ATLANTA: Email marketing platform Intuit Mailchimp has announced a pledge to support local arts organizations in the company’s home city of Atlanta. This pledge comes in response to the recent closures and financial hardships affecting the creative community, and recognizes the valuable work of these arts organizations to drive positive change, foster inclusivity, and enhance the quality of life for all Atlanta residents. Part of Mailchimp’s Give Where You Live initiative that currently supports nonprofits in five other U.S. cities, the program will grant $100,000 in unrestricted funding to 10 community arts organizations. The funding will support ArtsATL, Dashboard, Living Walls, Moving in the Spirit, RE:IMAGINE, True Colors Theatre, Atlanta Music Project, MODA, Atlanta Contemporary, and TILA Studios.
“Creativity is central to Mailchimp’s brand and culture.” said Lain Shakespeare, senior director of corporate citizenship at Intuit Mailchimp, in a statement. “Small and medium sized arts organizations are the heartbeat of Atlanta’s creative economy. Many of these arts organizations are our customers, our partners, and the places where our employees volunteer. We’re proud to help power their prosperity and help grow creative excellence in our home town.”
ArtsATL is a nonprofit media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive coverage, criticism, and support of the arts, artists, and advocates in Atlanta. Their coverage of the arts scene includes music, film, TV, books, theatre, dance, and the visual arts.
Dashboard is a creative nonprofit that produces transformative arts experiences in public spaces. Their work includes large-scale immersive installations, nontraditional gallery exhibitions, event design and production, public art commissions, artist grants, and public programming.
Living Walls creates inclusive, intentional, thought-provoking public art to inspire social change. The organization seeks to change the historically white male-dominated industry of public art by creating more space, visibility, representation, and celebration for women, people of color, and LGBTQIA+ voices, especially in places that face gentrification and erasure of these communities.
Moving in the Spirit is a creative youth development program that uses dance to teach young people the social, emotional, and cognitive skills they need to thrive. Their work integrates dance instruction with performance, leadership, and mentor opportunities, engaging 250 children and teens annually.
RE:IMAGINE is an education and workforce development organization for the creative media industry that seeks to equip the next generation of representative storytellers.
True Colors Theatre is a nonprofit regional theatre company that aims to celebrate the rich tradition of Black storytelling while giving voice to bold artists from all cultures.
Atlanta Music Project operates in under-resourced communities to provide world-class music training and performance opportunities that support youth growth and development. All AMP programming is offered tuition-free and includes access to a musical instrument, class materials, teaching artists, and performance opportunities, in exchange for the requirement that participants commit to attending all classes.
MODA (Museum of Design Atlanta) is the only museum in the Southeast dedicated exclusively to the study and celebration of all things design. MODA seeks to advance the understanding and appreciation of design as the convergence of creativity and functionality through exhibitions, education, and programming for visitors of all ages.
Atlanta Contemporary is a Southeast contemporary art center that presents over 200 artists and creatives from the local, national, and international art scenes each year through its various exhibition, project spaces, and programs. The center offers more than 125 programs annually including Contemporary Kids, Contemporary Cocktails, Contemporary Talks, and the subsidized Studio Artist Program.
TILA Studios is an arts incubator, co-working and gallery space serving Black women artists and creatives in the metro Atlanta area. The organization seeks to empower artists to create and showcase their work.
While enthusiastic about their contributions, Intuit Mailchimp acknowledges that this funding is “only a fraction of the support that the creative ecosystem of Atlanta needs.”
Intuit Mailchimp is an email and marketing automations platform for growing businesses. With its marketing technology, customer support, and informational content, the company seeks to empower millions of customers around the world to start and grow their businesses. Mailchimp has invested more than $15 million into small and medium sized organizations.