Program Is Shot in the Arm for Disney Hall and the Arts

In an effort to fill the gap created by funding cutbacks in the arts and art education, Edison International has created a three-year $4-million “Arts for the Community” program that earmarks $1 million for downtown’s Walt Disney Concert Hall project.

At a news conference today, Edison, the Rosemead-headquartered parent company of Southern California Edison, is expected to announce its program to support regional grass-roots arts institutions in Southern California, as well as its commitment to Disney Hall. The planned new home for the Los Angeles Philharmonic remains underfunded by at least $50 million.

“As we looked over our philanthropic priorities, we noticed that corporate support for the arts has really declined dramatically over the past five years,” Edison International chairman and chief executive officer John E. Bryson said in a Times interview. “It’s a big commitment for us, and one which we hope will spur others to make a commitment in this area, and will make a real difference.”

Besides the Disney Hall funding, the grant-making program will make a $1-million commitment to the expansion of arts education and performances by community college and university students, as well as arts organizations working in conjunction with community colleges and universities. The individual grants making up the total could range from $25,000 to $100,000.

Another million will be divided into grants ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 to support education and outreach efforts by arts organizations with an annual operating budget of less than $300,000. One million dollars will also be allotted to support capital projects undertaken by educational institutions and arts organizations to improve presentation facilities, in grants ranging from $100,000 to $250,000.

Edison International has set up a toll-free number--(888) 833-4766--for grant inquiries. Applications will be accepted beginning in January, and expects the first awards to be made in the spring. Applications for community-based organizations will be available quarterly, while applications for grants for capital projects for colleges and universities will be available annually.

Although Bryson stressed that Edison International is interested in providing arts access to underfunded communities rather than giving to more established performing arts venues such as downtown’s Music Center, he added that he believes the $1-million contribution to Disney Hall--which will become the Music Center’s fourth venue--is in keeping with the goal.

“Disney Hall really is, we think, a very important development for the arts in Los Angeles, we wanted to be part of supporting that, but we wanted to do that in the context of this outreach focus,” Bryson said. “Disney Hall should be made available, and we believe will be made available to audiences broadly across the region, and that is the accent of our philanthropy here.”