News & Events
Sitar Arts Center Receives a $50,000 Grant from the Genesis Inspiration Foundation to Support Youth Arts Programming in Washington, D.C.
(Washington, D.C.), June 1, 2023 – Sitar Arts Center will receive a $50,000 grant from The Genesis Inspiration Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to connecting youth to the transformative power of the arts. Now in its fifth year of grant awards, the Genesis Inspiration Foundation’s 2023 award cycle will award $3 million to organizations nationwide focused on providing youth arts programming in under-resourced communities.
Sitar Arts Center—recipient of a Genesis Inspiration Foundation grant for youth arts programming—has provided high-quality and accessible arts education to D.C. youth and young adults for over 20 years. Leading with equity at the center of its mission, Sitar Arts Center engages youth in building a creative community of learning and belonging that removes financial and cultural barriers to arts education and career training.
“This grant by the Genesis Inspiration Foundation has been awarded at an exciting time for Sitar Arts Center,” says Maureen Dwyer, Executive Director of Sitar Arts Center. “Our upcoming Camp Sitar summer arts program will include more youth than ever before, more than 80% of whom are from households with low-income. With the direct support of this award, hundreds of DC children and youth will engage in year-round arts education, discovering their creativity and honing their skills in a nurturing community. We are honored to be a part of the inspirational group of arts organizations awarded this year.”
As part of Sitar’s five-year strategic plan, the organization is committed to being a community anchor for DC youth to engage in arts education and experience the healing and connecting power of the arts. Sitar’s arts education programs unlock each child’s potential through creative, joyful, and community-centered learning that leads to proven success in school, career, and beyond.
“Genesis Inspiration Foundation believes that the arts can open doors, foster collaboration, and help youth achieve their fullest potential,” said John Guastaferro, executive director of Genesis Inspiration Foundation. “We are honored to be able to support organizations like Sitar Arts Center that share in our mission and firmly believe in the power of arts education to transform children’s lives,” says John Guastaferro, Executive Director, Hyundai Hope on Wheels, and Genesis Inspiration Foundation.
Since its launch in 2018, The Genesis Inspiration Foundation has awarded over $8 million in grants to expand youth arts education nationwide. They aim to impact children’s lives by providing access to arts programs that engage and inspire children in under-resourced communities. By supporting programs that foster creativity and spark curiosity, offer new experiences, and enhance children’s personal development beyond the classroom, they are acting on their belief that “when kids are inspired, they are empowered.” Genesis retailers and Genesis Motor America make funding for Genesis Inspiration Foundation possible.
You can learn more about Sitar Arts Center’s youth arts programming here: https://www.sitarartscenter.org/
About Sitar Arts Center
Founded in 2000, Sitar Arts Center is a multidisciplinary arts center providing affordable, high-quality education and workforce development in the visual, performing, and digital arts. Sitar Arts Center engages D.C. youth, from early childhood to young adulthood, in building a creative community of learning and belonging that removes financial and cultural barriers to arts education and career training. Sitar envisions a city in which all young people experience transformative moments through quality, accessible arts education and career training and are supported on their path to discover their creativity and achieve their full potential. For more information, visit www.sitarartscenter.org.
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