Arts & Culture

PRIORITIES
Arts & Culture is one of PCF’s six areas of interest for local grantmaking. PCF’s grantmaking in this area of interest supports performing, visual & literary arts; arts education; historic preservation; and cultural programs that celebrate our diversity, enrich our lives, and contribute to a shared sense of community pride and identity. This area of interest is made possible by PCF Endowment Builders who are passionate about Pasadena-area arts and cultural organizations.

GRANT PROGRAMS

Rowe & Gayle Giesen Trust
The Rowe and Gayle Giesen Trust encourages the personal and emotional development of children and youth in the greater Pasadena area through experiences in the visual arts. The Giesen Trust is administered by PCF as one of the Foundation’s Funds for Pasadena, and grants are awarded annually to local arts organizations. Since its establishment in 1972, the Trust has awarded nearly $2 million to local organizations that provide visual arts experiences for children and teens.

Development of PCF Arts & Culture Grant Program
PCF is exploring an expansion of its funding in the area of Arts and Culture. Guidelines will be developed for a competitive grant program based on an assessment of how our grant dollars can be deployed effectively in ways that align with our values around equity of opportunity and access to Pasadena’s arts organizations and programs.

Impact in the area of Arts & Culture

Since its first arts grant in 1973, PCF, along with its generous donors, has awarded 489 grants totaling $2,865,000 to 52 unduplicated arts & cultural organizations.

Pasadena Heritage was able to acquire and restore the Blinn House, a local landmark, to become its offices and event space thanks in part to a $50,000 Capital Campaign Grant from PCF in 2021.

During the pandemic, PCF supported local arts organizations struggling with protracted closures in three ways:

Contributed $50,000 to support the City of Pasadena’s emergency Art & Culture Relief Grant Program.
Awarded an additional $45,000 in grants through the Giesen Trust, a component fund of PCF.
Disbursed $100,000 in unrestricted funding to arts organizations impacted by the pandemic through the Performing & Visual Arts Recovery Grant Program in June 2021.

Supporting Funds

PCF works with community members to establish endowments that support local grantmaking, including those in the Arts & Culture area of interest. As a community foundation, PCF always honors donor intent. Our grants reflect any donor restrictions regarding their designated causes.

Visit these links to learn more about a few of our donors and the reasons they created a PCF endowment for Arts & Culture.

Become a PCF Endowment Builder for the areas you care about – learn more.

Related News & Features

“Pasadena Heritage Debuts a Beautifully Refurbished Blinn House.” May 2022. Read article.

“Pasadena Community Foundation Steps Up for the Arts.” August 2021. Read article.

“Community Inspires Side Street Projects’ Mission and Art.” August 2021. Read article.

Recent Grantee Organizations

Each year, Pasadena-area organizations in the Arts & Culture area benefit from PCF grant awards. The photos here showcase some of our recent grantees. Click on thumbnails to enlarge photos.