Boston, June 16, 2022 – Today, Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) announced that its Artward Bound program is one of 140 local nonprofits to receive grants of $100,000 to $500,000 each through the Cummings Foundation $25 million grant program. Artward Bound was chosen from a total of 580 applicants during a competitive review process, and will receive $100,000 over three years.

Founded in 2012, Artward Bound is a free four-year program that prepares 9th to 12th grade students interested in visual arts and design with the artistic and academic skills needed for admission to, and success at, an art and design college or other post-secondary institution. With the mission to bring local voices of color to the forefront of the art and design field, Artward Bound is unique among college art education and access programs, and has the potential to be a national model with impact far beyond the confines of the city of Boston.

“We are enormously grateful to the Cummings Foundation,” said Mary K. Grant, President of MassArt. “Artward Bound is a program that changes lives and expands opportunity, and with this funding we will continue to open doors to ensure access, equity and representation in the art and design field. We are inspired every day by the students we work with in the ongoing, critical work to address systemic racism. Artward Bound is a model of change and we are so honored to receive this generous support.”  

“We know that if we as an institution are committed to the common good, then all people must be represented,” said Chandra Méndez-Ortiz, Executive Director of Artward Bound. “It’s motivating to have the Cummings Foundation express their belief in the importance of our work, and we appreciate their partnership in preparing our talented and hardworking students to succeed in college and in life.” 

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Artward Bound was established to partner with young people, their families, and schools to radically increase access to art and design education through MassArt. Artward Bound proactively addresses the lack of opportunities in the arts that has led to people of color being systematically excluded from arts colleges, arts and culture institutions, and art and design professions. The program provides arts learning throughout the four-year journey coupled with small class sizes, 1:1 tutoring sessions, regular mentorship from MassArt students, community building, and leadership development opportunities that prepare students for success and advocacy in college.

As Artward Bound celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2022, 100% of Artward Bound students graduate from high school each academic year, 95% of graduated students are accepted to college, and 61% of graduated students go on to study art and design.

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ABOUT MASSART

Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) is a public, independent institution that prepares artists, designers, and educators to shape communities, economies, and cultures for the common good. Since 1873, MassArt has built a legacy of leadership as the first freestanding public college of art and design in the country, and the nation’s first art school to grant a degree. MassArt offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate degrees in art, design, and art education, taught by world-class faculty.