Urban sprawl is one of the issues the Rockefeller Foundation addresses through its grant program.
The Rockefeller Foundation, established in 1913 by John D. Rockefeller Sr., provides grants to organizations that "spread the benefits of globalization to more people in more places around the world," as the website explains. The main areas the foundation supports are: basic survival safeguards, global health, climate and environment, urbanization, and social and economic security. However, within the foundation, various programs exist to support the arts.
Creative Artist Residencies
Scenic northern Italy is home to the Rockefeller Foundation's Bellagio Center.
Residencies at the Bellagio Center in northern Italy allow artists of all kinds--filmmakers, writers, and visual artists among them--to exchange ideas and work with individuals following different career paths. Other foundation grantees participating in Bellagio residencies, along with artists, often include academics, scientists, and policymakers. Preference is given to applicants who show interest and whose work addresses one of the five main issues the Rockefeller Foundation supports. Residencies can be individual or collaborative (up to four people), and usually last four weeks. The application requires an artist's statement and background and a work sample; applications are accepted on a rolling admissions basis every few months. Accommodations and travel assistance is provided, though there is no stipend.
Creative Arts Fellowship Program
At the Bellagio Center, Rockefeller Fellows have the time and space to pursue their art.
The Rockefeller Foundation's Creative Arts Fellowship Program, begun in 2008, similarly provides opportunities for artists to work at the Bellagio Center with individuals working outside of the arts, such as policymakers and scholars. However, this program is more rigorous in scope than the Creative Artist Residencies. The fellowship offers a three-month residency at the Bellagio Center. Included in the program are monetary stipends, round-trip expenses, and a published catalogue of the resident's work, completed once the fellowship is over.
NYC Cultural Innovation Fund
Arts organizations in New York City are qualified to apply for the Rockefeller Foundation's NYC Cultural Innovation Fund.
The Rockefeller Foundation's NYC Cultural Innovation Fund is a two-year grant ranging from $50,000 to $250,000. It was established in 2007 as a means to enhance the cultural and artistic community of New York City. Emphasis is placed on projects that are innovative and force the public to think about the issues of social progress important to the Rockefeller Foundation in new and creative ways. An example of a grantee is Teatro Circulo, which won a grant in 2009 for its projects to expand Latino audiences at cultural events.
