FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New York, NY — February 6, 2025 — The National Guild for Community Arts Education is honored to announce it has been awarded a two-year $500,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation in recognition and support of the visionary leadership of its Executive Director, Dr. Quanice G. Floyd. This transformative funding will advance the Guild’s strategic plan, A Beautiful Evolution, which centers on creating a sustainable and equitable future for community arts education.
This investment reflects the Mellon Foundation’s acknowledgment of Dr. Floyd’s leadership in reimagining the field of community arts education. At the core of her vision is the commitment to "healing the healers," ensuring that community arts educators, who are often on the front lines of societal change, have access to the care and resources they need to thrive.
“Receiving this support from the Mellon Foundation is both humbling and empowering,” said Dr. Quanice G. Floyd, Executive Director of the National Guild for Community Arts Education. “This grant is a testament to the transformative potential of A Beautiful Evolution and our shared goal of fostering equity and sustainability in the arts. It underscores the importance of investing in the people who dedicate their lives to serving and healing their communities.”
“Quanice is not new to catalytic leadership or imagining toward a more just future; it's thrilling to watch her bring her considerable experience to bear at the National Guild,” says Stephanie Ybarra, Program Officer of Arts and Culture at the Mellon Foundation.” We are proud to support this chapter of Quanice's ongoing leadership within the national arts community.”
The funding will enable the Guild to continue building on Dr. Floyd’s vision by focusing on:
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Expanding Wellness and Leadership Resources: Providing tools, training, and programs to help community arts leaders integrate sustainable practices into their work.
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Ensuring Equitable Access to Care: Offering targeted support for community arts administrators and teaching artists disproportionately affected by systemic inequities.
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Strengthening Community Networks: Building stronger peer support systems for collective healing and shared growth across the field.
Dr. Floyd’s leadership has redefined what it means to lead with equity, compassion, and sustainability at the forefront. This grant solidifies her position as a transformative voice in the field, driving the Guild’s mission to create a thriving community arts education ecosystem.
About the National Guild for Community Arts Education
The National Guild for Community Arts Education envisions a world where all individuals have access to community arts education that enriches their lives and contributes to the well-being of their communities. We are committed to achieving our vision through our core values of liberatory leadership, equity, creativity, and community. We champion the transformative power of community arts education to build an equitable and just world through advocacy, leadership development, and peer learning. We co-create a future where learning and creativity are at the center of our collective liberation. Learn more at www.nationalguild.org
About the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation is the nation’s largest supporter of the arts and humanities. Since 1969, the Foundation has been guided by its core belief that the humanities and arts are essential to human understanding. The Foundation believes that the arts and humanities are where we express our complex humanity, and that everyone deserves the beauty, transcendence, and freedom that can be found there. Through our grants, we seek to build just communities enriched by meaning and empowered by critical thinking, where ideas and imagination can thrive. Learn more at mellon.org.
For more information about A Beautiful Evolution and Dr. Quanice G. Floyd’s work, visit www.nationalguild.org.
Media Contact:
Lissette Martinez
Director of Programs and Communications
National Guild for Community Arts Education
communications@nationalguild.org
www.nationalguild.org
Published: February 06, 2025