In Washington Square Park, the warmer weather is a harbinger of the busy season when in-Park programs start up again, filling the days (and Park!) with music, dancing, and laughter. Many of your favorite activities, like musical concerts and comedy shows, are hosted by one of WSPC’s Community Arts Grantees. 

Since 2016, WSPC has provided funding in the form of small grants to help support community organizations and local arts groups who have built a strong relationship with the Park and Village neighbors through our Community Arts Grants Program. The Conservancy has provided nearly $38,000 in funding to beloved groups such as Dances for a Variable Population and The Uni Project since the program began.

And while COVID may have stopped the in-Park performances and events for 2020, that didn’t stop WSPC from keeping up our commitment to these essential community groups. Grants for the 2020 season totaled $13,750, the highest amount in the program’s history to-date. And with Applications now open for the 2021 season, the Community Arts Grantees show no sign of stopping. As they say, “the show must go on!” 

And go on it did. Many of the 2020 grantees were able to pivot to an online event or offered online content. Theater for the New City performed their Liberty or JUST US to an enrapt virtual audience, and has continued to provide streamable entertainment. The Washington Square Music Festival celebrated its 61st year in June with a month of pre-recorded content hosted on youtube and the Conservancy’s website. The Children’s Museum of the Arts has been offering (both free and paid) online classes and posting short project tutorials on social media. 

And the Washington Square Park Folk Festival hosted an entirely online event last season, thanks to their grant. “Moving to an online format allowed us to maintain the continuity of the event and stay connected with our audience while supporting our artists,” said Eli Smith, Head of the Folk Festival. “The Community Arts Grant was a lifeline for us in 2020. Every year it’s our most stable and largest source of funds. This year our other funders couldn’t support the festival because of the pandemic, or did so at a much reduced level. The Conservancy’s support allowed us to present the concert this year. Without it, there would have been no festival.”

Their success, along with the success of the seven grantees who were able to offer online resources to the community, gives us hope for the 2021 season, in whatever form the creativity makes its way to you. While we’re crossing our fingers that some events can take place in the Park, we’re also preparing to offer plenty of virtual content to help Park users stay connected while staying safe at home. And, as always, WSPC’s commitment to our Arts Grantees ensures that the events you love will return to the Park for many seasons to come.

Applications are open, so if you or someone you know is involved in a community group that plans to bring cultural programming to Washington Square Park, the application is available here. Questions can be directed to grace@washingtonsqpark.org.