Grants from the TI Foundation support a variety of educational experiences for children at Dallas Children's Theater.

The Texas Instruments Foundation has long supported arts and culture in TI's headquarters' community. That commitment has gained increased recognition and appreciation this year as many valued non-profits arts organizations face challenging economic times.

TI Foundation recently approved grants of more than $1 million to 13 North Texas arts and culture organizations. Recipients include the Anita N. Martinez Ballet Folklorico, Chamberlain Performing Arts, Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Dallas Children's Theater, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Opera, Dallas Summer Musicals, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Theater Center, Dallas Zoo, the Nasher Sculpture Center, the Richardson Symphony Orchestra and the Turtle Creek Chorale.

"With the expansion of area arts organizations over the past decade, the Dallas area has grown to be a vibrant center for arts and culture. The needs of the arts organizations for funding the day-to-day operations and programming have also grown," said Ann Pomykal, executive director of the TI Foundation. "So much depends on the monetary and volunteer support from local foundations and corporations."

"The TI Foundation gives to the arts because the community has so much to gain. The arts positively impact our local economy and the quality of life for everyone in Dallas," she said.

According to an economic impact study produced by the North Texas Business Council for the Arts and Deloitte last year, North Texas non-profit arts and cultural organizations contributed more than $3 billion to the region's economy over the past three years.

Dallas Children's Theater is one of the organizations that received one of these TI Foundation grants.

"This year, the TI Foundation stepped forward to contribute much-needed funding to arts and cultural programming in North Texas," said Robyn Flatt, Executive Artistic Director at Dallas Children's Theater. "During a time when all of us are challenged to maintain the important programs we already provide to the community, it is invaluable to have an entity like the TI Foundation that chooses to help us sustain existing programs and not demand that we add something new to qualify for support. It means the world to Dallas Children's Theater to be a recipient of a grant from an entity that exhibits this kind of incredible philanthropic leadership."

Pomykal added, "The TI Foundation board has to make the difficult grant choices, but there's no more important time to support the arts. We believe that we've invested in arts partners who are cornerstones of our community. They need the committed support of the business and philanthropic communities to stay viable in good and bad times."

A national study by the Business Committee for the Arts showed that fewer U.S. companies are making philanthropic contributions to the arts, but those that continued their support actually gave a slightly greater share of their charitable dollars to the arts.

Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts, said "investing in the arts not only improves community quality of life but also helps attract and retain a skilled workforce and build new markets."