Arts and culture organizations do more than entertain: They educate, preserve heritage, spark dialogue, and create spaces where people can connect and express themselves. Pasadena Community Foundation (PCF) has supported the local arts sector since its founding in 1953, but in 2023, it formalized its commitment with the formation of its annual Arts & Culture Grant Program.
In late 2025, PCF awarded new grants to 28 organizations that represent both emerging organizations and long‑established cultural anchors. They will receive a combined $325,000 in flexible support to strengthen their work and help address ongoing challenges following the pandemic and the Eaton Fire.
These grants are made possible through the generosity of local families who have established endowments in PCF’s Arts & Culture Impact Area. Their long‑term commitment ensures that local arts and culture organizations remain vibrant, accessible, and resilient in our region. This year, PCF was also honored to receive a generous gift directed by arts patrons June and Simon Li, allowing the Foundation to expand its support to even more organizations.
Kontrapunktus, a neo-baroque chamber ensemble, received its first Arts & Culture Grant from PCF in 2025.
These grants arrive at a critical moment. Our region is still navigating the long tail of pandemic-era disruptions, economic uncertainty, and the impacts of the Eaton Fire. Arts organizations continue to face financial instability while navigating shifting audience demographics and expectations. Earned revenue has not fully rebounded, public funding remains inconsistent, and philanthropic dollars often prioritize basic needs.
Yet the arts play a unique and irreplaceable role in community healing. They rebuild social cohesion, foster belonging, and create shared spaces for reflection and connection. Donors increasingly recognize that the arts help communities process hardship and move forward together.
PCF is proud to fill a vital gap by providing flexible, sustained support that allows arts organizations to remain strong, adaptive, and deeply rooted in the neighborhoods they serve.
A Noise Within
Altadena Music Theatre
Armory Center for the Arts
Arroyo Repertory Theatre
Boston Court Pasadena
Clazzical Notes
Fulcrum Arts
Harmony Project
Kontrapunktus
Light Bringer Project
Lineage Performing Arts Center
Los Angeles Children’s Chorus
Melodia Mariposa
MUSE/IQUE
Nancy Evans Dance Theatre
Parson’s Nose Theater
Pasadena Conservatory of Music
Pasadena Heritage
Pasadena Master Chorale
Pasadena Playhouse
Pasadena Pro Musica
Pasadena Symphony Association
Red Hen Press
Side Street Projects
Sierra Madre Playhouse
Synchromy
The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company
Theatre Americana
Lead photo courtesy of Boston Court and photographer Brian Hashimoto. Scene from The Night of the Iguana production, fall 2025. Jully Lee and Dennis Dun.
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Pasadena Community Foundation (PCF) is proud to announce the nonprofit recipients for its 2024 Arts & Culture Grant Program. The 16 selected nonprofits represent both emerging and established organizations, and the grants, totaling $302,000, provide flexible support in addressing ongoing challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic. See complete list of 2024 Arts & Culture grantees below. […]
In late January, inside an expansive, light-filled, charmingly cluttered art classroom, students at John Muir Early College Magnet High School busied themselves in front of large sewing machines and shaped their hands around earthy clay. Camaraderie, quiet chatter, and a happy calm permeated the space. PCF was visiting the art studio of Cynthia Lake, Muir’s […]
Pasadena Community Foundation hears frequently about the great things happening at John Muir High School Early College Magnet in northwest Pasadena. Muir’s momentum can be attributed to many factors, including the dynamic leadership of principal Dr. Lawton Gray, its three College and Career Academies, a dedicated parent body, and an array of outstanding extracurricular programs. […]
Pasadena Community Foundation (PCF) is proud to announce the nonprofit recipients for its 2024 Arts & Culture Grant Program. The 16 selected nonprofits represent both emerging and established organizations, and the grants, totaling $302,000, provide flexible support in addressing ongoing challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic. See complete list of 2024 Arts & Culture grantees below. […]
In late January, inside an expansive, light-filled, charmingly cluttered art classroom, students at John Muir Early College Magnet High School busied themselves in front of large sewing machines and shaped their hands around earthy clay. Camaraderie, quiet chatter, and a happy calm permeated the space. PCF was visiting the art studio of Cynthia Lake, Muir’s […]
Pasadena Community Foundation hears frequently about the great things happening at John Muir High School Early College Magnet in northwest Pasadena. Muir’s momentum can be attributed to many factors, including the dynamic leadership of principal Dr. Lawton Gray, its three College and Career Academies, a dedicated parent body, and an array of outstanding extracurricular programs. […]
