AAACF Takes a Stand

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The AAACF is supporting human services, too--it also gave a total of more than $200,000 in operating grants to Ozone House, the Corner Health Center, and other local providers. But "we think arts and culture are key," D'Anieri says. "We think for art's sake, for the cultural atmosphere they help create in the community, for the talent they bring to the community, and for the boost to the economy they provide, the arts are really critical for us here."

What does the future look like for the arts in Ann Arbor? "The state's and the region's economy is restructuring permanently, and it's really going to shake up the arts organizations," says D'Anieri. "When the general economy rebounds, these arts organizations will rebound, but everything will be smaller--permanently smaller."   

[Originally published in October, 2009.]