CEC 1 of 8 entities to benefit from $2.6M Wallace Foundation grant
The grant will support research on innovative practices and community impact in the island’s arts sector.
The Centro de Economía Creativa (CEC) has been selected as one of eight organizations to receive a $2.6 million grant from the Wallace Foundation. The funding will support a study on the management practices of arts organizations and initiatives in Puerto Rico, focusing on innovative models with measurable community impact during ongoing crises.
“This new initiative is part of the CEC Observatory efforts. On this occasion, we want to delve deeper into successful management practices in Puerto Rico and make sure to share that knowledge with cultural managers and leaders, both active and young people in training,” said Javier J. Hernández-Acosta, principal investigator of the observatory.
The project will use ethnographic research methods, case studies and surveys to analyze how Puerto Rican arts organizations manage operations, support communities and address economic challenges. The study’s goal is to identify best practices, document their impact and showcase successful models that can be adapted locally and internationally.
“Over the years, we have identified a management model that is very particular to the Puerto Rican context. It is time to document all those lessons learned and put them at the service of new entities and professionals in the sector,” Hernández-Acosta added.
Candace Miller, head of arts research at the Wallace Foundation, emphasized the initiative’s importance.
“Supporting the arts ecosystem and better understanding the needs of grantees is at the core of Wallace’s arts initiative,” Miller said. “I look forward to working with this group of awardees as they join our research group and expand understanding of the ways they support their communities.”
This effort is part of the Wallace Foundation’s ongoing “Advancing Well-Being in the Arts” initiative, which stemmed “from a recognition of a historical lack of investment in community impact arts organizations and a lack of documentation of their contributions.”
Each participating organization will receive funding to plan, implement or expand research projects designed to answer key questions, inform policy and support communities.
For more information, visit the Wallace Foundation’s website or the Centro de Economía Creativa’s website to learn about its initiatives.
