The Economic Development Department has distributed nearly $7 million in 2023 through three arts grant programs. A total of 271 grants have been administered to organizations and individual artists via the Arts Education Relief Grant program as well as the Elevate and Nexus programs. Elevate sent more than $6.2 million toward 200 arts organizations and creative businesses to produce works for the public. Nexus distributed $255,000 to 52 creative businesses and artists, with the goal of nurturing emerging voices in the creative community. There were 19 grants totaling $475,000 distributed from the Arts Education Relief Grant program, which was funded through the National Endowment for the Arts and intended to help local arts organizations recover from the Covid-19 pandemic. Both Elevate and Nexus were funded by revenue from the city’s portion of Hotel Occupancy Tax collections.
Chad Swiatecki is a 20-year journalist who relocated to Austin from his home state of Michigan in 2008. He most enjoys covering the intersection of arts, business and local/state politics. He has written... More by Chad Swiatecki