Communities

The arts are a powerful means for individuals and whole communities to understand and express themselves, and for creating connections across differences. The artistic and cultural vibrancy of the Bay Area cannot be separated from its demographic diversity, nor from the reality of increasing economic inequality, which affects who, how, and where the arts are being created, experienced, and practiced. These are some reasons the Hewlett Foundation has supported arts across the region for more than 50 years.

To ensure communities around the Bay Area continue to have opportunities to engage with art that is meaningful to them, this portion of our grantmaking supports a broad range of performing arts forms and practices that are relevant to and reflective of people living throughout the region.

Bay Area communities discover, develop, and experience artistic and cultural practices that provide meaning, inspiration, and joy.

We define communities expansively to include groups that are connected through identity, affinity, artistic approach, and geography, which is how most organizations that work in dialogue with the people they aim to reach define themselves and describe who they reach. Our use of community is intended to enlarge, not narrow, the program’s focus — so that it is better able to recognize and support more of the artistic forms and creativity found in the culturally diverse Bay Area.