Entertainment

Animation Dance E-Sports Entertainment/Celebrity Film Music Radio Restaurants Sports Television Theater Video Virtual Reality
News Release Digital Asset Direct

Creative.ai redefines gaming video ad production using generative AI

Creative.ai

Generative AI is advancing and innovating vast swathes of work. Creative.ai has launched to bring this technology to video ads creation for mobile game publishers. Creative.ai is using generative AI to revolutionize the world of video ad production and ad analytics. Users simply need to input their desired ad parameters and then the Creative.ai AI algorithms take care of the rest; generating data-driven, measurable, and high-quality ads in a matter of minutes. Ads are produced 6x faster, enabling creative teams to focus on new concepts, while Creative.ai generates high performing iterations. All of this removes the heavy lifting and time-consuming process of manual ad production. In today's digital landscape, where Apple's App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework has reshaped online advertising, a robust and innovative creative strategy is crucial for marketers to unlock success. As privacy takes center stage and tracking signals become limited, creatives have emerged as the most critical factor in driving profitable ad spend and achieving marketing excellence. Generating data-driven, high-performing, and captivating ads to engage your target audience is now possible with the advancements in Generative Ai technology that is made accessible through Creative.ai. Creative.ai is the evolution and brainchild of Athar Zia and Jay Shah, the founders’ previous venture, BLKBOX.ai. That platform analysed millions of dollars of ad testing data to unlock the DNA of a winning ad which helped it generate the blueprint for successful ad creation, something that was previously considered a "Black Box”. With the advancements in Generative AI technology, the founders were able to take the creative blueprint they had developed and, now, produce winning ads within minutes. “Creative.ai is a Generative AI Video Platform, leveraging millions of dollars of creative testing data within the Gaming vertical to unlock the DNA of a winning ad. This allows us to build data-driven, high-performing ads in a matter of minutes, empowering businesses to take their advertising efforts to the next level. Our platform is poised to revolutionize the way businesses approach their marketing strategies, and we're excited to see the unprecedented success it will bring to our clients” commented Creative.ai co-founder & CEO Athar Zia. “Performance marketing within Gaming is extremely scientific and measurable, yet creative production, and creative measurement are still stuck in the stone age with limited knowledge of what makes a winning ad, while assuming a 95% failure rate. It’s time for the industry to evolve, and leverage the advancements in Generative AI to produce data-driven ads that are measurable and deliver scaled performance” Creative.ai was founded in January 2023 by a team of seasoned experts in the advertising and technology industries including a former Meta ads auction expert [Athar Zia], and former Meta solutions engineer [Jay Shah]. Renowned creative production expert William Hughes joined as Chief Creative Officer having worked at EA, PopCap, BigFish, Social Point, and Tilting Point across more than 59 game titles. "User-Acquisition managers and creative teams are under pressure to deliver high-performing campaigns with limited resources. However, every decision is based on human interpretation of performance data, competitor and market analysis and production limitations leading to low performance. Generative AI replaces human bias and outdated production methods allowing studios to reduce overhead, increase production volume, and improve performance, giving creatives more time to be creative." added William Hughes, Chief Creative Officer at Creative.ai The Creative.ai team is of the firm conviction that the future of Gaming advertising lies in empowering user acquisition managers with tools that enable them to generate creative iterations faster to support their growth initiatives, without requiring any creative production skills. This will expand the scope of a user acquisition manager to include data-driven creative iteration production, while allowing creative teams to focus on what they do best, which is creating new concepts for business growth. User-generated content is a key feature in today's digital landscape. Creative.ai recognizes this and plans to roll out new technology features that enable advertisers to reduce the cost and time associated with producing user-generated content. This will allow businesses of all sizes to tap into the power of user-generated content and leverage it to drive growth and engagement. “The goal is to be the one-stop-shop where you can produce, test, iterate and get analytics on your creative strategy and production.We will do this by demystifying creative challenges and helping companies scale their advertising efforts profitably. Our advanced technology can produce highly-effective ads in a fraction of the time and we can share real-time analytics that highlight the DNA of a winning ad. This two pronged approach will enable businesses to focus on growth and success. We're excited to be at the forefront of advertising innovation and are looking forward to empowering businesses with the power of generative AI.” said Athar Zia. Contact Details Creative.ai Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://www.trycreative.ai/

