The arts are essential to strong, vibrant communities. A dynamic cultural sector is a catalyst for growth, attracting and retaining businesses and visitors. They strengthen neighborhoods and communities by preserving the culture and memories of specific places and have a positive impact on health and well-being. The arts provide spaces to allow people from different backgrounds to engage with one another and opportunities to build community. Perhaps most importantly, they offer personal enjoyment to individuals, groups, and families, and give voice to the human condition.
The Mary Duke Biddle Foundation focuses its arts grantmaking on efforts that strengthen arts organizations, encourage collaboration, and nurture artistic talent. This program focuses on adult artists. Please see the K-12 Education grant program for guidelines for projects that engage school-aged participants.
Durham Independent Dance Artists, photo by Zoe Litaker
The Biddle Foundation remains committed to a strong and thriving cultural sector in Chatham, Durham, Orange, and Wake Counties in North Carolina. The arts contribute significant value to communities, fueling creativity, beautifying city and town spaces, and providing joy. Long-standing arts organizations in the Triangle have created a strong infrastructure through consistent excellent programming, while newer organizations are expanding opportunities and venues that appeal to new and diverse audiences.
MDBF supports cultural organizations that demonstrate artistic excellence and elevate the profile of the Triangle’s arts scenes, both locally and nationally. MDBF also supports new, emerging, or grassroots cultural organizations and initiatives that document, preserve, or present the values, spirit, and diversity of the Triangle’s cultural community. Grants are made to develop and sustain strong Triangle-area organizations.The maximum grant is $10,000.
This program focuses on adult artists. Please see the K-12 Education grant program for guidelines for projects that engage school-aged participants.
The vibrancy of the arts sector depends on artists who create, refine, or present new work. MDBF supports organizations in Chatham, Durham, Orange, and Wake Counties in North Carolina that work directly with artists or create new work. Grants focus on nurturing the current and next generations of artists, deepening and expanding talent, developing professional and business skills, and creating new works. The maximum grant is $10,000.
This program focuses on adult artists. Please see the K-12 Education grant program for guidelines for projects that engage school-aged participants. All creative disciplines—music, dance, theater, visual, and digital/photography/filmmaking—are eligible.