizes diversity in collaboration, and is accessible to communities that might not otherwise find joy in dance. In addition to making performances culturally and financially accessible, our Dancing Through Parkinson’s program offers donation-based classes to people living with degenerative conditions, and our Invert/ED program provides a range of dance education and performance opportunities to local students. Throughout all company initiatives, Invertigo is committed to paying fair wages to all artists, teachers and staff.
About Bloomberg Philanthropies
Bloomberg Philanthropies works to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. We focus on five key areas for creating lasting change: arts, education, the environment, government innovation, and public health. The arts are a valuable way to engage citizens and enhance communities. Through innovative partnerships and bold approaches, the Bloomberg Philanthropies arts program works to increase access to culture using new technologies, empower artists and strengthen cultural organizations to reach broader audiences. For more information, please visit bloomberg.org or follow us Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @BloombergDotOrg
About the DeVos Institute of Arts Management
The DeVos Institute has served more than 1,000 organizations from over 80 countries since Michael M. Kaiser founded it during his tenure as President of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. The Institute has designed its services to assist a wide range of institutions, from traditional performing and presenting organizations, museums and galleries, arts schools and libraries, to botanical gardens, glass-making studios, public art trusts, and non-profit cinemas, to name a few. The DeVos Institute transferred its activities and offices from the Kennedy Center to the University of Maryland in September 2014. The move enables the Institute to expand its global training and consulting programs, enhance its fellowships for North American and international arts managers within the context of a major educational institution, and create a Master’s program that leverages both University and Institute resources.
Contact: Tara Aesquivel, 424-229-2141 or [email protected]