Vanish Magic Magazine #97 | Page 9

on a list of acclaimed shows such as The Tonight Show , and The Late Late Show .
George Luck is a name you may not know , but he is vital to all of Vanishing Inc .’ s projects . He is the secret weapon of Vanishing Inc , holding the title of Chief Operating Officer . To simplify his never-ending job description , Luck is the man behind the scenes who refuses to take the credit ( or a picture ), but holds every ( and I mean every ) project together .
Along with the team at Vanishing Inc ., Gladwin , Luck , and Jay are creating four grants to aid in the improvement of magic that will be launched in the coming months .
1 . A Grant Promoting Diversity in Magic 2 . A Grant Promoting Females in Magic 3 . A Grant Promoting Young Magicians 4 . A Grant Promoting Technology in Magic
Jay explained that while they have the charity and youth program , “ We had discussed the idea of a grants program in the past , but we ’ d often end up convincing ourselves against it …” But what swayed them into pursuing this area was hearing about how it has impacted others . He explained , “ direct financial support from charities has an amazing impact all over the world . Charities like GiveDirectly , and others , are showing that if you empower people with cash , the outcomes can often be remarkable .” Gladwin and Jay were adamant about not taking full
credit for these grants ; both wanted to make it clear , like most things at Vanishing Inc ., it was a team effort . “... Our team is our greatest asset . Without them , none of this would be possible .”
Now before I get into why Vanishing Inc . is doing this , I want to be clear , that this is a look into a project that is not published yet . Gladwin , Jay , and Luck have been working on these grants for several months . They gave me an exclusive insight into this project in the hopes that it will spark your ideas that could benefit from these grants . If you have had an idea that would enact change in magic , but struggled to find a way to finance it , now is your chance to polish up your pitch . The application will be published on ShareMagic . org by the end of the year . So , let ' s go through what exactly these grants are . These grants are specifically created for individuals or small groups who , like Jay , Gladwin and Luck , hold a passion for improving the magic community .
The grant for promoting females in magic is simply just that . A grant open to projects that promote female magicians in new ways and projects that bring more women into magic . That does not mean that they are necessarily going to award the grants exclusively to females in magic . Anyone with a passion and plan to encourage and promote females in magic will be able to apply for this grant .
The grant for promoting diversity in magic is similar to the grant for promoting females in magic . This grant is dedicated to supporting projects that will actively promote and expand diversity in the world of magic . You do not have to fall in the category of being " diverse ." Anyone with a project that will promote a more diverse and inclusive magic community is encouraged to apply .
The grant promoting young magicians is expanding upon their youth program . This grant is for initiatives that genuinely enhance and promote young magical talent . Jay told the story of his experience at the last Magifest convention : “ I looked around as Andi and I were jamming with the youth scholars . In that room were kids of every skin color , gender , socioeconomic status , and skill level . Yet they were all huddled together , sharing the latest move that they ’ d learned , buzzing about the shows they ’ d seen , or their heroes they had met . In that room , there weren ’ t any prejudice , barriers , or glass ceilings . There were just magicians … And I have no doubt that many of those kids will go on to become the great magicians of their generation .” Unlike the previous two grants , you cannot be a “ youth of magic ” to apply . All grant applicants must be over the age of 18 . This grant aims to encourage and aid the mini-adults in our industry in their passion for magic .
The final grant is promoting technology in magic . An often under-appreciated , growing
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