The Kenneth Rainin Foundation awarded $821,500 to 33 small and mid-sized arts organizations through our New and Experimental Works (NEW) Program. The NEW Program provides grants of $5,000-$30,000 to enable Bay Area artists to produce visionary works that are relevant to the communities they serve, advance their artistic practices and push the boundaries of dance and theater.
This year’s grantee projects explore timely themes through a range of artistic practices grounded in dance, theater and multidisciplinary work. Community engagement remains a central element, with many projects featuring collaborative storytelling and workshops. Several projects will delve into immersive performance by blending multidisciplinary work, technology, site specific locations and audience engagement. These new pieces will also include cultural practices and rituals for contemporary audiences, fostering dialogue around heritage and its modern relevance. This outstanding group of grantees highlights the vibrant ecosystem of arts and culture in the Bay Area, showcasing artists as essential drivers of innovation, experimentation and creativity that fuel thriving communities. See the full list of 2024 NEW Program grant recipients.
An Artist-Centered Application And Selection Process
Our latest NEW Program grant cycle carried over many of our previous program improvements. After a successful first year using the Common Application for the Arts to streamline the grant process, artists were invited to apply using this tool. With recognition of the importance of inclusivity, transparency and shifting power in grantmaking decisions, we again invited four Bay Area artists to review applications and make funding recommendations. We also continued prioritizing funding all project requests at 100% of the request amount to help ease some of the fundraising pressures associated with new work. With these considerations in place, 52% of grants were awarded to first-time NEW Program grantees and 56% of grants were awarded to organizations with budgets under $250,000.
Artist Panel
We are grateful to the panelists who participated in this grant cycle.
David Herrera, Artistic Director & Choreographer, David Herrera Performance Company
Raissa Simpson, Artistic Director, PUSH Dance
Evren Odcikin, Director, Writer and Artistic Leader
Nikki Meñez, Curatorial Director, Z Space
