CultureWorks doubled student enrollment this year, thanks to community-wide support + state and federal grants!
Multi-week afterschool and summer art & design classes at CultureWorks have impacted 435 enrolled students from 18 different schools since June, nearly doubling enrollment since we pivoted from a pay-what-you-can-afford model of registration to tuition-free programs. Rapid growth this year strained our staff and resources, but funding from the Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area, MiLEAP 32n Out-Of-School-Time, and year-end donations enabled CultureWorks to confidently hire 2 additional part time support staff in January, increasing our capacity to meet growing needs. On February 27, the Michigan Arts & Culture Council announced over $50K in grant funding for CultureWorks, making it the highest-funded arts & culture organization in Ottawa County through MACC.
State Funding for Arts & Culture Per Capita in the Midwest The State of Michigan is investing roughly $1/capita this year in the Arts and Culture Sector through the Michigan Arts and Culture Council (MACC). By comparison, Ohio invests $2.25/capita, and on a national scale, we invest $1.88/per capita. Prior to 2008, MI invested over $30 million per year in Arts and Culture, compared with $11-$12 million last year and this year. Michigan’s arts and culture sector plays a major role in driving the economy, representing roughly 3% of MI GDP and contributing over $20 Billion and over 144,000 jobs. The arts and culture sector ranks 4th compared to other sectors in value added, just under the transportation industry.
MACC Funding Plan by County for 2026 These funds are typically disbursed in December, but the grant cycle was delayed nearly 6 months due to budget negotiations last summer (when funding was nearly zeroed out). During this period, the Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area stepped in with a responsive grant of $30,000 over 2 years, enabling the continuation of uninterrupted programs that impact the health and vitality of our community.
Our grant from MACC (which includes $355 from the National Endowment for the Arts) includes:
- $20,000 in operational support
- $20,344 for investing in equipment to build out a new music production program
- $1200 for professional development, matching CFHZ’s investment in Miranda and I attending the National Convention for the NAEA this March. It was incredible to gather with over 5,000 artists and educators from around the world and learn from keynote speakers, artist workshops, and research presentations!
- $1200 for a field trip to Ann Arbor, MI, where we’ll visit UM Stamps and also bring our SAC students to the Neutral Zone for a tour and training. Our SAC is 10 years old! Our initial cohort was launched and trained by Neutral Zone in 2016, so we’re excited to reconnect with NZ students and learn more ways we can strengthen our Youth Driven Space model.
- $8,000 for arts education in partnership with schools and nonprofit organizations to make the arts more accessible in our community.
2025-2026 CultureWorks Stats and Demographics
- 435 enrollments in multi-week classes this year (nearly double the previous year at 220!)
- 88 waitlisted students since June
- 35% of enrolled students identifying as Hispanic/Latine, Black/African American, Asian, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, or 2+ Ethnicities
- 39% of enrolled students have household incomes below the ALICE threshold
- 18 schools represented by spring cohort of 86 enrolled students, with 75% from Holland, West Ottawa, and Black River Public Schools
- Spring transportation program includes 34 rides per week from 7 different schools and 2 rides home for students who couldn’t otherwise participate
We’re so grateful for ongoing community-wide support in addition to these grants from the Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area, the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement & Potential, and the Michigan Arts and CultureCouncil!
