Commitment to the arts

We have funded arts and cultural organizations and leaders since the 1970s. That has taken a lot of different forms — including the Bush Artist Fellows program and grant programs to build the capacity of arts and culture-focused organizations around the region.

Today, we are open to funding on whatever issues communities believe are most important to make our region better for everyone. While we don’t have a specific program focused on the arts, we do work to make sure our belief in the value of the arts, artists and culture bearers is evident in our grantmaking.

All of our current programs are focused on inspiring and supporting creative problem solving, and any arts-related grants we make are toward that end. We know that the arts can play a valuable role in community problem solving and transformative change:

• The arts can help people view opportunities and issues in new and different ways, leading to more creative solutions.
• The arts can engage people who might not otherwise feel compelled enough or comfortable enough to participate in community problem solving efforts.
• The arts can build understanding and connections across differences.

This is evident in our long-time support of the Creative Community Leadership Institute, operated by Springboard for the Arts in partnership with Racing Magpie. We also provide operating support to key organizations that support arts-based community problem solving through our ecosystem grant program—including organizations like First Peoples Fund and Art of the Rural.

For anyone working through arts and cultural approaches and seeking Bush Foundation support, the path is the same as any of our open grant programs.