A $25 million investment in 29 arts organizations from across Massachusetts over six years to strengthen their financial health and “adaptive capacity.”

 We are pleased to announce that The Dance Complex was selected to participate in the Barr-Klarman Massachusetts Arts Initiative – as announced earlier today on the Barr Foundation’s blog. A partnership between two Boston-based foundations – Barr and The Klarman Family Foundation – the initiative is a $25 million, six-year investment in 29 arts and cultural organizations from across Massachusetts. Participating organizations receive flexible, multi-year operating support grants, in addition to training and technical assistance from TDC, a nonprofit consulting and research firm. The Dance Complex’s engagement in the initiative begins with two grants totaling $225,000 from Barr and the Klarman Family Foundation over three years. This grant represents the second largest grant made to The Dance Complex, superseded only by the gift of $500,000 made by the Barr Foundation in fall of 2015. The Dance Complex is the only organization among the cohort dedicated solely to dance; and is one of two Cambridge-based organizations, along with neighbor Community Arts Center, named as awardees of participation.

“We are honored to be considered among these 28 other arts organizations state-wide as a valuable asset in the ecology of the arts” said Peter DiMuro, Executive Artistic Director of The Dance Complex. “All year, each and every year of our 27 years of existence, we advocate the importance of the art form- with all its multiple intents, uses, genres and cultures entwined. Our participation in the Barr-Klarman Massachusetts Arts Initiative is valuable not only to us, but to all in our community of dance artists, dance enthusiasts, and dance audiences. We’re dedicated to using this support to grow the field of dance in both depth and in value. We are grateful to the Barr and Klarman Family Foundations, and also to our community for their strong support of dance.”

“Organizations like The Dance Complex are the cultural hearts of their communities,” said San San Wong, Director of Arts & Creativity for the Barr Foundation. “They are sites of public assembly and dialogue, often working to foster understanding and connection across cultural differences. It is our privilege to support The Dance Complex in this journey to further strengthen its financial health and capacity to adapt to change – that it might deepen and continue this work for years to come.”

“Arts organizations, including The Dance Complex, play a critical role in the health of our communities,” said Laura Sherman, Director, Greater Boston Grantmaking for The Klarman Family Foundation. “We are committed to strengthening this cohort of 29 arts organizations across the Commonwealth that have the ability to connect and enliven communities through culture, tradition and creative expression, and we are proud to be a part of this initiative.”

Representing diversity across artistic disciplines, geographic reach, stages of organizational development, and budget sizes, the 29 organizations participating in the Barr-Klarman Massachusetts Arts Initiative are:

● Academy of Music Theatre (Northampton)

● A Far Cry (Boston)

● Barrington Stage Company (Pittsfield)

● Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center (Boston)

● Boston Modern Orchestra Project (Malden)

● Cape Ann Museum (Gloucester)

● Community Access to the Arts (Great Barrington)

● Community Art Center (Cambridge)

● Community Music School of Springfield (Springfield)

● Company One Theatre (Boston)

● The Dance Complex (Cambridge)

● Design Museum Boston (Boston)

● Double Edge Theatre (Ashfield)

● Eliot School of Fine & Applied Arts (Boston)

● Featherstone Center for the Arts (Martha’s Vineyard)

● Fitchburg Art Museum (Fitchburg)

● Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center (Great Barrington)

● Merrimack Repertory Theatre (Lowell)

● New Bedford Art Museum/ArtWorks! (New Bedford)

● New Bedford Symphony Orchestra (New Bedford)

● Norman Rockwell Museum (Stockbridge)

● Now + There (Boston)

● Payomet Performing Arts Center (North Truro)

● Provincetown Art Association and Museum (Provincetown)

● Raw Art Works (Lynn)

● The Record Co. (Boston)

● SpeakEasy Stage (Boston)

● Worcester Art Museum (Worcester)

● Zeiterion Theatre (New Bedford)

The Dance Complex and each participant in this initiative will receive multi-year, unrestricted operating grants. Additionally, through a grant to TDC, a nationally recognized nonprofit consulting and research group, organizations will also receive customized training and technical assistance, and be eligible for supplemental funds for targeted research, capacity building, and/or pilot projects. Last week, the foundations made the first set of three-year grants under the new initiative, marking the beginning of what is expected to be a six-year journey of learning, collaboration, and growth.

For more information about the Barr-Klarman Massachusetts Arts Initiative page, including the ideas underlying the effort, key elements of the experience for participating organizations, selection criteria, and evaluation findings, visit https://www.barrfoundation.org/what-we-do/barr-klarman-massachusetts-arts-initiative.

“We are overjoyed and buoyed by the vote of confidence exhibited by the Barr and Klarman Foundations in awarding The Dance Complex a space as one of 29 within the cohort of arts organizations statewide announced today” said interim co-chairs of the board of directors of The Dance Complex, Renee Stacey Welch and Mary McCarthy. “Within the last five years, our Executive Artistic Director, Peter DiMuro, a growing staff, and board has brought the organization and dance in the region to new heights and depths through hard and dedicated work. The Board of Directors looks forward to working toward progress.”

About The Dance Complex: The Dance Complex is a nexus for the study, creation and performance of dance, based in the

heart of Central Square, Cambridge, MA. For 26 years, all kinds of dance has existed in its 7 studios and 2 performance spaces. Its programs include rent subsidy for professional teaching artists, a year round performance and festival roster, professional development for dance artists at multiple stages of their careers. The Dance Complex values all intents

around dance- from beginning students to advanced, for the recreational dancer to the professionally-minded, offering over 2 dozen genres/styles in 100 classes a week. The Complex believes in an “all in movement” lens, removing barriers to dance through classes and performances that support a wide range of movement abilities and life experiences.

About the Barr Foundation: The Barr Foundation’s mission is to invest in human, natural, and creative potential, serving as thoughtful stewards and catalysts. Based in Boston, Barr focuses regionally, and selectively engages nationally, working in partnership with nonprofits, foundations, the public sector, and civic and business leaders to elevate the arts, advance solutions for climate change, and connect all students to success in high school and beyond. Founded in 1997, Barr now has assets of $1.7 billion, and has contributed more than $838 million to charitable causes. For more information, visit barrfoundation.org or follow @BarrFdn on Twitter and Facebook.

About The Klarman Family Foundation: The Klarman Family Foundation seeks to identify areas of unmet need and advance solutions to addressing them. Underlying all of the Foundation’s work is a passionate belief in the promise and importance of creative thinking, strategic leadership and strong organizations to help bring about change. As a way to learn and create greater impact, the Foundation values acting in partnership with other funders. Its work spans regionally, nationally and internationally and focuses on advancing understanding of the biological basis of health and illness; supporting the global Jewish community and State of Israel; expanding access to vital services and enrichment opportunities in Greater Boston; and ensuring a healthy democracy. Established in 1990 by Beth and Seth Klarman, the Foundation is located in Boston, MA. For more information, visit klarmanfoundation.org.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Dance Complex Media Contact

Colleen Walsh Cecchi

Communications Manager

colleen@dancecomplex.org

617-547-9363

Barr Foundation Media Contact:

Stefan Lanfer

Director of Communications

slanfer@barrfoundation.org

617-854-3404