January 18, 2013

Traditional dancers as part of LA Commons' 2012 Day of the Ancestors: Festival of Masks in Leimert Park in Los AngelesThe Alliance for California Traditional Arts (ACTA) is pleased to announce that it is awarding $367,000 in grants to California nonprofit organizations to support exemplary projects in folk and traditional arts through its Living Cultures Grants Program.  The annual funding program is available to non-profit organizations and Native California tribes and supports art-making that demonstrates significant impact on a particular tradition.

Fifty-five grants across the state represent a diversity of community-based traditional arts including projects in music, dance, and traditional embroidery of indigenous Oaxacan-Americans living in Kern and Los Angeles counties, the first Cambodian shadow puppet theater presentation in the U.S., a Croatian Tamburitza music festival in San Francisco, Native California song and language preservation efforts at the Susanville Rancheria in Lassen County, and support for the Oakland Interfaith Youth Choir in Alameda county.

One hundred fifty-five applications were reviewed by a distinguished panel of cultural and community experts over a three-day period, and the final grant selections were approved by ACTA’s board of directors.  ACTA’s Living Cultures Grants Program is supported by the Walter & Elise Haas Fund, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, The James Irvine Foundation, and the Surdna Foundation, with additional support provided by the California Arts Council, the California Community Foundation, and The San Francisco Foundation.  ACTA is the California Arts Council’s statewide partner in serving the folk & traditional arts field.

“These grants for culturally-specific arts practices provide communities a healthy way in which to participate in California’s future,” noted Amy Kitchener, ACTA Executive Director.  “Our goal is to support the wealth of California’s diverse cultural traditions.”  In its eight-year history, the Living Cultures Grants Program has supported 365 community-based projects with over $2.3 million.  “We are reaching into many corners of the state from Lassen County down to San Diego,” continues Kitchener, “with small, strategic funding that makes a huge difference to our grantees.”

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2013’s Living Cultures Grants Program Grantees are:

Dance Kaiso instructors Val Serrant (left) and Wilfred Mark of Trinidad along with Robbin Frey (not shown) teach youth the arts of the Caribbean in San Francisco.Academia de Musica Maqueos Music – Los Angeles, County of Los Angeles – $7,125*
To support instruction in seven regional styles of Oaxacan music for youth ages 5-12.

Asian American Performing Arts & Culture Center – Sacramento, Sacramento County – $7,500
To support classes in traditional Hmong qeej (flute) and social dance.

Asociacion de la Pelota Mixeca de California Central – Fresno, Fresno County – $7,125*
To support the Festival de la Pelota Mixteca.

Asociacion Mayab – San Francisco, County of San Francisco – $7,125*
To sustain and expand the activities of the traditional Maya dance troupe, Grupo Jaranero Mayab.

Berkeley Old Time Music Convention – Berkeley, Alameda County – $7,125
To support the 11th annual Old Time Music Convention.

Diamano Coura West African Dance Company performs at their annual festival: Collages des Cultures Africaines in 2012.

Cambodian American Resource Agency, Inc. – San Jose, Santa Clara County – $7,260
To provide free weekly dance lessons in Cambodian classical and folk dance to youth.

Cambodian Association of America – Long Beach, County of Los Angeles – $7,500*
To support the creation of the first Cambodian Lakhon Sbaek Thom (shadow puppet) theater troupe in the United States

Center for World Music – San Diego, San Diego County – $7,125*
To support weekly instruction in Mexican Son Jaracho music, dance, and song to youth and adults.

Centro de Unidad Popular Benito Juarez, Inc. – Bakersfield, Kern County – $7,125
To support the 14th annual Guelaguetza Festival.

Master Cambodian khim player Nhep Prok will be part of Peralta Hacienda Historical Park's Traditions Audio Project, supported in part this year by a Living Cultures Grants Program.Chaksam-pa Tibetan Dance & Opera Company – El Cerrito, Alameda County – $7,500
To support the production of a full-length Acho Lhamo (Tibetan opera).

