RedLine is a proud partner and administrator of the Arts in Society grant. This collaborative program provides grants to both individuals and organizations that use art as a vehicle to promote social justice and community welfare. 

We love highlighting our Arts in Society (AiS) grant recipients and all the unique and impactful projects made possible by their grant.

We’re excited continue this series with the 2024 Arts in Society Grantee project: Supporting Nurses and Educators as They Invest In Our Kids, by Presenting Denver, Invest in Kids, and The Art and Heart of Healthcare!

Learn all about the organizations behind this project and how it offers arts and play-based workshops to nurses and educators to cultivate spaces of courageous care.

About Presenting Denver

Presenting Denver amplifies the voice of Denver’s dance community. We’re committed to creating connections and providing support, access, and unique opportunities to performers and audiences to strengthen our artistic community.

Our values of dedication, hard work, community spirit, diversity and the love of arts in Denver take center stage at Presenting Denver.

About Invest in Kids

Invest in Kids (IIK) shows that based on evidence and experience, investing in young children and families is the best way to strengthen our community today and for future generations. We work tirelessly to bridge research into practice, leveraging the power of evidence-based programs to make the largest possible difference for Colorado children.

These well researched programs are most successful when we invest in them holistically and support their long-term sustainability. This is the work of Invest in Kids.

About The Art and Heart of Healthcare

Founded in 2017 by nurse and dancer Tara Rynders, The Art and Heart of Healthcare combines arts, music, movement and caring science to create immersive experiences and workshops for health care professionals to remember their (re)brilliancy and rekindle the joy that comes from caring for and being cared by another human being. 

Tell us about your first project that will utilize your Arts in Society Grant: Supporting Nurses and Educators as They Invest In Our Kids

Presenting Denver, Invest in Kids, Tara Rynders, and The Art and Heart of Healthcare will work together to offer arts and play-based workshops to nurses and educators working for Invest In Kids Colorado to help offer spaces of courageous care for oneself and each other.

These workshops are based in the (Re)Brilliancy curriculum where we create safe and courageous spaces to reflect back the brilliant and resilient human beings we all are. 

What’s next in the pipeline for your organization? What other projects are you dreaming up for next year, and how will your Arts in Society grant help to support these efforts?

The Art and Heart of Healthcare has primarily worked with nurses and healthcare teams in the past. This year, we’ve had the pleasure of working with educators, non-profits, and employees working at the city of Broomfield. 

The Arts in Society grant has offered us the chance to connect this work to other professions outside of healthcare and although we keep a strong focus on nurses and healthcare workers we are excited to expand to others who can benefit from receiving care as they care for others. 

I applied with new collaborators this year Ashley Cornelius and Dr. Clare Hammoor and this partnership has been a wonderful experience and has led to many new opportunities and ideas beyond what I was able to do on my own as a creative nurse. 

Ashley is the Pikes Peak Poet Laureate, a LPC, and speaker. Clare has his PH.D in applied theater and play from NYU and together we bring diverse offerings and expertise that help round out our participants' experiences. Presenting Denver understands the importance of community partnerships.

Our aim is to develop long-term, lasting relationships with a broad range of community arts organizations, groups and individuals. We welcome collaborations which represent today’s community and move toward building an exciting future together.

What was your experience like when applying for an Arts in Society grant? What tips would you share with artists looking to apply?

One of my favorite parts of this grant application is working alongside other organizations to accomplish something that I could not do on my own. This intersection of the arts and healthcare and education has brought me into many new worlds that I would not have arrived at on my own. 

That being said, I think a few tips include:

● Stay true to your voice and your project.  It may be tempting to want to change your work to fit the grant you are applying for or for the organization you are trying to collaborate with.  Instead seek out grants and connections that align with your work. 

I find that when I have a good fit for a grant I can write and speak so freely and authentically that it really shows my passion and my alignment with the grant and their mission. 

On the other hand, try being open to thinking creatively about doing your work in a new way with new collaborators. This can be really fulfilling to open yourself up to new ideas and people in the creation process.

●  Start early – take your time and write as if you are speaking to someone. It’s so helpful to hear the heart of the project and that comes when we are speaking from the heart. 

The grants I have received have been the ones that I wrote passionately about. Don’t try and impress anyone, instead help them feel why you are so excited about this work.

● Take the time to document your work with high quality photos and videos. When I tell people about our work and that we have our nurses play and dance and make art they look at me and say, “I could never do that.” Then I show them our videos and photos and they say, “I want to do that, that looks fun.”

Having a way to help people see and feel what the participants are experiencing is so helpful.