knightfoundation_web.pngMIAMI — The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has announced 66 finalists in the Knight Arts Challenge, an annual contest that, offering matching grant money to the best ideas for the arts, aims to bring South Florida together through the arts.

Spanning from Broward to the Florida Keys, many of the finalists are grassroots projects and organizations representing the diversity of South Florida’s cultural community.

“These finalists show the depths of our cultural community, the diversity of our creative leaders, and their fearlessness in presenting outside-the-box ideas,” said Dennis Scholl, VP/arts at Knight Foundation.

The full list is at KnightArts.org. Winners will be announced in December.

In addition, the public once again will have a say in who receives financing with the Knight Arts Challenge People’s Choice Award. In the fall, all South Floridians will be invited to vote via text message for one of several up and coming cultural organizations. The winner will receive $20,000 in support.

“Because so much of this community’s exciting art is happening at the grassroots level, we want to bring attention to smaller and emerging groups that are engaging the public,” said Matt Haggman, Miami program director for Knight Foundation.

This is the sixth year of the Knight Arts Challenge. Applicants must follow only three rules: 1) The idea must be about the arts; 2) The project must take place in or benefit South Florida; 3) The grant recipient must find funds to match Knight’s commitment.