Arizona Daily Star
Article by Cathalena E. Burch
Just weeks before federal funding was nearly rescinded, the Arts Foundation awarded over $850,000 in ARPA grants. In an Arizona Daily Star interview, Grants Director Gabriela Muñoz explained how the funding reimbursed projects and expanded arts across Southern Arizona.
The Arts Foundation 2025 grants went to reimburse 43 artists and 41 arts and cultural organizations from 16 cities and towns throughout Southern Arizona that had funded their projects out of pocket. Muñoz was part of the urgency she and Arts Foundation CEO Adriana Gallego had in distributing the funding.
“We had met our original contract already so we were so relieved that our community would be able to benefit from these public dollars,” Muñoz said.
Cathalena E. Burch, Arizona Daily Star
Among the ARPA Artist and Organization Grantees highlighted in the article are:
- Gila Valley Arts Council
- Odaiko Sonora Rhythm Industry
- Nicolette “Niko” Gomez, a member of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe
- Eli Beren
- American Literary Translators Association
These stories reflect the resilience and creativity of Southern Arizona’s arts community.
Read the full Arizona Daily Star article to learn about the initiatives and impact of their projects in our region.