April 13, 2023 09:00 AM Central Daylight Time

Image

Randy Couture Partners with Wise Food Storage and Announces Signature Emergency Product Line

Wise Food Storage

Randy Couture, one of the world's greatest and most decorated MMA fighters, accredited actor, and emergency preparedness enthusiast, has partnered with Wise Food Storage to create a signature emergency line called Prepare With Randy. Wise Food Storage is America's Trusted Emergency Food Supplier helping households prepare before disaster strikes. The partnership will provide high-quality emergency food products and survival backpacks to help people prepare for unexpected situations. As part of the partnership, Randy's exclusive survival line will benefit his non-profit organization, Xtreme Couture GI Foundation, which raises awareness and financially supports wounded veterans. This partnership will provide a unique offering of emergency food products for those who want to be prepared for unexpected situations and, at the same time, contribute to a good cause. This aligns with Randy Couture and Wise Food Storage's commitment to raising awareness about the importance of emergency preparedness and giving back to those that have defended our democracy. The first drop from the Prepare With Randy line will include various products, such as a 60-serving food bucket, 180-serving food bundle, 64-piece survival backpack, and complete two-day backpack. These products are designed to provide essential items and nutrition during emergencies, and the survival backpacks include various tools and supplies to help with survival in emergencies, especially evacuations. "I am excited to partner with Wise Food Storage to provide people with high-quality emergency food products and survival backpacks," said Randy Couture. "As someone passionate about emergency preparedness, it's essential to have the right tools and supplies to be prepared for unexpected situations. I'm proud that Wise Food Storage will be giving back a portion of the product sales to the Xtreme Couture GI Foundation and help assist our Nation' Combat Veterans and their families struggling with financial burdens as they return to civilian life." "We are thrilled to partner with Randy Couture to provide people with the tools they need to be prepared for emergencies," said a representative from Wise Food Storage. "Randy's expertise and values align perfectly with ours, and we are excited to bring his signature line to our customers." Randy's signature line of survival products in partnership with Wise Food Storage will launch on Wednesday, April 12, and will be available at www.preparewithrandy.com Contact Details Tim Lawlor +1 801-383-1356 tlawlor@readywise.com

April 13, 2023 07:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Image

Mike The Pike Productions, Inc. (OTC: MIKP) Path to Pink Current: Company Files Form 10 w/Audited Financials Toward Becoming SEC Fully Reporting

Mike The Pike Productions, Inc.

McapMediaWire -- Mike The Pike Productions, Inc. (OTC: MIKP ) (“The Company”), ($MIKP), a fan-owned entertainment studio focused in the acquisition, development, and production of entertainment intellectual property through its wholly owned subsidiary www.ArowanaMedia.com, announces today that it has filed a Form 10 registration Statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) to register its common stock under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and become a fully reporting company. Accompanying Form 10 are PCAOB audited financials. The PCAOB audit was conducted by Dan Barton of Barton CPA ( https://bartoncpafirm.com / ). The Form 10 registration statement automatically becomes effective sixty days post-filing. Following the effective date, the Company will be subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act. The Company will begin filing annual reports with the SEC on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, periodic reports on Form 8-K, and subject itself to additional reporting obligations related to proxies, shareholder actions, and stock ownership rules. The Company will also be subject to U.S. GAAP reporting requirements with respect to the reports it files with the SEC. The increased regulatory oversight and credibility of being an SEC reporting company will assist investors in making more informed and educated investment decisions about the Company. As we understand, filing Form 10 with audited financials via EDGAR will satisfy requirements for Pink Current status with OTC Markets upon their acknowledgment and review of the filings accordingly. MIKP CEO states: “The filing of the Form 10 registration statement is a crucial milestone in our long-term efforts to provide increased transparency and accountability to shareholders. Our transition to a fully reporting company is just the first step in our elevating the Company to new horizons toward our goal of becoming a mini-major entertainment studio with a current focus in acquisition, development, and production of film/television/streaming projects along with investments and opportunities in gaming, web3 and metaverse, VR/AR, and artificial Intelligence." LIKE, FOLLOW & SHARE AT: Facebook: @arowanamedia Twitter: @ArowanaOfficial and @MTPprods IG: ArowanaMedia About Mike The Pike Productions (OTC: MIKP), Arowana Media Holdings and Mike The Pike Entertainment Mike The Pike Productions is a publicy traded media holdings company operating through its subsidiary Arowana Media Holdings, Inc. ( www.ArowanaMedia.com ), a fan-owned entertainment studio focused on IP Acquisitions, Development and Production, and building a diverse portfolio of IP for the entertainment marketplace. It does this via its flagship subsidiary, Mike the Pike Entertainment, LLC, which will acquire, incubate and develop IP which can then be used to complement horizontally integrated subsidiaries focused in Film/Television/Streaming, Publishing, Software/Gaming, esports, AR/VR, Web3, Metaverse, and Artificial Intelligence. CONTACT: CEO Mark B. Newbauer hey@mikethepike.com Contact Details Mark B. Newbauer hey@mikethepike.com Company Website http://www.arowanamedia.com/