City of San Fernando – San Fernando, County of Los Angeles – $7,500
To support the Master Mariachi Apprenticeship Program.

Coachella Valley Housing Coalition – Indio, Riverside County – $7,500*
To support twice-weekly free folklorico dance lessons for youth.

Communidad Tlacolulence en los Angeles (COTLA) – Los Angeles, County of Los Angeles – $7,125*
To support the Mayordormia Tlacolulence and Noche de Rabanp celebrations.

Croatian American Cultural Center – San Francisco, County of San Francisco – $5,000
To support the Tamburitza Festival.

Crosspulse, Inc. – Hambone Summit,  Oakland, Alameda County – $7,125*
To support the Hambone Summit as part of the 6th International Body Music Festival.

Dance Kaiso – San Francisco, Country of San Francisco – $5,000
To support a six-week exploration of traditional West Indian music, dance, and folklore for youth, teens, and adults.

Diamano Coura West African Dance Company – Oakland, Alameda – $7,500
To support the 18th annual Collages de Cultures Africaines.

Ethiopian Community & Cultural Center – Oakland, Alameda County – $7,125*
To support an Enkutash, or Ethiopian New Year, celebration.

JC Culture Foundation Youth Lion Dance Group pose for a photo after performing at an Los Angeles holiday show in December 2012.Filipino-American Arts & Culture Festival (FilAmFest) – San Diego-San Diego County – $5,000*
To support a series of intergenerational workshops in the preparation of traditional Filipino cuisine.

Friends of Peralta Hacienda Historical Park – Oakland, Alameda County – $7,125
To support a recording project of Cambodian traditional musicians, their repertoires, and life stories.

Garifuna American Heritage Foundation, Inc. – Long Beach, County of Los Angeles – $7,500
To support the Garifuna Language and Culture Academy.

Glide – San Francisco, County of San Francisco – $7,500
To support the Healing Through Negro Spirituals program.

 Neal Koga's piece "Todah Rabah (gratitude) in Hebrew calligraphyGreat Leap – Los Angeles, County of Los Angeles – $5,000*
To support the creation of new repertoire for the annual Obon celebrations.

Associate Artistic Director Prumsodun Ok teaches Khmer Arts Academy students the Ream Eyso and Moni Mekhala dance drama in preparation for the Khmer Arts 10 Year Anniversary Celebration.Grupo Cultura Yoso Nuu Viko – Shafter, Kern County – $5,000*
To provide free lessons in the traditional music of San Juan Mixtepec, Mexico.

Hmong Association of Long Beach – Long Beach, County of Los Angeles – $7,125
To support the Qeej not Gangs program.

Ile Omode School Cultural Arts Program – Oakland, Alameda County – $5,000
To support an annual Kwanzaa celebration.

Islamic Cultural Center of Northern California – Oakland, Alameda County – $7,125*
To support exhibits and workshops showcasing traditional Islamic calligraphy, in dialouge with Chinese and Hebrew calligraphies.

JC Culture Foundation – Artesia, County of Los Angles – $ 5,000
To support free afterschool Chinese lion dance instruction for youth ages 9-19.

Khaley Adouna African Dance & Drum – San Leandro, Alameda County – $5,000*
To support the creation and performance of SIMB, a traditional Senegalese folktale.

Khmer Arts Academy – Long Beach, County Los Angeles – $7,125
To support free afterschool and weekend instruction in Cambodian classical dance for youth.

Kings Regional Traditional Folk Arts – Hanford, Kings County – $7,125
To support Mexican mariachi and folklorico dance programs offered to youth and teens.

LA Commons – Day of the Ancestors: Festival of Masks, Los Angeles, County of Los Angeles – $ 7,125*
To support the annual Day of the Ancestors: Festival of Masks, including a series of free classes in traditional West African drumming, song, and masked dance.

La Peña Cultural Center – Berkeley, Alameda County – $7,125*
To support weekly classes in traditional Peruvian dance and percussion for youth and adults.

LAGA, California Circle – San Francisco, County of San Francisco – $7,125*
To support instruction in laga, the traditional backstrap weaving of the Kalinga tribe of the Philippines.

