Our Mission
At Rochester Arts Advocate (RAA) it is our mission to:
- Provide financial support for talented aspiring artist to refine their artistic skills en route to a professional career in music.
- Provide funding for music enrichment and music education services to every community in the greater Rochester, NY region.
- Provide funding for the creation of new art and inter-art collaboration.
About RAA
RAA, a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization (originally Rochester Contemporary Arts Foundation), was founded in August 2012 to serve the greater Rochester region's vibrant arts community by promoting new works of art, arts education, inter-arts collaboration, and patronization of the arts. We help professional and aspiring artists in the Rochester region through public and private advocacy as well as through financial assistance (i.e. scholarships & grants). RAA works to ensure two primary conditions for the Rochester region: 1) that funding is ALWAYS available for the creation of new arts, arts education, and historic preservation of the arts in Rochester and 2) that forward-thinking artists are able to pursue ambitious works, especially those involving inter-arts collaboration.
We believe that the arts community, and the individuals who benefit from it, have a duty to celebrate its presence in the community and to safe guard its future. It is that belief which inspires and drives everyone at RAA to fulfill its mission of providing scholarships and 3 types of grants within the Rochester community, and to advocate on behalf of the arts community on a daily basis.
Our scholarships for individuals are to assist them with attending local arts schools/programs (i.e. music, art, dance, literature, etc). Each scholarship helps aspiring artists receive the highest quality of fine arts instruction en route to a career in the arts.
The three grants that we offer serve: 1) public, private, and charter schools' fine arts programs with funding for in-school clinics/presentations of the fine arts, and/or to subsidize portions of their budgets that have been affected by financial cuts/hardships; 2) community organizations to fund after-school programs, and/or community enrichment through the arts; and 3) professional artists to assist them with bringing their artistic conceptions to fruition.
RAA is supported by fundraising events such as "Roc the Arts" and private donations from individuals and businesses within the Rochester community.
We believe that the arts community, and the individuals who benefit from it, have a duty to celebrate its presence in the community and to safe guard its future. It is that belief which inspires and drives everyone at RAA to fulfill its mission of providing scholarships and 3 types of grants within the Rochester community, and to advocate on behalf of the arts community on a daily basis.
Our scholarships for individuals are to assist them with attending local arts schools/programs (i.e. music, art, dance, literature, etc). Each scholarship helps aspiring artists receive the highest quality of fine arts instruction en route to a career in the arts.
The three grants that we offer serve: 1) public, private, and charter schools' fine arts programs with funding for in-school clinics/presentations of the fine arts, and/or to subsidize portions of their budgets that have been affected by financial cuts/hardships; 2) community organizations to fund after-school programs, and/or community enrichment through the arts; and 3) professional artists to assist them with bringing their artistic conceptions to fruition.
RAA is supported by fundraising events such as "Roc the Arts" and private donations from individuals and businesses within the Rochester community.
RCAF 501(c)3 Status
Rochester Arts Advocate (formerly Rochester Contemporary Arts Foundation) is a 501(c)3 public charity. To view a RAA's 501(c)3 letter from the IRS, CLICK HERE>>