April 10, 2023 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Copycat Killer Occupies Netflix Charts, and Leads More Taiwan’s Series to Global Markets

Taiwan Creative Content Agency

TAIPEI, TAIWAN - Media OutReach - 10 April 2023 - Audiovisual works from Asia have gradually secured their footing in global markets. After Korean films and series expand viewer bases, Taiwanese content has recently attracted international attention, including suspense series Light the Night and horror film Incantation. Since premiering on a streaming platform last week, Copycat Killer has created a new record in Taiwanese series history. It has landed on top 10 charts across 25 regions/markets worldwide, with viewing hours on the rise. Adapted from the eponymous award-winning novel by Japanese writer Miyuki Miyabe, Copycat Killer follows a serial killer case in the 1990s that underlines media manipulation and humanity. This original Mandarin-speaking series produced by GrX (Greener Grass Culture Co., Ltd.) was exclusively launched on Netflix on March 31 st. It has since won weekly champion titles in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Furthermore, it has reached multiple markets in the Middle East (UAE, Kuwait, and Qatar), Europe (Greece and Romania), and Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, the Bahamas, and Uruguay). Appearing on top 10 charts across 25 markets, Copycat Killer is the first Taiwanese series that travels further and wider worldwide. This achievement is based on international co-production experiences in GrX over the years, including Korea, New Zealand, and Vietnam. Based on rational decisions and international market observations, says producer Phil Tang, “this is the first Mandarin-speaking series that widely reaches global audience on Netflix. We challenge ourselves in Copycat Killer to deliver groundbreaking narratives and quality. It also builds on decades of audiovisual production experiences in Taiwan”. Producer Hank Tseng, on the other hand, focuses on script development, storylines, context, cinematic languages, and genre series structural analysis. He also aims to deliver international levels in composition and aesthetics. With overwhelming feedback and responses worldwide, Tseng is grateful that “dubbing in multiple languages has overcome cultural differences, and resonated emotionally with viewers in different countries and markets”. Audiovisual content from Taiwan continues to expand international markets. The upcoming series by DaMou Entertainment, The Wave Makers, will be the first in Taiwan that circles around political aides. During the presidential campaign, a group of young aides struggle between life and work, while trying to keep their candidate in the lead. The Oracle Comes, adapted from the eponymous best-selling novel by Taiwanese writer Teensy that combines traditional beliefs and modern fantasy, will also be available on international streaming platforms. With the success of Copycat Killer, more audiovisual works from Taiwan will be recognized in the world. It’s a testimony that Taiwan can deliver international standards as an outstanding co-production partner in Asia. Studios in Taiwan are capable of producing quality content for global consumption with teams from different cultures. Contact Details Taiwan Creative Content Agency Shannie Hsu shannie.hsu@taicca.tw Taiwan Creative Content Agency Chia-Hua Yeh chiahuayeh@taicca.tw

April 10, 2023 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Image

News Release

Carl Dawkins Revealed as CEO of New Meme Coin Project Love Hate Inu as Presale Hits $3m

