Last Friday, B3 Coffee, a nonprofit that seeks to facilitate community between people of all abilities, hosted a collaborative art session focused on creating beaded bracelets and necklaces at the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. Members with disabilities and their allies gathered around tables to participate in the event.
This was part of a ten-week art program by the organization, which is dedicated to advancing disability justice and fostering inclusive spaces. Each session explores a principle of disability justice, with this particular gathering focused on the theme of interdependence.
The event on Friday was funded through the Town of Chapel Hill Arts and Culture Award, which benefits Orange County-based nonprofits that have ideas for inclusive arts and culture projects. To qualify for the award, projects must involve a local artist and work closely with historically underrepresented groups.
This program is relatively new, stemming from the town’s recognition that there should be a more accessible call for Orange County nonprofits to receive arts funding. There is now a more formal application and selection process, with various funding amounts available. Steve Wright, public art coordinator for the Town of Chapel Hill's Community Arts & Culture branch, said that the fund allows community groups more flexibility in defining their projects, as the non-profits that were awarded funding are not typically arts-focused organizations.
Chloe Strauss, a local artist and teacher, became involved with B3 Coffee a few years ago and now directs the arts program. She said the award is incredibly beneficial because it allows the program to be offered for free, alleviating the stress of having to charge members for attendance at the sessions.
“Since [the arts program] has been free, I'm able to do more classes, and I couldn’t do that a long time ago,” Alex Martel, a member and spokesperson of B3 Coffee, said. “I get to do it more. I'm really happy that it gets to be where it is because I'm really enjoying it, and hopefully it stays like that in the future.”
Martel and Strauss both said that they are excited to be working toward a fundraiser with B3 where people can view and buy the art the nonprofit has been working on throughout the sessions.
Also receiving funding from the last cycle is The Hannah Ruth Foundation, a nonprofit committed to honoring and preserving the rich legacies of the African American community. The award went toward the Living Legends project, which allows youth to research, interview and eventually create a video project about an esteemed elder of the local community.
Lorie Clark, the founder of the Hannah Ruth Foundation, said that the funding has gone toward project materials and project managers who assist youth in gathering research and archival information.
