PNC Arts Alive! Program Launches in Broward County; Proposals Due Next Month

Broward County, FL -- The arts are Alive! A clear message on Monday morning as Broward County Mayor Marty Kiar; Mayor, City of Pompano Beach Mayor Lamar Fisher; Broward Cultural Division Director Earl Bosworth; and President, Florida East, PNC Bank Cressman Bronson joined a group of local stars, as inspired hosts at Pompano Beach's Bailey Contemporary Arts (BaCA).

An eclectic mixture of entertainers, arts advocates and local and national businessmen, as well as county and city officials filled in this canvas as a well-dressed and vibrant crowd, sending the message that a new vibe was in town, an arts and business collaboration in PNC Arts Alive! Entertainment blended through the event in color and sound with Saxophonist Randy Corinthian; Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida, Spoken Word artist Mike McCain and Galen Todd, the painter and illustrator who ensured the vibrancy of the mood.

The occasion? The launch of PNC Arts Alive! Program in Broward County.

Florida's East Coast has become the fourth region in the this national initiative, joining Central Ohio, Southern New Jersey and Southern Illinois. The PNC Foundation in conjunction with the Broward Cultural Division announced it will award $510,000 over three years to arts organizations in Broward, Duval and Palm Beach counties. The grants are part of PNC Arts Alive!, which has committed millions of dollars to support visual and performing arts and increase audience participation.

PNC is now accepting grant proposals for $10,000 and above from qualified arts organizations that support fresh and emerging arts programs, value-added public programming and creative use of technology, while seeking to expand audiences. Proposals are due by June 15. Details of the guidelines and application process are available at www.pncartsalive.com.

Cressman Bronson, PNC Regional President for Florida East, said that PNC Arts Alive! can influence how arts organizations develop. "This half a million dollars can make a big difference for organizations of all sizes," he said. "We have an opportunity to help fill that (funding) gap while bringing new and exciting programs to South Florida's already vibrant arts community."

Broward Cultural Division is a local arts agency, one of thousands across the U.S. providing financial, technical and marketing assistance to artists and arts organizations. Broward County has nearly 1.9 million residents, 13.4 million visitors, 10,000 artists, 6,291 arts-related businesses employing 23,498 people, 823 not-for-profit cultural organizations and 31 cities, some of which operate their own arts councils and public art programs. For more information about the Broward Cultural Division, call 954-357-7457. Visit the website and follow on Twitter @BrowardArts and Facebook.

Since its debut in 2009, PNC Arts Alive! has awarded approximately $13 million in grants to enterprising cultural organizations in three regions served by PNC, through funding delivered by the PNC Foundation, which receives its principal funding from The PNC Financial Services Group. PNC Arts Alive! has supported new exhibitions and festivals, pop-up theater and music performances, mobile arts vans, family arts programs and more. This award-winning program has earned recognition from Americans for the Arts in New York City along with regional arts organizations.

Pictured: PNC Regional President for Florida East Cressman Bronson, Broward County Mayor Martin Kiar and Broward Cultural Division Director Earl Bosworth.