Finance News

Vote-to-earn meme coin Love Hate Inu ($LHINU) revealed today that the CEO behind this project is none other than famed meme coin creator Carl Dawkins. Dawkins is a legend in the meme coin community. His last project, Tamadoge ($TAMA), was a meme-infused play-to-earn gaming platform that exploded after launch. $TAMA shot from an initial presale price of $0.01 to an all-time high of $0.173 – a gain of more than 16x. $TAMA gained 10x from its initial exchange offering to its all-time high. Asked about his goal for Love Hate Inu, Dawkins says “I'm here to beat the 10x on Tamadoge.” Love Hate Inu presale is off to a hot start Based on how the Love Hate Inu presale has gone so far, Dawkins is on track to meet his goal. Love Hate Inu has raised more than $3 million in the first 3 weeks of the presale. The project has also added more than 32,000 followers on Twitter, a sign of just how mainstream Love Hate Inu is becoming. Some analysts have called it the best coin to buy today and have suggested it could be the next Dogecoin or Shiba Inu. Dawkins’ role at the head of the project has surely been part of the reason why Love Hate Inu has been so succesful. “I’m here to bring my skills to the table and develop the community to the next level,” he says. The presale is now in Stage 4 out of 8 and $LHINU is priced at $0.000105. There are only a few days left before the price increases again, so investors still sitting on the fence don’t have much time to lock in the current price. Visit Love Hate Inu Presale Creating a fair and transparent voting platform for Web3 Love Hate Inu is a meme coin at heart, but it’s far from a Tamadoge imitator. “I’m really pleased that Tamadoge is delivering on its roadmap in deadly serious fashion, if I can put it that way,” says Dawkins. “But Love Hate Inu is obviously a very different coin and project, so it stands on its own two feet, and isn’t simply riding on the back of Tamadoge.” In fact, Love Hate Inu is solving one of the biggest challenges in Web3: how to create a voting system that’s fair for users. Currently, most voting on blockchains takes place within decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs). But Dawkins points out that he doesn’t “like DAOs because it is always the biggest wallet that wins. “With Love Hate Inu, we are bringing fairness to voting systems.” In Love Hate Inu, users who hold $LHINU tokens can stake them for 30 days to vote in polls. Voting power is determined by the amount of $LHINU users stake, not the total size of their holdings. This makes voting more fair and representative of the community, while limiting the ability of large investors to unduly influence outcomes. It also prevents bots from spamming Love Hate Inu surveys with fake votes. As Dawkins puts it, “Love Hate Inu has the serious side to it – trying to bring legitimacy to online voting through applying Web3, after seeing so many bots used on Twitter etc – while also having the playful side of it being an Inu coin and the community engagement that comes with that.” Visit Love Hate Inu Presale Disrupting the $3.2 billion survey industry Love Hate Inu may be cute and funny, but it’s also taking direct aim at the $3.2 billion online survey industry. The platform’s new vote-to-earn technology incentivizes $LHINU token holders to participate in polls in a way that simply isn’t possible on legacy platforms. Importantly, Love Hate Inu is built with utility in mind from the start. That sets it apart from past meme projects like Shiba Inu, which is trying to add functionality only after going viral. “We want to exploit the meme edge,” says Dawkins, “but at the same time show that this is a deadly serious project with a money-making vision we think can make it a stand-out product in the Web3 space, and a serious challenger to the legacy industry.” With that in mind, the Love Hate Inu team is already thinking about how to bring in revenue for the ecosystem. It’s planning to develop partnerships with major brands to enable them to create custom polls and engage the Love Hate Inu community. These brands can even offer their own vote-to-earn rewards, such as custom tokens or NFTs. Down the road, Love Hate Inu also has the potential to integrate into major metaverse platforms. Dawkins’ hope is that Love Hate Inu will become the go-to survey platform for emerging Web3 apps. “We are now ready to go full guns blazing to show the community the work that’s been going on by demonstrating the real-world use case for the Love Hate Inu platform,” says Dawkins. Love Hate Inu presale offers 90% of $LHINU token supply One especially notable feature of the Love Hate Inu presale is that up to 90% of the total $LHINU token supply is being made available to investors. This is unique within the crypto presale landscape and reflects the fairness and transparency that’s so key to Love Hate Inu. Since early investors will own 90% of the token supply, there’s very little chance of a rug pull. There’s no profit for the project team unless they deliver on the promise of Love Hate. This presale model also makes investing in one of the most promising crypto projects more democratic. Anyone can invest in the Love Hate Inu presale without restrictions on how they can use their money. As the project gets closer to launch, investors could potentially see significant gains from $LHINU. The expected initial exchange offering price of $0.000145 represents a 70% gain from the token’s initial price of $0.000085. Investors who buy today stand to earn paper gains of 38% when $LHINU lists on major exchanges. Even better, there’s no vesting period for the $LHINU token. This means that presale investors will receive 100% of their tokens before the initial exchange offering. Investors can buy Love Hate Inu during the presale with ETH, BNB, or USDT. Love Hate Inu was already one of the most exciting Web3 projects of the year. Now, with Dawkins at its head, investors can feel confident that this meme coin could be headed to the moon. Visit Love Hate Inu Presale Twitter | Telegram | Telegram Announcement | Instagram | Discord DISCLAIMER: This is not to be taken as investment advice. Crypto is a volatile asset, do your own research before investing and only invest money you can afford to lose. We may receive commission for clicking links in this article. Contact Details Finance News Alex Brown alex@financenews.com