Laotian-American Community of Fresno – Fresno, Fresno County – $5,000*
To support traditional Lao dance instruction for youth.

Merced Lao Family Community, Inc. – Merced, County of Merced – $5,000
To support intergenerational instruction in qeej and Hmong traditional dance.
Members of Awon Ohun Omnira (Voices of Freedom) demonstrating song and movement from the Ring Shout tradition renowned in the Southeast U.S. marking the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation at San Francisco's Bay View Opera House on Jan 1, 2013.

Migrantes Mixtecos San Pablo Tijaltepec –Taft, Kern County – $7,500*
To support intergenerational classes in traditional embroidery and weaving.

Nā Lei Hulu I Ka Wēkiu – San Francisco, County of San Francisco – $7,125
To support the Keiki Hula youth program.

Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir – Oakland, Alameda County – $7,125
To support their teen music education program.

Omnira Institute – Oakland, Alameda County – $7,125
To support the Awon Ohun Omnira (Voices of Freedom) choir.

Pacific Island Ethnic Art Museum (PIEAM) – Long Beach, County of Los Angeles – $7,125
To support the Pasifika Living Arts Showcase.

Samoan Fireknife competition is one program offered by the Pacific Talent Academy of the Arts in Los Angeles.Pacific Talent Academy of the Arts (PTAA) – Torrance, County of Los Angeles – $7,500
To support workshops in Samoan fireknife, Tahitian dance (ori), chants, song, percussion, and ukulele-making to youth and teens.

Plaza de la Raza – Los Angeles, County of Los Angeles – $5,000*
To support youth classes in mariachi music, folklorico and Aztec dance, Son Jarocho music, traditional Mexican crafts and altar-making.

Positive Alternative Recreation Teambuilding Impact Program (PARTI) – San Jose, Santa Clara County – $5,000
To support the instruction of stepping, a tradiitonal African American movement form, to youth and teens.

Rara Tou Limen Haitian Dance Company – Oakland, Alameda County – $7,125
To support the Rasanable! Hatian Arts Festival.
REACH LA sponsors a House Ball each year outreaching primarily targeted youth and adults of various House & Ball communities to educate about HIV prevention.   Photos taken at the 2011 event was themed after  "Alice in Wonderland" and  highlights  voguing and runway styles of movement which will be taught in the new studio classes offered the public.

REACH LA (Realistic Education in Action Coalition to Foster Health) – Los Angeles, County of Los Angeles – $7,500
To support a new professional dance studio and meeting hub for the Los Angeles House and Ball community.

Regional Organization of Oaxaca-Organizacione Regional de Oaxaca (ORO) – Covina, County of Los Angeles – $7,125*
To support the Guelaguetza Festival.

Relámpago del Cielo, Inc. – Santa Ana, Orange County – $7,125
To support the annual ballet folklorico student concert.

Sangati Community Center for South Asian Music – Berkeley, Alameda County – $7,125
To support a series of public concerts of Indian classical music.
Himig Kawayan SIPA Youth Angklung Orchestra Ensemble in concert

Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA) – Los Angeles, County of Los Angeles – $7,125
To support the Himig Kawayan youth angklung (bamboo idiophone) ensemble.

Self-Help Graphics & Art – Los Angeles, County of Los Angeles – $7,125
To support the 40th annual Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration.

Susanville Indian Rancheria – Susanville, Lassen County – $6,000*
To support the Native Song project to record traditional songs and lullabies of the Maidu and Paiute languages.

Teatro de la Tierra – Fresno, Fresno County – $7,125
To support the Generaciones Project providing instruction in Mexican and Chicano music to youth, teens, and adults.

True Colors Mural Project – Berkeley, Alameda County – $7,500*
To support the creation of traditional Chicano murals in underrepresented neighborhoods.

Vietnamese American Arts & Letters Association (VAALA) – Santa Ana, Orange County – $5,000*
To support weekly instruction in and documentation of hat boi, a form of Vietnamese opera.

* New organizations to receive ACTA funding