Philanthropy Central

In 2000, the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the Surdna Foundation combined their respective expertise to support high-quality arts institutions engaged in "the training of young people with demonstrated talent in the performing arts." The Talented Students in the Arts Initiative came at a critical time for many such institutions, as public support for the arts—at both the local and national levels—was being cut around the nation.
Having resolved to collaborate on an arts initiative of mutual interest, the two foundations began in 2000 by conducting field research to inform the program’s design. By 2001, they had decided to focus on offering promising teenagers the opportunity to work with established artists. The Talented Students in the Arts Initiative was, therefore, to be a three-year project offering grants both to performing arts high schools and to national arts institutions working with professionals and young people.