April 07, 2023 03:22 PM Eastern Daylight Time

MIXI Joins Oasys Blockchain as a Validator

Oasys

SINGAPORE - Media OutReach - 7 April 2023 - Oasys, a gaming-optimised blockchain, today announced that MIXI, Inc. (MIXI), Japan’s leading media powerhouse, has officially joined as the latest node validator in the blockchain’s network. The partnership is also expected to lay the foundation for further collaboration in games between the two organizations down the line. MIXI is well-known for their adept entertainment and sports offerings, including the social network mixi, the mobile game Monster Strike, which has grossed more than $9 billion since its launch in 2013, and their most recent release TIPSTAR, a sports betting service. MIXI is now turning to Web3, primarily through DAZN MOMENTS, a sports-focused NFT marketplace, to enable its consumers to interact and explore the digital world. MIXI joins Japanese technology and telecommunications conglomerates SoftBank and KDDI, as well as one of the largest gaming companies, Nexon, as Oasys’ second batch of validators announced this year, bringing the total number of Oasys Validators to 25. With the comprehensive backing of institutions, Oasys reaffirmed its commitment to expand its ecosystem and accelerate mass adoption of Web3 games, backed by a high-speed and stable architecture. Yuko Nemoto, Senior Corporate Officer, Digital Entertainment Business Operations, MIXI, said: MIXI aims to enrich the connections between people by providing communication services, such as the social media platform "mixi," and bring close friends and families together with our smartphone game "Monster Strike." Through our participation as a validator for Oasys, which creates new user experiences with its unique approach, we hope to enhance existing communication pathways and create captivating content for our user base. Daiki Moriyama, Director, Oasys, said: “The inclusion of MIXI, the company behind the blockbuster title Monster Strike that led mobile gaming to mass adoption, as our validator is significant for Oasys as we forge partnerships to enable the mass adoption of blockchain games. We believe that this opens the door to many more collaborations to come, be it working with our Genesis Council or creating game content, ultimately, making significant strides to pioneer the future of blockchain gaming.” In just over a year since its formation, Oasys revolutionized the way gamers and developers create and interact on blockchain. It recently achieved full decentralization with its native OAS token now approved for listing in both South Korea and Japan, and launched its mainnet blockchain protocol with over a dozen playable games available to its community. Oasys continues to advance its mission of bringing blockchain gaming to the world, by encouraging the mainstream adoption of blockchain technology. About MIXI, Inc With the purpose of enriching communication and inspiring moments of joy, MIXI is committed to providing enjoyable communication services for friends and families, including mixi, Monster Strike, FamilyAlbum, and TIPSTAR. We place User Surprise First at our core and focus on promoting deep and meaningful connections rather than simply increasing the quantity and frequency of communication. Through this endeavor, we believe we inspire deeper, richer communication in the world. https://mixi.co.jp/en About Oasys Oasys was established in February 2022 to increase mainstream play-and-earn adoption, and at launch, committed to partnering with 21 gaming and Web3 tech companies to act as validators, such as Bandai Namco Research, SEGA, Ubisoft and Yield Guild Games. Led by a team of blockchain experts and joining forces with the biggest gaming company names to serve as the initial validators, Oasys is revolutionising the gaming industry with its Proof-of-Stake (PoS) based blockchain. With a focus on creating an ecosystem for gamers and developers to distribute and develop blockchain-based games, Oasys solves the problems game developers face when building games on the blockchain. The trifecta approach of the fastest network powered by the gaming community, a scalable network powered by AAA game developers and the blockchain offering the best user experience with fast transactions and zero gas fees for users, readies participants to enter the Oasys and play. https://www.oasys.games https://twitter.com/oasys_games http://discord.gg/oasysgames Contact Details Media Contact Oasys oasys@wachsman.com

