After cutting the ribbon at the newly-expanded Brooklyn Brewery yesterday, Mayor Bloomberg celebrated his 69th birthday by lending his support to the RUSH Philanthropic Arts Foundation, a non-profit organization co-founded by Russell Simmons that assists arts education in New York City’s public schools. In appreciation for the mayor’s support and the Bloomberg Family Foundation’s contributions to RUSH’s arts education program, 12-year-old Brooklyn RUSH Kid Seth Novick presented “hizzoner” with a patriotic portrait, depicting Bloomberg surrounded by stars — without stripes — of the American flag.
In related news, the Bloomberg Family Foundation announced today that it plans to distribute a whopping $32 million to arts organizations over the next two years. The foundation will send letters to 250 small to mid-size groups around the city inviting them to apply, with individual grants ranging from $25,000 to $350,000.