A Call to Action: Reimagining Cultural Grantmaking
Earica “EP” Parrish
The arts and humanities are in crisis. This summer's veto of $32 million in arts and culture grants by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is a stark reminder of the precarious position of these vital sectors. This decision eliminated all state funding for cultural and museum programs, marking a first for the state. Major arts institutions like the Pérez Art Museum Miami and the Norton Museum of Art have sounded the alarm about the devastating impact on cultural programming and community access.
Beyond the headlines, data paints a grim picture of the employment prospects for arts and humanities graduates. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (NYFED), art history, visual and performing arts, and graphic design majors have the worst employment outcomes among U.S. college majors. Over half are underemployed, and art history majors face an alarming 8% unemployment rate despite high graduate degree attainment.
Black Girls in Arts Spaces Chicago Chapter Meet-Up at Chicago Art Department, walkthrough of Love, Land, and Deception and piecemeal exhibitions (photographed by EP)
These statistics disproportionately impact Black artists, who already face systemic barriers to economic stability and artistic success. With limited employment opportunities, Black artists often struggle to access resources essential for their creative practice, leading to reduced artistic output and underrepresentation in the cultural landscape.
Centering Black Artistic Brilliance
Intersectionality, a framework coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw in her groundbreaking 1989 paper "Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex" for the University of Chicago Legal Forum, illuminates the complex interplay of identities within the Black experience. It unveils how race, gender, and class intersect to shape perceptions and opportunities.
To truly serve Black artists, we must dismantle the monolithic structures obscuring this rich diversity, amplifying the vibrant mosaic of Black voices across the Diaspora.
Black artists are visionary architects, constructing blueprints for a future where justice and equity reign supreme. Their voices are the North Star, guiding us towards a harmonious and equitable society.
By centering Black experiences in the arts, we cultivate a fertile cultural landscape where diversity blooms and thrives. Grantmakers must become intrepid explorers, venturing into uncharted territories to nurture and uplift Black artists and their communities.
A Sacred Partnership
Black artists are not mere beneficiaries of philanthropy but co-creators of a more just world. Their art is a powerful catalyst for change. Philanthropy must recognize the intrinsic value of Black art and invest in its creation, distribution, and preservation.
My own artistic journey has been illuminated by the communities I serve, yet shadowed by the scarcity of those who would invest in its expansion. I yearn for a future where grantmaking becomes a sacred partnership built on mutual respect and a shared vision. The path ahead is challenging, but with courage, humility, and unwavering dedication to justice, cultural grantmaking can become a force for radical transformation. Let us unite to create a world where Black art and culture thrive.
The Need for Radical Transformation in Cultural Grantmaking
Earica “EP” Parrish, A Day in Soroa, Pt. I, 2024
Our cultural landscape is experiencing a seismic shift, fracturing the foundations of the arts and their communities. The arts and their nurturing ecosystems stand on a precipice, demanding radical transformation. In this crucible of change, cultural grantmaking must shed its role as a distant benefactor and ignite as a catalytic force. Rather than self-serving benevolence, we must cultivate a fertile ground where Black artistry can flourish. This requires uprooting the barren landscapes of inequality and transcending mere charity to nurture a harvest of innovative minds. By centering Black brilliance in our cultural fabric, we start to piece together a richer and more diverse artistic ecosystem.
Grantmakers must immerse themselves in the vibrant worlds of Black artists and communities, becoming intrepid navigators of this new terrain.
Radical imagination, as Robin D.G. Kelley so eloquently penned in Freedom Dreams, is the cosmic blueprint for a world yet to be. It is the tempest that stirs social seas, igniting the ember of progress into a blazing conflagration.
When we begin investing in Black artists' dreams, we sow the seeds of a radically transformed society. To cultivate a just and equitable garden of giving, we must till the soil deep, eradicate the weeds of performative allyship and refrain from always moving the goalpost when it comes to accessing the appropriate funds and support.
As an emerging artist, I’ve applied for countless grants, fellowships, programs, and other opportunities to support my practice—driven by my belief in my work and the abundance of opportunities available. However, the strict parameters, guidelines, and often relational qualifications imposed by grantmakers make it increasingly difficult for Black artists to access the resources needed to sustain their work. If art is truly a public good, then it should be treated as such. Both grantmakers and local communities should invest in the arts with the same commitment they show to other public programs.
Grantmakers must champion transparency, accountability, and unwavering support for Black artists and any Black-led humanities initiatives. By strengthening the foundations of leadership and capacity, we can cultivate a lasting system of change and elevate the breadth of talent and ideas that Black artists bring to the world.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
EP (b. 1995, Washington, D.C.; lives and works in Chicago) is an artist, cultural architect, and catalyst for change. Her work is a raw, poetic exploration of the human experience, delving into themes of identity, love, loss, and our interconnected world. Leveraging equal parts pen, photo, and audio, EP crafts narratives that resonate deeply with audiences on a universal level.
Blending strategic acumen with artistic vision, she leverages her marketing background to create powerful, impactful work. Driven by a passion for inclusivity and social transformation, EP uses her art as a medium to respond to critical, contemporary issues, ranging from the reclamation of ancestral lands by Black and Brown people to the urgent crisis of missing Black women.
With a Master of Arts in Creative Business Leadership from SCAD, EP is a change agent who uses art as a catalyst to craft narratives fostering empathy and understanding. Her work serves as a compass for a more just, equitable, and conscious future.