April 07, 2023 02:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Image

Gateway Classic Cars to Celebrate the Grand Opening of Their Tulsa Oklahoma Showroom

Gateway Classic Cars

[Gateway Classic Cars of St. Louis]: Gateway Classic Cars of Tulsa is excited to host its Grand Opening on Saturday, April 29 th from 9am-1pm. Two days before, the Tulsa Regional Chamber will hold their ribbon cutting ceremony on, Thursday, April 27 th at 4:00pm. Come out and celebrate the next chapter in the company’s 24-year history with Gateway Classic Cars. The Grand Opening is open to the public and has no admission or registration fee. Attendees are encouraged to cruise in with all makes and models and bring their appetite. The first 100 guests will receive a free Gateway Classic Cars T-shirt. Special giveaways will be announced throughout the day as guests listen to music and indulge in delicious cuisine. Gateway Classic Cars continues to remain the leader in global marketing for classic and exotic vehicles. Their new launched auction platform has only strengthened their position as the largest classic and exotic car sales network in the world. Since 1999, Gateway Classic Cars has specialized in selling classic and exotic vehicles for private sellers, collectors, and estates by improving their success in passing along the passion for their treasured vehicles. Plus, no other company is more reputable and eager to assist fellow classic car enthusiasts around the world with the opportunity to get behind the wheel of their dreams. Every Gateway Classic Cars’ showroom is open to the public from 9am to 5pm, Monday through Saturday. The Charlotte showroom showcases classic, collector, exotic cars, and trucks. The last Saturday of the month is Caffeine and Chrome, our version of cars and coffee, from 9am-Noon. Event Details: Title: Gateway Classic Cars Grand Opening Date: Saturday, April 29, 2023 Start Time: 9am End Time: 1pm Cost: FREE St. Louis, MO (HQ); Atlanta, GA; Charlotte, SC; Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX; Denver, CO; Detroit, MI; Fort Lauderdale, FL; Houston, TX; Indianapolis, IN; Kansas City, KS; Las Vegas, NV; Louisville, KY; Milwaukee, WI; Nashville, TN; Orlando, FL; Philadelphia, PA; Scottsdale, AZ; Tampa, FL; San Antonio, Austin, TX; Tulsa, OK Phone: (866) 383-1416 https://news.gatewayclassiccars.com Gateway Classic Cars Where Dreams Are Driven (#dreamsdriven) Corporate Offices 1237 Central Park Drive O’Fallon, IL 62269 (618) 271-3000 https://hub.gatewayclassiccars.com Contact Details Gateway Classic Cars +1 866-383-1416 marketing@gatewayclassiccars.com Company Website https://news.gatewayclassiccars.com

April 06, 2023 03:45 PM Eastern Daylight Time

News Release

Bell Buckle’s Jump Start Sports announces its 5th franchise territory

Bell Buckle Holdings

Jump Start Sports founder and CEO Rick Hart joined Steve Darling from Proactive to share news the company has completed the sale of its 4th and 5th franchise territories in Ohio. Those territories include Lorain, Huron and Erie and Sandusky counties, as well as areas west toward Toledo. Hart tells Proactive more about the program and also about parent company Bell Buckle and its season team. Contact Details Proactive Investors +1 604-688-8158 na-editorial@proactiveinvestors.com

April 05, 2023 01:24 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Video

News Release

More than $10 million awarded to 671 Washington State arts and culture organizations through the Community Accelerator Grant program

