The Joyce Foundation has announced grants totaling more than $2.5 million through a new program designed to boost diversity within Chicago-area arts and cultural organizations.

The foundation's Spotlight Grant program was established to support local cultural institutions in their efforts to assist artists of color achieve viable careers while strengthening the pipeline of racially diverse arts administrators and enhancing grantees' long-term financial stability. In designing the program, the foundation consulted with ten of its high-performing grantees, many of whom said they needed a more robust pipeline of diverse candidates for key staff functions, including administrative and development positions, and stronger boards.

Grant recipients include the Black Ensemble Theater, which was awarded $300,000 to expand its development department; the Hyde Park Art Center, which will receive $225,000 to create a permanent artist studio space dedicated to emerging artists of color; the National Museum of Mexican Art, which will receive $300,000 to strengthen its development efforts; and Victory Gardens Theater, which was awarded $225,000 in support of efforts to diversify its audiences. Additional grant recipients include Chicago Sinfonietta, the Court Theatre, the Goodman Theatre, the International Latino Culture Center of Chicago, the Old Town School of Folk Music, and Teatro Vista/Theatre with a View.

"Our goal was to encourage these organization to design programs that they thought would reach their greatest potential," said Joyce Foundation president Ellen Alberding. "They requested support tailored for their specific needs, whether that meant more development staff or improved facilities. By providing three years of support, we hope they will make progress toward securing their futures as among the nation’s most artistically fresh and community reflective arts organizations, rooted in diverse communities."