The St. Croix Foundation for Community Development has announced a whopping $1 million investment in St. Croix’s cultural landscape, funded by the Mellon Foundation’s Humanities in Place Program.
This grant will support the foundation’s Healing Humanities Initiative, a forward-thinking initiative that integrates regranting, infrastructure development, and the humanities as tools for healing and social transformation.
According to a press release from SCF, the grant will support two key initiatives of the Healing Humanities Project. First, $500,000 will be awarded to cultural and arts nonprofits focused on cultural preservation, the arts, and humanities. This funding will help the St. Croix Foundation further invest in preserving and celebrating the island’s rich Crucian history and traditions. Secondly, the grant will support the revitalization of Sunday Market Square and the restoration of the Alexander Theater.
Alexander Theater will be transformed into a more than 22,000-square-foot performing arts and cultural center. This multipurpose venue will serve as a hub for artistic expression, storytelling, and heritage preservation while functioning as a community disaster shelter. The Mellon Foundation funding will support acoustic design elements and community engagement activities surrounding the theater’s restoration.
The revitalization of Sunday Market Square, of which the Alexander Theater is a central piece, will be a comprehensive restoration project. SCF owns several properties in the area and is working with other federal resources to restore the square as a whole.
“The theater is one piece of the Sunday Market Square portfolio,” explained Deanna James, president and CEO of St. Croix Foundation. “We are working with other federal partners and looking at additional resources for a full-scale restoration of Sunday Market Square, which is one of the oldest planned squares under the American flag, built during Danish rule. It holds immense historical significance, particularly for our enslaved African ancestors, who used it as a place to gather one Sunday a month — a rare opportunity for humanity during an otherwise brutal existence,” she said.
James emphasized the importance of recognizing the deep history of Sunday Market Square in the design and planning of the restoration: “We are not just restoring a property but honoring the space’s legacy. The history and meaning of Sunday Market Square are integral to our mission. Our goal is to preserve, amplify, and engage the community in the future of this important site.”
The Mellon Foundation funding contributes to the development of design elements that reflect the historical and cultural importance of the site, ensuring that it becomes a space for both remembrance and renewal. SCF is committed to creating a space that acknowledges the legacy of the past while fostering an inclusive and resilient future for the community.
“We are incredibly grateful for the Mellon Foundation’s investment in our work,” said James. “This grant is a powerful and timely affirmation of the ongoing efforts by St. Croix Foundation and our partners in arts, culture, and preservation to safeguard our community’s history and create a more inclusive future.”
Interested nonprofits will become eligible in March, but the date has not yet been released. For the time being, nonprofits interested in applying for the upcoming grant cycle are encouraged to contact Paloma McGregor at pmcgregor@stxfoundation.org for more information. Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status can still apply if they focus on culture and the arts and are fiscally sponsored. Nonprofits will also need to be based on St. Croix.
For updates on the Healing Humanities Grant cycle and the progress of the Sunday Market Square revitalization, follow St. Croix Foundation on Facebook at www.facebook.com/STXFoundation.
“This grant marks a pivotal step in preserving the cultural heritage of St. Croix and fostering a future rooted in artistic expression, history, and community strength,” said James.