Paul G. Allen Family Foundation

Today, ArtsFund and the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation announced the 671 grantees of the Community Accelerator Grant, a historic investment in Washington’s arts and culture sector. Administered by Arts Fund and funded by the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, the program provides just over $10M in $2,500 to $25,000 grants across Washington state. The distribution comes just six months after the partnership was announced, in response to the continued sector need. Funding will provide essential resources to Washington organizations whose primary mission is to produce or support arts and culture activities. The unrestricted funding will boost arts organizations’ ability to invest in their missions and essential roles serving communities across the state. “We are so proud to highlight the breadth and depth of Washington’s rich cultural landscape and celebrate the leadership and vision of the Paul G Allen Family Foundation in funding this program,” said ArtsFund CEO and President, Michael Greer. “Our hope is that their philanthropy inspires others to continue to invest in this sector and see how possible it is to make an investment that is meaningful, equitable, and expeditious.” Grants were awarded to every eligible organization that applied, with an average award of $14,909. The total funding pool of $10M responds to approximately two-thirds of total requested funds. Nearly 70% of the grantees reported annual budgets of less than $500,000. Organizations in 35 of Washington’s 39 countries are included. “This community-driven model distributes urgently needed capital quickly, equitably, and efficiently to arts and culture organizations that are so important to a vibrant, healthy community,” said Lara Littlefield, executive director on behalf of the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation. “We are heartened by the diversity and geographic reach of this program as well as the speed and efficiency in which it was administered thanks to ArtsFund and the Community Advisory Panel.” The Community Accelerator Grant program prioritized funding to communities that are underrepresented in other funding programs – specifically, in rural communities, and for BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and people with disabilities. The application was designed to be low-barrier, with the goal that no organizations would find it too complicated, or that the information requested was too cumbersome. All eligible applicants received a grant. Applicants were asked to what degree they felt that this grant might positively impact their ability to build capacity and increase their sustainability. Organizations reported anticipating an additional $2 raised for every $1 of their grant. Representation of priority populations was an important consideration for the program. More than half of the grants are to organizations with a minimum 25% BIPOC representation on both Board and staff. See the complete list of grant recipients HERE. Community Advisory Panel The program was informed by a Community Advisory Panel who advised ArtsFund on the application design, outreach, evaluation and outcome. Panelists included: Beth Takekawa, Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience (retired) Ginger Ewing, Terrain Jane Broom, Microsoft Corporation Karen Hanan, ArtsWA (Washington State Arts Commission) Katie Carter, Pride Foundation Lorin Schmit Dunlop, M. J. Murdock Charitable Trust Manny Cawaling, Inspire Washington Michael Greer, ArtsFund Molly Sanchez, Innovia Foundation Shelly Wynecoop, Spokane Arts Stephanie Ellis-Smith, Phila Engaged Giving Troy Coalman, Wellspring Family Services ArtsFund considered applications based on representation of and centering of BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ and people with disabilities, geographic location, and on the reported potential impact of the grant on organizations’ fundraising. Grant funds are unrestricted and may be used as each organization self-determines. Grant recipients cite the top uses for funding, in order of priority, include salaries and labor; programming; rent, mortgage and facility upgrades; personal protective equipment and COVID preparedness; and communications and marketing, with more than 80% of organizations citing salaries and labor, and programming as their top needs. The initiative follows two and a half years of pandemic impacts on the arts and culture sector, which experienced drops in revenue, challenges with reopening logistics, audience hesitation to return to pre-pandemic levels of cultural participation, and workforce impacts, as detailed in ArtsFund’s COVID Cultural Impact Study: ArtsFund.org/CCIS that was partially funded by the foundation. This $10 million investment in the sector responds directly to the study’s recommendations to expand and sustain support for arts and culture organizations as a strategy for social impact, and to provide unrestricted funding in support of the long-term adaptation of the industry. To receive updates from ArtsFund and find out about future opportunities, please sign up for ArtsFund Newsletter | ArtsFund About ArtsFund About ArtsFund ArtsFund supports the arts through leadership, advocacy, and grantmaking in order to build a healthy, equitable, and creative Washington. Founded in 1969, the Seattle-based nonprofit has been building community through the arts for more than 50 years. ArtsFund was originally founded to bring corporate and civic leaders together to help establish and sustain our region’s arts and cultural institutions. Over its grantmaking history, ArtsFund has supported more than 650 arts organizations with more than $100 million in grants, and provided valuable leadership and advocacy. Learn more at www.artsfund.org About Paul G. Allen Family Foundation Founded in 1988 by philanthropists Jody Allen and the late Paul G. Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, the foundation invests in communities across the Pacific Northwest to enhance the human experience of arts & culture, center under-served populations, and mobilize young people to make impact. In addition, the foundation supports a global portfolio of nonprofit partners working across science and technology solutions to protect wildlife, preserve ocean health, and create lasting change. The foundation also funds the Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group, which works to advance cutting-edge research in all areas of bioscience. Learn more at www.pgafamilyfoundation.org. Contact Details Calandra Childers, VP of Strategic Initiatives & Communications ArtsFund +1 206-788-3051 calandrachilders@artsfund.org Company Website http://www.artsfund.org/accelerator

April 04, 2023 07:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time

1 ... 104 105 106 107 108 ... 238