ST. LOUIS (Sept. 15, 2023) – Ameren Missouri and the Arts and Education Council are announcing the second year of their joint program to fund local arts and culture organizations. The AmerenCares Equity in the Arts Philanthropic Grant Program supplies awards of at least $5,000 to historically underrepresented and underfunded nonprofit arts and culture organizations.
“By focusing our support on under-resourced and historically underrepresented arts and culture nonprofits, we can help them focus on what they do best: providing access to the arts,” said Gwen Mizell, senior vice president, chief sustainability, diversity and philanthropy officer at Ameren. “The program strengthens the cultural fabric of communities by promoting inclusivity and diversity within the arts community.”
The AmerenCares Equity in the Arts Grant Program is open for applications now through Oct. 15, 2023. Potential grantees are those organizations that provide programming in music, dance, poetry, painting, writing, theater/drama, sculpture, drawing or photography. Eligible arts and culture organizations should provide programming for diverse races, ethnicities, disabilities, LGBTQ+ orientations and have minority representation at the leadership level. In addition, organizations must be located in and serving participants in Ameren Missouri’s service territory. To view the full eligibility criteria and apply, visit keeparthappening.org/amerencares-equity-arts.
“Art is for everyone, and the nonprofits that benefit from the AmerenCares Equity in the Arts program can help the entire community find their artistic voice,” said Jessireé Jenkins, interim executive director for the Arts and Education Council. “This collaboration helps us deepen relationships with these local organizations and support them in new and meaningful ways.”
The Ameren Corporation Charitable Trust was established in 1944 to serve as a principal source of the company’s philanthropic investments in community projects and programs. Allocations from the Trust's AmerenCares program come entirely from corporate earnings.
About the Arts and Education Council: Keep Art Happening
The Arts and Education Council ensures the 16-county, bi-state region is rich with arts and cultural experiences for all through programs and services that support more than 70 organizations each year, including: PNC Program Grants, the Arts and Education Fund for Teachers, Bayer Fund Rural Community Arts Program grants, Arts and Healing Initiative, and the St. Louis Arts Awards.
The Arts and Education Council is entirely funded by individual donors, corporations and foundations in the St. Louis region. Since its inception in 1963 as the region’s only privately-supported united arts fund, the Arts and Education Council has raised and distributed more than $100 million in private funding for the arts – a significant contribution that directly impacts the quality of life in our region. The Arts and Education Council meets all 20 Better Business Bureau Charity Standards and has earned the Wise Giving Seal of Approval, a three-star rating from Charity Navigator and a GuideStar Exchange Gold Participant rating. Connect with us – Website: KeepArtHappening.org Phone: 314.289.4000. Facebook: ArtsandEducation X: @ArtEdSTL Instagram: Arts_Education_Council
About Ameren Missouri
Ameren Missouri has been providing electric and gas service for more than 100 years, and the company's electric rates are among the lowest in the nation. Ameren Missouri's mission is to power the quality of life for its 1.2 million electric and 135,000 natural gas customers in central and eastern Missouri. The company's service area covers 64 counties and more than 500 communities, including the greater St. Louis area. For more information, visit Ameren.com/Missouri or follow us at @AmerenMissouri or Facebook.com/AmerenMissouri.