HOLYOKE – Bloomberg Philanthropies on Wednesday named the El Corazon de Holyoke (The Heart of Holyoke) and the city, along with 14 communities nationwide, as finalists for a Public Arts Challenge Grant.
Holyoke competed with more than 200 applicants for the coveted grants of up to $1 million. Bloomberg Philanthropies will name three winners in the fall. The applications hail from communities with 30,000 or more residents.
El Corazon de Holyoke and the city are seeking a grant of $732,000 for creating visual art, performances “and cultural programming that celebrates the culture and identities of Latinx neighborhoods surrounding the city’s main street,” namely, the stretch from the entrance of I-391 to an underpass on Lyman Street.
“This project aims to use the arts to improve neighborhood perceptions, support pride and catalyze economic opportunity,” the city’s application states.
El Corazon de Holyoke was initially funded through a National Endowment for the Arts “Our Town” grant, with additional funding from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.
In 2015, artists Caryn Brause and Joseph Krupczynski, of the Center for Design Engagement, created “Arrivals,” a digital display. The piece was installed below a rail bridge near Lyman and Main Street.
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