Jorge M. Pérez Grants $2 Million To Inaugural Winners Of The CreARTE Program

Last week, the Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation at The Miami Foundation announced the inaugural grantees of The Pérez CreARTE Grants Program, an initiative dedicated to supporting South Florida’s creative ecosystem.

Photo Credit: Andrea Máté Photography

Launched in May, hundreds of applicants responded to the open call for submissions. Ultimately, 23 grantees across a range of artistic causes were awarded a total of $2 million. The announcement took place during the community preview of El Espacio 23, Pérez’s recently completed experimental art space housing the world-renowned Jorge M. Pérez Art Collection.

“The Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation is proud of the CreARTE program and all of our magnificent grantees, who work tirelessly to support South Florida’s creative community,” said Pérez, patriarch of the Pérez family and founder of leading development firm, The Related Group. “The funds distributed will have far-reaching effects, supporting initiatives, ranging from artist residencies to writing fellowships to physical spaces for creation, and we cannot wait to experience the powerful results.”

Photo Credit: Andrea Máté Photography

The CreARTE program serves three distinct focus areas— Artist Fellowships and Residencies, Arts Education and Access, and Spaces for Creation – and was created to celebrate and support organizations that expand and nurture Greater Miami’s artistic community. The Artist Fellowships and Residencies focus area supports organizations that recognize and cultivate both local and national artists in pivotal phases of their careers. The Arts Education and Access focus area aims to increase youth access to the arts and fund the most effective, scalable arts education programs and pre-professional training programs. Finally, Spaces for Creation helps organizations expand their existing spaces and operations and helps ensure artists have access to affordable workspaces. The winners for each of the categories are as follows:

Photo Credit: Andrea Máté Photography

“The Pérez family is deeply committed to Miami, its future and expanding access to the arts. The Miami Foundation is privileged to partner with the family in guiding their philanthropy and lending our community expertise to help them design and manage the CreARTE Grants Program.” said Joseph A. Fernandez, interim president and CEO of The Miami Foundation.

Photo Credit: Andrea Máté Photography

Winners and attendees enjoyed guided tours of the new art space’s inaugural exhibit—Time for Change: Art and Social Unrest in the Jorge M. Pérez Collection—curated by the highly-acclaimed Jose Roca in collaboration with Pérez Collection stewards Patricia M. Hanna and Anelys Alvarez. The show features over 80 global artists and nearly 100 works, many of which have never been exhibited before due to their size or complexity, and explores questions of identity, public unrest and marginalized peoples.

Located in Miami’s emerging Allapattah neighborhood, El Espacio 23 will be open to the public during Miami Art Week (December 2-8) from 9 AM to 5 PM. The 28,000 square-foot arts center will serve artists, curators, and the general public with regular exhibitions, residencies and a variety of special projects which will serve the surrounding community.

Photo Credit: Andrea Máté Photography

For more information on The Pérez CreARTE Grants Program, visit www.MiamiFoundation.org/JM PerezFamilyFoundation, and for more details on El Espacio 23, visit www.elespacio23.com.