Purpose
From 2001 through 2003, the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the Surdna Foundation awarded a series of grants to the country's leading performing arts educational institutions to help improve the training of young people with demonstrated talent in the performing arts.
Conclusion of Initiative
In response to budgetary constraints, the Arts Program revised its grantmaking strategies in 2003. As part of this strategic refinement, the Arts Program concluded funding for this initiative as it is not core to the program’s mission, which focuses on professional performing artists and institutions.
A total of five public performing arts high schools and 10 national performing arts training institutions received grants through this initiative. The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation provided $11.75 million in matching endowment grants and the Surdna Foundation provided $4.5 million in grants for program support. Current grants will conclude in 2005 and additional grants will not be awarded.
Initiative History
The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the Surdna Foundation conducted significant field research over one year to design this initiative to help improve the training of young people with demonstrated talent in the performing arts. The study included interviews of administrators from more than 40 institutions.
The Talented Students in the Arts Initiative supported two types of institutions: public performing arts high schools and national performing arts training institutions, including conservatories and art colleges, summer festivals with intensive training programs, and schools affiliated with professional dance companies.
The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation provided matching endowment support, which was augmented by program support from the Surdna Foundation to fund scholarships, internships, artistic programs and faculty resources during the grant period. The revenue generated from the matched endowments will continue to provide artistic program support beyond the grant period.
The two foundations issued a Request for Proposals to the country’s leading performing arts educational institutions. A panel of leaders in the field evaluated the proposals against criteria specified by the foundations and recommended schools for funding. In addition, organizational and financial assessments were prepared by an independent consultant to determine each institution’s ability to raise the required endowment match.