On our journey to building stronger connections within our communities, artists and arts and cultural organizations remain essential for enriching the value and beauty of a neighborhood. In a region where creativity thrives, The Community Foundation is proud to be part of the diverse and growing arts scene in the Nashville area. The Foundation's first fund to support the arts dates back to its founding. Tennesseans for the Arts works to support, defend and expand public funding for the arts.
One of their initiatives is championing the special tuition program, which provides 80% of the funding awarded to nonprofit organizations by the Tennessee Arts Commission. This Commission's mission is to stimulate and encourage the presentation of performing, visual, and literary arts throughout the state, as well as foster public interest in Tennessee's cultural heritage. Each year, they facilitate investments in the arts community through grants. These grant programs help fund the artistic activities of more than 600 organizations and artists in Tennessee.
The Roos' most recent funding came from a mandatory minimum distribution of their prized IRAs, which are taxable unless they are donated to a nonprofit organization. The Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC) recognizes the terrain in which it presents artistic experiences that once belonged to indigenous tribes of the Cherokee, Shawnee and Chickasaw in what is now the state of Tennessee. The vision behind these grants is a Tennessee in which the arts inspire, connect and improve everyday life, thereby improving its cultural life. The TPAC established Humanities Outreach in Tennessee (HOT) in 1983 and received the Governor's Award for Artistic Excellence.
Excellence in the arts occurs when an experience affects and changes us in novel ways, providing new and relevant perspectives. Founded in 1960, Americans for the Arts is a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the arts and arts education. They remind cultural organizations that 26% of their grants from the Tennessee Arts Commission come mainly from the sale of special license plates. The artistic companies and creative individuals employed by these organizations stimulate innovation, strengthen America's competitiveness in the global marketplace, and play an important role in creating and maintaining economic vitality.
Americans for the Arts serves, promotes and leads the network of organizations and individuals that cultivate, promote, sustain and support the arts in the United States. The Community Foundation is proud to be part of Nashville's vibrant arts scene. Through Tennesseans for the Arts' special tuition program, The Tennessee Arts Commission's grants, Americans for the Arts' initiatives, and other nonprofit organizations' efforts, Nashville is able to provide its citizens with access to enriching art experiences that stimulate creativity and innovation while also strengthening America's economic vitality.
