The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation has given Spokane’s Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture (MAC) what amounts to a $30,000 vote of confidence.

The foundation announced on Tuesday that it is giving the MAC $30,000 in funding for an upcoming series at the MAC titled “Visions and Voices.” This grant is for the exhibit, “Ric Gendron: A Good Journey,” which will pair Gendron, one of the region’s top local artists, with Oregon writer Elizabeth Woody. Both are known for their creative use of Native American themes.

The timing of this grant was interesting, coming weeks after the governor’s budget proposal calls for closing the MAC.

“I’ve been working with the museum for months on this grant,” said Jim McDonald , the Allen Foundation’s senior program officer for arts and culture. “Just when the decision was made, the governor’s budget came out. But we believe in their work and saw no reason to hold that grant back.”

McDonald called it “a show of support.” He said he hoped that this kind of commitment from an outside funder will “trigger other partnerships and support for the MAC.”

Maybe, he added, it will send a message to policy makers as well.

---

---