elations between the United States and the diverse Muslim societies around the world have been characterized by mutual misunderstanding and a lack of constructive collaboration. The Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art launched the Building Bridges Program to help build awareness and improve understanding.
Goal
The Building Bridges Program aims to promote the use of arts and media to improve Americans’ understanding of Muslim societies. The program seeks to support initiatives that use arts and media to highlight the diversity of Muslim populations around the world for American audiences in order to dispel negative stereotypes and increase understanding.
Strategy
The Building Bridges Program focuses its grantmaking in the following area:
- Media and the Arts – Grants support the presentation and distribution of contemporary arts, including media, to highlight the diversity of Muslim populations around the world and improve Americans' understanding of Muslim societies (in the U.S. and abroad).
A smaller number of grants may also support research and related initiatives that advance knowledge about the role of (and opportunities for) arts and media to improve understanding between the U.S. and Muslim societies.
Between 2006-2009, the program made grants through one additional strategy: Cross-Cultural Education and Exchange. Grants in this area promoted the use of technology to create opportunities for American students to engage with peers from Muslim societies in order to improve understanding among young people. The recent economic downturn led to a reduction in the program's grants budget and the number of activities the program supports. Thus, in 2010 and 2011, the program will emphasize the presentation and distribution of contemporary arts and media as described above.
See Grantmaking Process & Criteria for information on the availability of grants for specific projects.
Grants Awarded
As of December 31, 2010, DDFIA’s Building Bridges Program has approved 21 grants totaling approximately $7.7 million (view Grants Awarded).
Areas Not Funded
At this time, DDFIA does not directly support individual artists and filmmakers. Grants are limited to 501(c)(3) organizations operating in the United States.