The Ovation Foundation's innOVATION Grant Awards Program Return With Increased Funding For The Creative Economy

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Returning with an all-new program for 2017 and increased grant money for five worthy recipients, The Ovation Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Ovation TV, is announcing a call for entries in its 2017 Creative Economy innOVATION Grant Awards Program. This year's cycle will focus on exemplary programs that foster the growth and sustainability of America's creative industries.  Five grants of $25,000 each will be awarded to the most innovative programs. 

"Our mission to recognize and reward those organizations and programs that support the creative economy has never been as timely as it is now.  With federal support under threat and the value of the arts under constant scrutiny, the innOVATION Grant Awards Program is our way of showcasing how our nation's creative industries drive innovation, job creation, and economic growth," said Liz Janneman, President of The Ovation Foundation and EVP of Network Strategy, Ovation TV.

Applicants for the 2017 Creative Economy innOVATION Grants cycle should highlight how they support America's creative industries through capacity-building and/or technical assistance programs, mentorship and partnership resources, program acceleration, and fiscal sponsorship. For guidelines and to submit an online application, visit TheOvationFoundation.org.

Once again, The Ovation Foundation has assembled a prestigious panel of judges to review submissions and determine the five awardees. Judges include (listed in alphabetical order):

Senator Ben Allen – California State Senate. Senator Allen serves as chair of the Senate Education Committee as well as the legislature's Joint Committee on the Arts.

Mike Allmendinger – President, Kilbourne Group.  In 2016, Mr. Allmendinger led an effort to create APT, a creative incubator in downtown Fargo, to demonstrate that a healthy arts presence is a vital part of a community's infrastructure.

Jessica Yas Barker – Director of Corporate Relations, Ovation TV and Chief Administrative Office, The Ovation Foundation.  Ms. Yas Barker also oversees government relations and philanthropic giving for Ovation TV.

Dennis Cheek – Executive Director, National Creativity Network. Mr. Cheek co-founded NCN to advance the skillful use of imagination, creativity, and innovation to transform commerce, culture, education, and government.

Jennifer H. Goulet – President and CEO, Creative Many. Ms. Goulet leads Creative Many's advocacy/public policy, research, professional practice and communications efforts to advance the power of Michigan's creative economy. She also serves on the Creative Economy Coalition of the National Creativity Network

Denise Grande – Director of Arts Education, Los Angeles County Arts Commission. Ms. Grande leads the LA County Arts Education Collective, dedicated to making the arts core in K-12 public education.

Robert L. Lynch – President and CEO, Americans for the Arts. With more than 40 years of experience in the arts industry, Mr. Lynch is motivated by his personal mission to empower communities and leaders to advance the arts in society and in the lives of citizens.

Keith McNutt – Director, Western Region, The Actors Fund. In addition to his work at The Fund, Mr. McNutt has served on the National Grants Committee of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and was awarded a 2012-13 Stanton Fellowship from the Durfee Foundation to study the creative economy in Los Angeles.

Kimberly Ritter-Martinez – Economist, The LAEDC Kyser Center for Economic Research.  Ms. Ritter-Martinez is a principal contributor to the annual Otis Report on the Creative Economy, among other industry reports.

Dee Schneidman – Program Director for Research and Creative Economy, New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA). Ms. Schneidman oversees data collection, documentation, and creative economy activities at NEFA.

Charles Segars – CEO, Ovation TV and Chairman of The Ovation Foundation.  Mr. Segars is also Founder and President of Segars Media, a multi-platform content production company and new media consultancy firm, and co-creator, writer, and executive producer of Disney's National Treasure, National Treasure: Book of Secrets, and the upcoming National Treasure 3.

Susan Soroko – Director of Creative Economy, Arlington Economic Development; Co-Director, Creative Economy Coalition. Ms. Soroko works to support both for profit creative industries as well as non-profit arts organizations and artists.

Laura Zucker - Arts Management Consultant. Ms. Zucker has been a driving force in the development and support of the arts and culture ecosystem of Los Angeles County for over 25 years.

"The arts and creative industries are integral to America's economic prosperity, contributing $704 billion annually to the economy," said Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts. "Supporting the cultivation of emerging artists and ensuring they have the resources they need to thrive is an essential part of the work we do in the nonprofit arts sector. This year's innOVATION Grant Awards aim to do just that, and Americans for the Arts is proud to stand with The Ovation Foundation in this effort."

The application process officially opens nationwide today, August 1.  The deadline for applications is September 29, 2017. The grant review process begins October 9 and the grants will be awarded on December 1, 2017.

About Ovation and The Ovation Foundation

Ovation is an independent television and digital media company dedicated to celebrating and supporting all forms of arts and culture. Ovation TV, selectively curates and airs arts-related series, specials, documentaries and films.  We also offer viewers an exciting line up of Ovation original productions. Ovation TV is available to nearly 50M subscribers via cable, satellite and telco systems including Comcast Cable/Xfinity, DIRECTV/AT&T U-verse, SPECTRUM, Verizon FiOS, Charter Communications, and many other smaller providers and is offered in both standard and high definition, as well as on VOD. Through The Ovation Foundation, the company is committed to advocating for the arts, nationally and locally, and has provided more than $15M in contributions and in kind support to arts institutions and arts education.  You can follow Ovation on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest and OvationTV.com.

SOURCE The Ovation Foundation

Related Links

http://TheOvationFoundation.org